was a Japanese novelist active as one of the first post-war generation writers, and a noted influencer on Chinese literature.
His
Dharma name
A Dharma name or Dhamma name is a new name acquired during both lay and monastic Buddhist initiation rituals in Mahayana Buddhism and monastic ordination in Theravada Buddhism (where it is more proper to call it Dhamma or Sangha name). The nam ...
was (恭蓮社謙誉上人泰淳和尚).
Biography
Takeda was the second son of a Buddhist priest of the
Pure Land Sect, and was raised in a temple. He developed an early interest in both Chinese literature and left-wing politics and, on graduating from high school, he chose to major in
Sinology
Sinology, or Chinese studies, is an academic discipline that focuses on the study of China primarily through Chinese philosophy, language, literature, culture and history and often refers to Western scholarship. Its origin "may be traced to th ...
at
Tokyo University
, abbreviated as or UTokyo, is a public research university located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1877, the university was the first Imperial University and is currently a Top Type university of the Top Global University Project by ...
in 1931. He did not complete his degree, for he withdrew from the university after being arrested for distributing leaflets critical of
imperialism, which cost him a month’s imprisonment. While in prison, he became acquainted with
Yoshimi Takeuchi.
[Taijun Takeda, ''This Outcast Generation and Luminous Moss'', trs. Yusaburo Shibuya and Sanford Goldstein, Tuttle Books Tokyo 1967 pp.7-17]
Works in English
* ''This Outcast Generation and Luminous Moss'', translated by Yusaburo Shibuya and Sanford Goldstein, Tuttle Books Tokyo 1967.
* "The Misshapen Ones" (''Igyou no Mono'', 1950), translated by
Edward G. Seidensticker, in
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Takeda, Taijun
1912 births
1976 deaths
20th-century Buddhists
20th-century Japanese novelists
Japanese sinologists
Japanese Buddhists
Pure Land Buddhism
Pure Land Buddhists
Shin Buddhists