Moderated by Professor Yen Wei-hung, Professor and Chair of the Department of Chinese Literature at National Cheng Kung University, this lecture featured Professor Emeritus Oki Yasushi of the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, The University of Tokyo. The event was held on Thursday, April 23, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the Museum of Historical Artifacts on National Cheng Kung University’s Kuang-Fu Campus.
Among the literary works popular during Japan’s Edo period was a genre known as sharebon. This type of fiction was set primarily in the pleasure quarters and took as its subject matter conversations between patrons and courtesans, offering a nuanced portrayal of the urban culture, social customs, and human relationships of the time. Sharebon also maintained an especially close relationship with Chinese literature. In this lecture, Professor Oki Yasushi examines the profound connections between sharebon and Chinese literature.
Faculty members and students interested in Japanese literature, Chinese literature, and the society and culture of Japan’s Edo period are warmly invited to participate. Under the guidance of Professor Oki, we look forward to exploring the dialogue and convergence between different cultures, and to inspiring deeper and more thought-provoking reflections through a renewed examination of the relationship between sharebon and Chinese literature.
