The Old Capital
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
The book's value lies first in being a condensed cultural encyclopedia of Kyoto. With a brush as fine as silk thread, Kawabata weaves together the cherry blossoms of the Heian Shrine, the bamboo groves of Saga, the processions of the Jidai Festival, and the brocades of Nishijin, unfolding the old capital's traditional festivals, crafts, gardens, and street life. Readers can almost hear the drums of the Gion Festival and smell the camphor trees of Chion-in through the words. This supreme rendering of the beauty of "mono no aware" and "yūgen" makes the novel itself a flowing scroll of Japanese aesthetics.
More deeply, its value lies in the gentle sorrow and resilient vitality at its core. The twin sisters are separated by the mystery of their birth, briefly reunited by ties of blood, and finally must return to their separate paths in life. This sense of fate—"to meet is to part"—is not despair but a distinctly Eastern restraint and acceptance. The comfort and loneliness of Chieko as the adopted daughter of a wealthy silk merchant, and the simplicity and strength of Naeko laboring in the mountain forests, form a subtle contrast and complement. Kawabata does not heighten dramatic conflict; instead, through everyday details and the changing face of nature, he lets the characters' emotions surge like undercurrents, allowing melancholy and hope to coexist.
For Chinese readers, this edition from Huacheng Publishing House is fluent and elegant, conveying the classical flavor of the original well. Reading The Old Capital is not only a literary journey but a profound aesthetic education. It allows us, in a rapidly changing modern society, to slow our pace and savor a heartfelt gaze upon nature and tradition that is on the verge of vanishing.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers with a strong interest in Japanese literature, culture, and the sights of Kyoto
- Literature lovers who appreciate delicate, restrained prose rich in atmosphere
- Those seeking tranquility and classical aesthetic solace amid a clamorous life
- Readers who reflect deeply on themes of family, identity, fate, and parting
Not a good fit for
- Readers seeking intense plot conflict and fast-paced narrative
- Readers impatient with descriptions of nature and everyday detail
Reading tips
- Reading alongside images or music of Kyoto's four seasons will help you immerse yourself in the space and atmosphere the novel creates
- Pay attention to the descriptions of traditional crafts (such as Nishijin weaving) and festivals; they are key to understanding the characters and the era
- After reading, consider: what Japanese view of life and emotional logic do Chieko's and Naeko's final choices embody?
About the publisher
Flower City Publishing House focuses on literary publishing, covering categories such as classic works, foreign literature, folk literature, Eastern philosophy, essays and miscellaneous writings, and social novels. Representative books in the library include Lu Xun's Call to Arms, Lao She's Camel Xiangzi and Four Generations Under One Roof, editions related to Confucius's The Analects, and Chinese translations of foreign classics such as Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina and Charles Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities. Its author resources include classic writers such as Lu Xun, Lao She, and Confucius, as well as translators and scholars such as Li Gang, Chen Puqing, and Zhang Ling. The publisher's characteristic approach is to organize editions around literary classics and celebrated Chinese and foreign works, while also including folk literature and Eastern philosophy titles. Public information is limited, so this introduction emphasizes the publishing directions reflected in the books held in the library.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 春之花
- 尼姑庵与格子门
- 和服一条街
- 北山杉
- 祇园祭
- 秋之色
- 松之绿
- 深秋的姐妹
- 冬之花
- 译后记
FAQ
What is the main difference between The Old Capital and other works by Kawabata, such as Snow Country?
Is Kyoto, the "old capital," merely a backdrop for the story?
Is this book suitable as an introduction to Kawabata?
Comments
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About the author
Kawabata Yasunari (1899–1972) was a Japanese novelist and a leading figure of the New Sensationist school, born in Osaka. A prolific writer, he is represented on this site by 147 works, spanning essays and miscellaneous prose as well as foreign literature. His representative works include The Izu Dancer, Snow Country, Thousand Cranes, and The Old Capital; Snow Country in particular exists in multiple editions and translations, a sign of its wide circulation. Kawabata is known for his delicate prose, which interweaves human emotion with natural scenery to express the spiritual character of the Japanese people, and often conveys a sense of the beauty of impermanence in life and death. In 1968 he received the Nobel Prize in Literature, an important landmark in the global recognition of Japanese literature; he died in 1972. Beyond his novels, his essays and miscellaneous writings also deserve attention.
Zhu Yajiao is a Chinese book author about whom little public information is available; eleven titles are known under her name. Judging from the catalogue, her work is largely connected with Japanese literature: her representative titles include Yasunari Kawabata's Snow Country, The Old Capital and Thousand Cranes, as well as editions of Ryunosuke Akutagawa's Rashomon and a selection of short novels by Akutagawa and Osamu Dazai, together with Yasha, Who Became a Tree. These entries commonly fall under social fiction, classic works and foreign literature, suggesting that she has taken part in presenting modern and contemporary Japanese classics to Chinese readers. Since her dates, nationality and education are unknown, no personal biography can be given; on the available evidence, her contribution lies mainly in making Japanese classics accessible in readable Chinese form to readers interested in Japanese and foreign literature.
