Shusaku Endo
Encyclopedia
Shūsaku Endō was a 20th-century Japanese author who wrote from the unusual perspective of being both Japanese
and Catholic
. Together with Junnosuke Yoshiyuki, Shōtarō Yasuoka
, Junzo Shono
, Hiroyuki Agawa
, Ayako Sono
, and Shumon Miura, Endō is categorized as one of the "Third Generation," the third major group of writers who appeared after World War II
.
in 1923, but his parents soon moved to Japanese-occupied Manchuria
(Manchukō
), and lived in Dalian
. When his parents divorced in 1933, Endō returned to Japan with his mother to live in Kobe
in the house of an Aunt. His mother, who had converted to Catholicism post-divorce, succeeded in having Endō baptized at the age of 11 or 12 in the year 1934. Others say an aunt instigated the initiation.
Studying at Keio University
in Tōkyo
beginning in 1943, Endō graduated in 1947 or 1948. His studies at Keio were interrupted by the war; he worked in a munitions factory. More than munitions work held his interest; he contributed to several literary journals during this period as well. Years later, he became Chief Editor of Mita Bungaku
(from 1968).
His alma mater
is not the only university Endō is associated with. He first attended Waseda University
for the stated purpose of studying medicine, an interest in French Catholic authors precipitated a visit to the University of Lyon
beginning in 1950, and he has lectured at at least two Tōkyo universities. In 1956 he was hired as an Instructor at Sophia University
, and Seijo University
assigned him the role of "Lecturer on the Theory of the Novel" in 1967. He is considered a novelist not a university professor, however.
In 1954, a year after completing his studies in France, he won the Akutagawa Prize
for Shiroi Hito (White Men) cementing his reputation as an up-and-coming young Japanese fiction prose author. Endō married Junko Okada, who was also a student of French literature at Keio University, a year later. They are the parents of one son, Ryunosuke, born in 1956.
Throughout his life periodic bouts of disease plagued him, and he spent two years in hospital at one point. In 1952, while studying in France, he came down with pleurisy
in Paris. A return visit in 1960 prompted another case of the same disease, and he stayed in hospital (both in France and Japan) for the greater part of 3 years. It is possible that at some point during his life he may have contracted tuberculosis
, underwent thoracoplasty, and had a lung removed.
While Endō wrote in several genres, his work is strongly tied to Christianity if not Catholicism. Endō has been called "a novelist whose work has been dominated by a single theme... belief in Christianity". Others have said that he is "almost by default... [labeled] a 'Japanese Catholic author' struggling to 'plant the seeds of his adopted religion' in the 'mudswamp' of Japan". It is true that he often likened Japan to a swamp
or fen
and that some of his characters are allegories
. He may not be embraced by fellow Christians–Catholics in particular, however. Some of his characters (many of whom are allegories) may reference non-Western religions. While not the main focus of his works, a few of Endō's books make mention of Kakure Kirishitan
. Incidentally, he used the term "かくれ切支舟" instead of the more common "かくれキリシタン".
His books reflect many of his childhood experiences, including the stigma of being an outsider, the experience of being a foreigner, the life of a hospital patient, and the struggle with TB. However, his books mainly deal with the moral fabric of life. His Catholic faith can be seen at some level in all of his books and it is often a central feature. Most of his characters struggle with complex moral dilemmas, and their choices often produce mixed or tragic results. His work may often be compared to that of Graham Greene
. In fact, Greene himself labeled Endō one of the finest writers currently alive at the time.
While he lost out to Kenzaburo Oe
the 1994 Nobel prize for literature, he did obtain the Order of Culture
the subsequent year. Then he died from "complications of hepatitis
" in 1996.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
and Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. Together with Junnosuke Yoshiyuki, Shōtarō Yasuoka
Shōtarō Yasuoka
is a Japanese writer.-Biography:Yasuoka was born in pre-war Japan in Kōchi, Kōchi, but as the son of a veterinary corpsman in the Imperial Army, he spent most of his youth moving from one military post to another. In 1944, he was conscripted and served briefly overseas...
, Junzo Shono
Junzo Shono
was a Japanese novelist. A native of Osaka, he began writing novels after World War II. He won the 1954 Akutagawa Prize for his book Purusaido Shokei...
, Hiroyuki Agawa
Hiroyuki Agawa
is a Japanese author born on December 24, 1920, in Hiroshima, Japan. He is known for his fiction centered on World War II, as well as his biographies and essays.- Literary career :...
, Ayako Sono
Ayako Sono
is a Catholic Japanese writer.She went to the Catholic Sacred Heart School in Tokyo after elementary school. During World War II, she evacuated to Kanazawa...
, and Shumon Miura, Endō is categorized as one of the "Third Generation," the third major group of writers who appeared after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Biography
Endō was born in TōkyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
in 1923, but his parents soon moved to Japanese-occupied Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
(Manchukō
Manchukuo
Manchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...
), and lived in Dalian
Dalian
Dalian is a major city and seaport in the south of Liaoning province, Northeast China. It faces Shandong to the south, the Yellow Sea to the east and the Bohai Sea to the west and south. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, Dalian is the southernmost city of Northeast China and China's...
. When his parents divorced in 1933, Endō returned to Japan with his mother to live in Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
in the house of an Aunt. His mother, who had converted to Catholicism post-divorce, succeeded in having Endō baptized at the age of 11 or 12 in the year 1934. Others say an aunt instigated the initiation.
Studying at Keio University
Keio University
,abbreviated as Keio or Keidai , is a Japanese university located in Minato, Tokyo. It is known as the oldest institute of higher education in Japan. Founder Fukuzawa Yukichi originally established it as a school for Western studies in 1858 in Edo . It has eleven campuses in Tokyo and Kanagawa...
in Tōkyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
beginning in 1943, Endō graduated in 1947 or 1948. His studies at Keio were interrupted by the war; he worked in a munitions factory. More than munitions work held his interest; he contributed to several literary journals during this period as well. Years later, he became Chief Editor of Mita Bungaku
Mita Bungaku
Mita Bungaku is a Japanese literary journal founded in 1910 at Keio University which published early works by young Japanese authors such as Yōjirō Ishizaka, Kyōka Izumi, Hakushū Kitahara, Jun'ichirō Tanizaki,, Takitarō Minakami, Kojima Masajirō, and Ayako Sono.-Founding:Mita Bungaku was founded...
(from 1968).
His alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
is not the only university Endō is associated with. He first attended Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
for the stated purpose of studying medicine, an interest in French Catholic authors precipitated a visit to the University of Lyon
University of Lyon
The University of Lyon , located in Lyon and Saint Etienne, France, is a center for higher education and research comprising 16 institutions of higher education...
beginning in 1950, and he has lectured at at least two Tōkyo universities. In 1956 he was hired as an Instructor at Sophia University
Sophia University
There are several rankings below related to Sophia University.-General Rankings:The university was ranked 61st in 2010 in the ranking Truly Strong Universities by Toyo Keizai...
, and Seijo University
Seijo University
Seijo University（成城大学）is a private university in Seijo, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Seijo University has its origins in ‘Seijo Gakuen（成城学園）’, which was founded in 1917, by Dr. Masataro Sawayanagi, a former Minister of Education...
assigned him the role of "Lecturer on the Theory of the Novel" in 1967. He is considered a novelist not a university professor, however.
In 1954, a year after completing his studies in France, he won the Akutagawa Prize
Akutagawa Prize
The is a Japanese literary award presented semi-annually. It was established in 1935 by Kan Kikuchi, then-editor of Bungeishunjū magazine, in memory of author Ryūnosuke Akutagawa...
for Shiroi Hito (White Men) cementing his reputation as an up-and-coming young Japanese fiction prose author. Endō married Junko Okada, who was also a student of French literature at Keio University, a year later. They are the parents of one son, Ryunosuke, born in 1956.
Throughout his life periodic bouts of disease plagued him, and he spent two years in hospital at one point. In 1952, while studying in France, he came down with pleurisy
Pleurisy
Pleurisy is an inflammation of the pleura, the lining of the pleural cavity surrounding the lungs. Among other things, infections are the most common cause of pleurisy....
in Paris. A return visit in 1960 prompted another case of the same disease, and he stayed in hospital (both in France and Japan) for the greater part of 3 years. It is possible that at some point during his life he may have contracted tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, underwent thoracoplasty, and had a lung removed.
While Endō wrote in several genres, his work is strongly tied to Christianity if not Catholicism. Endō has been called "a novelist whose work has been dominated by a single theme... belief in Christianity". Others have said that he is "almost by default... [labeled] a 'Japanese Catholic author' struggling to 'plant the seeds of his adopted religion' in the 'mudswamp' of Japan". It is true that he often likened Japan to a swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
or fen
Fen
A fen is a type of wetland fed by mineral-rich surface water or groundwater. Fens are characterised by their water chemistry, which is neutral or alkaline, with relatively high dissolved mineral levels but few other plant nutrients...
and that some of his characters are allegories
Allegory
Allegory is a demonstrative form of representation explaining meaning other than the words that are spoken. Allegory communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation...
. He may not be embraced by fellow Christians–Catholics in particular, however. Some of his characters (many of whom are allegories) may reference non-Western religions. While not the main focus of his works, a few of Endō's books make mention of Kakure Kirishitan
Kakure Kirishitan
is a modern term for a member of the Japanese Catholic Church that went underground after the Shimabara Rebellion in the 1630s.-History:Kakure Kirishitans are called the "hidden" Christians because they continued to practice Christianity in secret. They worshipped in secret rooms in private homes...
. Incidentally, he used the term "かくれ切支舟" instead of the more common "かくれキリシタン".
His books reflect many of his childhood experiences, including the stigma of being an outsider, the experience of being a foreigner, the life of a hospital patient, and the struggle with TB. However, his books mainly deal with the moral fabric of life. His Catholic faith can be seen at some level in all of his books and it is often a central feature. Most of his characters struggle with complex moral dilemmas, and their choices often produce mixed or tragic results. His work may often be compared to that of Graham Greene
Graham Greene
Henry Graham Greene, OM, CH was an English author, playwright and literary critic. His works explore the ambivalent moral and political issues of the modern world...
. In fact, Greene himself labeled Endō one of the finest writers currently alive at the time.
While he lost out to Kenzaburo Oe
Kenzaburo Oe
is a Japanese author and a major figure in contemporary Japanese literature. His works, strongly influenced by French and American literature and literary theory, deal with political, social and philosophical issues including nuclear weapons, social non-conformism and existentialism.Ōe was awarded...
the 1994 Nobel prize for literature, he did obtain the Order of Culture
Order of Culture
The is a Japanese order, established on February 11, 1937. The order has one class only, and may be awarded to men and women for contributions to Japan's art, literature or culture; recipients of the order also receive an annuity for life...
the subsequent year. Then he died from "complications of hepatitis
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a medical condition defined by the inflammation of the liver and characterized by the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissue of the organ. The name is from the Greek hepar , the root being hepat- , meaning liver, and suffix -itis, meaning "inflammation"...
" in 1996.
Awards
- 1955 Akutagawa PrizeAkutagawa PrizeThe is a Japanese literary award presented semi-annually. It was established in 1935 by Kan Kikuchi, then-editor of Bungeishunjū magazine, in memory of author Ryūnosuke Akutagawa...
— White Person (Shiroi hito 「白い人」) - 1966 Tanizaki PrizeTanizaki PrizeThe Tanizaki Prize , named in honor of the Japanese novelist Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, is one of Japan's most sought-after literary awards. It was established in 1965 by the publishing company Chūō Kōronsha Inc. to commemorate its 80th anniversary as a publisher...
— Silence (Chinmoku 「沈黙」)
Museum
The Shūsaku Endō Literary Museum, in Sotome, Nagasaki, is devoted to the writer's life and works.External links
- "Japan's Faithful Judas", by Philip YanceyPhilip YanceyPhilip Yancey is an American Christian author. Fourteen million of his books have been sold worldwide, making him one of the best-selling evangelical Christian authors. Two of his books have won the ECPA's Christian Book of the Year Award: The Jesus I Never Knew in 1996, What's So Amazing About...
- "Confessions of a True Believer", by Caryl PhillipsCaryl PhillipsCaryl Phillips is a British writer with a Caribbean background, best known as a novelist. He is now professor at Yale University and a visiting professor at Barnard College of Columbia University.-Life:...
- "Short biography" by Koichi Kato
- Grave of Endō Shūsaku