MOUNT TAI'S INFLUENCE IN JAPANESE LITERATURE: A LITERARY PILGRIMAGE

Abstract

This study explores the representation of Mount Tai's cultural space in Japanese literature, focusing on its portrayal in the works of renowned author Ryunosuke Akutagawa. Akutagawa's masterpiece, "Du Zichun," culminates in the protagonist, Du Zichun, finding a home situated at the southern base of Mount Tai. This choice of location has sparked various interpretations, one of which suggests that Du Zichun's desire for an authentic human existence aligns symbolically with the sacred Mount Tai. To gain insight into Mount Tai's significance, Hironashi Hashimoto's "Treatise on Du Zichun" is examined, where he references the commentary found in Guangciyuan. This commentary emphasizes Mount Tai's veneration among ordinary people and its longstanding admiration throughout history, both in Chinese and Japanese contexts. Numerous Chinese texts further underscore Mount Tai's profound importance. These include manuals for predicting human lifespans, attributing Mount Tai as the source of all things, and associating its clouds with the power to bring instant rainfall. The legend of the Old Father of Mount Tai, capable of rejuvenating people, and stories of immortals connected to Mount Tai, as seen in "The Search for the Gods," all contribute to the mountain's sacred and imaginative allure. In analyzing Akutagawa's choice to conclude the narrative at Mount Tai, scholars generally view it positively, suggesting that Du Zichun's new life is symbolized by this location. This interpretation reflects the sacred and favorable cultural impression of Mount Tai's space in both Japanese history and literature