The Temple of Dawn
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers eager to explore Yukio Mishima's literary world and the Sea of Fertility series in depth
- Literature lovers with a strong interest in Buddhist philosophy, Consciousness-Only theory, and themes of reincarnation
- Readers who appreciate ornate, intricate narratives rich in symbol and philosophical speculation
- Readers who wish to think deeply, through literature, about existence, memory, time, and the identity of the self
Not a good fit for
- Readers seeking light entertainment or fast-paced plotting
- Complete newcomers to the first two volumes of Mishima's Sea of Fertility, Spring Snow and Runaway Horses
- Readers impatient with dense philosophical speculation and religious metaphor who prefer realistic narrative
Reading tips
- It is strongly recommended that you finish the first two volumes of the Sea of Fertility, Spring Snow and Runaway Horses, before this one, to fully grasp the character relationships and thematic threads
- Pay some attention to the book's discussion of Buddhist Consciousness-Only theory, which helps clarify Honda Shigekuni's perspective and the novel's core philosophical framework
- Prepare for immersive reading; the book demands patience and thought, and is best savored in quiet surroundings, layer by layer of language and idea
- Read alongside Mishima's life and other works to consider the place of The Temple of Dawn in his career and aesthetic system
About the publisher
Shandong Publishing House of Literature and Art is a professional publisher focused on literature and art, with publications spanning foreign literature, classical literature, Western philosophy, and social sciences. Judging from the books in the database, it offers foreign classics such as The Brothers Karamazov, The Count of Monte Cristo, and Resurrection, classical Chinese literature including Dream of the Red Chamber: Complete in 2 Volumes, and Japanese literary works by Yasunari Kawabata such as Snow Country, The Old Capital, and Thousand Cranes. Its translator resources include Geng Jizhi and Zhou Kexi, while its author resources cover Chinese and foreign masters such as Cao Xueqin, Dostoevsky, Dumas, and Leo Tolstoy. In terms of publishing features, the house emphasizes the translation and popularization of classic works, balancing academic value and readability. Public information is limited; the above introduction is based mainly on the publishing directions reflected in the books in the database.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 第一部
- 一
- 二
- 三
- 四
- 五
- 六
- 七
- 八
- 九
- 十
- 十一
- 十二
- 十三
- 十四
- 十五
- 十六
- 十七
- 十八
- 十九
- 二十
- 二十一
- 二十二
- 第二部
- 二十三
- 二十四
- 二十五
- 二十六
- 二十七
- 二十八
- 二十九
- 三十
- 三十一
- 三十二
- 三十三
- 三十四
- 三十五
- 三十六
- 三十七
- 三十八
- 三十九
- 四十
- 四十一
- 四十二
- 四十三
- 四十四
- 四十五
FAQ
Can I read The Temple of Dawn without having read Spring Snow and Runaway Horses?
What is the place of The Temple of Dawn within the Sea of Fertility tetralogy?
What are the main difficulties in reading this book?
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About the author
Yukio Mishima (1925–1970) was a Japanese novelist and playwright, born Hiraoka Kimitake in Tokyo and a graduate of the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo. He established his literary standing with Confessions of a Mask in 1949, and went on to explore beauty, desire and death in a coolly refined and intensely aesthetic style. His major works include The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, The Sound of Waves and the tetralogy The Sea of Fertility, whose volumes Spring Snow, Runaway Horses and The Decay of the Angel are available in Chinese. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature several times. On 25 November 1970 he committed seppuku at a Self-Defense Forces base, and his life and writing have remained a subject of public discussion. The library holds 84 of his works, mostly under foreign literature, young adult literature and classics.
Liu Guangyu is an author about whom only limited public information is available. The records currently accessible show merely that two works appear under this name, both titled Xiaosi (Temple at Dawn), and that they are commonly classified under foreign literature. Because basic details such as nationality, dates of birth and death, education, and writing career remain unclear, it is not yet possible to sketch a full picture of the author's life, nor to determine whether the two works of the same title are different versions of one text or independent works with different contents. On the basis of the existing clues, the discussion must center on the works themselves. The title Xiaosi carries a distinctly Eastern image of a temple, readily evoking religious atmosphere, historical sedimentation, and the entanglement of characters' fates; its placement in the foreign literature category suggests a cross-cultural perspective in subject matter or narrative. Readers seeking to understand the author's style and influence should still rely on the actual texts and appreciate the craft and concerns within them, rather than draw rash conclusions from limited material.
