Nerdy book lovers might be familiar with The Tale Of Genji, an ancient Japanese tale considered to be the world’s first novel. Four chapters of Teika’s Genji manuscripts had been found — until an unexpected discovery inside the storage room of a Japanese home. The old manuscript was found inside an oblong chest ibelonging to 72-year-old Motofuyu Okochi. Family records show that the manuscript had been in the Okochi family’s possession since 1743, when it was given to them from another family. The authenticity of the newly discovered Genji text was examined by the cultural foundation Reizeike Shiguretei Bunko. The foundation announced the finding this week after confirming that the manuscript was real. The long-lost chapter that was found will likely be registered as an official cultural property of Japan.
1. Do you think its fair that authorities of Japan take away this document from a family which possesed it for centuries?
2. On your opinion, will this discovery be helpful for Japanese literature?
Replies
Oz,
Much of this has been plagiarized.
I think the family should get to keep it because it was gien to them as a gift and it has been in the family for hundreds of years. Unless the family is ok with the government taking it, I think they should get to keep it in their family. I think this would be interesting to see how the first novels were written.
I don't think that it is fair for the government to take that away from the family that has had it for centuries. If it's okay with the family for the government to have it then that's fine, but if the family doesn't want them to have it they shouldn't have to give it to them. I do think that the discovery of the lost chapter would be helpful for Japanese literature because it would help them understand their language and cultural back then.
I think that it is unfair for the government to take away the manuscript from them, because it has been in their family for centuries. It probbly means more to them than it just being an old book and has centimental value to them. This manuscript might help some people to study old japanese writing, and bring them a better understanding of it. Other than that, I don't think it will serve them much use.
No, the government should've offered some sort of money compensation for taking the book of this persons hands. I think the discovery will defeinitely help the profit of whatever museum it gets put in after scientists decipher it and find out what the book means.