was a Japanese novelist active as one of the first post-war generation writers, and a noted influencer on Chinese literature. His Dharma name 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 Pure Land Buddhism (; ja, 浄土仏教, translit=Jōdo bukkyō; , also referred to as Amidism in English,) is a broad branch of Mahayana Buddhism focused on achieving rebirth in a Buddha's Buddha-field or Pure Land. It is one of the most wid ...

, 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 at Tokyo University in 1931. He did not complete his degree, for he withdrew from the university after being arrested for distributing leaflets critical of

imperialism Imperialism is the state policy, practice, or advocacy of extending power and dominion, especially by direct territorial acquisition or by gaining political and economic control of other areas, often through employing hard power (economic and ...

, which cost him a month’s imprisonment. While in prison, he became acquainted with

Yoshimi Takeuchi was a Japanese Sinologist. Biography Yoshimi Takeuchi was a Sinologist, a cultural critic and translator. He studied Chinese author Lu Xun and translated Lu’s works into Japanese. His book-length study, ''Lu Xun'' (1944) ignited a significant ...

.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 Edward George Seidensticker (February 11, 1921 – August 26, 2007) was an American noted post-World War II scholar, historian, and preeminent translator of classical and contemporary Japanese literature. His English translation of the epic '' Th ...

, 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