Type of Activity:

⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative

⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 1 (Lesson 1): Introduction to Afro-Asian Literature

Learning 1. To be familiar with the literary history, philosophy, religious beliefs,
Targets: and culture of the Afro-Asian nations
2. To point out the universal themes, issues, and subject matter that
dominate Afro-Asian literature
3. To interpret the significance and meaning of selected literary pieces
4. To identify outstanding writers and their major works

Reference “African Literature: History & Characteristics”. (n.d.). Retrieved from

s: https://study.com/academy/lesson/african-literature-history-
characteristics.html
“Afro Asian Literature”. (2014). Retrieved from
https://peachalykgroupof3.wordpress.com/2014/01/11/afro-
asian-literature/
Chinese Literature: History & Facts. (2017, May 4). Retrieved from
https://study.com/academy/lesson/chinese-literature-history-
facts.html.
Duka, C. (2001). The Literatures of Asia and Africa. Manila, Philippines:
Rex Book Store, Inc.
Lee, H. (n.d.). “Afro-Asian Literature”. Retrieved from
https://canvas.andover.edu/eportfolios/28/Home/AfroAsian_Literature
“Quick facts about the Japanese literature”. (2013). Retrieved from
http://eurojapan-english.blogspot.com/2013/04/quick-facts-
about-japanese-literature.html
Salig, J. (2016, June 15). Afro-Asian Culture (India, China, Japan and
Africa) [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYL6eU-gTbk
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. (n.d.). “Indian Literature of
South Asia”. Retrieved from
https://www.britannica.com/art/Indian-literature

1. TO ENGAGE
 Tell what country are the flags belonging to and write at least one literary piece with the
author for each country.

(britannica.com) (en.wikipedia.org) (britannica.com) (en.wikipe

Country:___________ Country:___________ Country:___________ Country:___________

Literary piece Literary piece Literary piece Literary piece

and and and and
author:______________ author:______________ author:______________ author:______________
____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________
2. TO EXPLORE

2. TO EXPLORE

African Literature comprises of oral and written works of the continent, composed
in either African languages or foreign ones. Africa’s most formal literature is still
developing distinctive styles (Duka, 2001). The term “Afro-Asian Literature” is broad in
its usage. It is often used to describe literature written by writers who are Afro-Asians,
people of mixed African and Asian ancestry (Lee, n.d.). It mirrors not only the customs
and traditions of African and Asian countries but also their philosophy of life which on
the whole are deeply and predominantly contemplative and hauntingly sweet. Moreover,
Afro-Asian literature is the reflection of the storm and the stress of developing nations
seeking a place under the sun which every student must understand so he may know
how this literature affects the history and culture of a nation. In a nutshell, it refers to the
literary output of the different countries and cultures in Africa and Asia. This is
composed of their oral tradition and from the earliest to the contemporary written and/or
published prose and poetry. Asian literature alone is diverse and vibrant with the
addition of the splendor of African literature, their combination brings an interesting and
enriching journey to their written works (Afro Asian Literature, 2014).

3. TO EXPLAIN

The widespread of African oral tradition, however, is rich in folktales, myths,

riddles, and proverbs that not only convey an imaginative view of the world but also
serve a religious, social, and educational function. The oral tradition has had a
significant effect on the written literature. Although some African poetry was written
more than a thousand years ago, the majority of African literary works have only been
produced in the 20th century, most of them after World War II. Unlike Europe, the Middle

2
East, and parts of Asia, black Africa has no ancient traditions of written literature. The
earliest examples are Muslim-inspired religious writings from North Africa. Much of sub-
Saharan Africa was illiterate until Christian missionaries arrived in the 19th century.
Therefore, little African literature has existed for more than a hundred years; the major
exceptions are an Arabic literature in western Sudan, Swahili literature on the East
African coast, and Ge’ez literature in Ethiopia (Duka, 2001). Afro-Asian literature can
also be used to describe literature, which depicts the relationship between African, and
Asian characters, sometimes, the term can refer to a book which compiles both cultures
that do not necessarily intersect with each other. The two continents are often linked
together as areas of study, because they both preserve and honor long cultures and
traditions. Despite the deeply historically rooted relationship between the two
communities, there is a lack of research and study about their relationship and the
people who share both heritages. Furthermore, there has been underlying tension
between the two racial groups throughout history that persists today (Lee, n.d.).

In this course, we will discuss the different literary periods, religions, and literary
pieces of the major writers of India, China, Japan, and Africa.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

Afro-Asian Literature in this course cover the literatures from India, China, Japan,
and Africa. Here are some important facts that we should know from the literatures of
these countries.
India
The earliest Indian literature took the form of the canonical Hindu sacred writings,
known as the Veda, which were written in Sanskrit. To the Veda were added prose
commentaries such as the Brahmanas and the Upanishads. The production of Sanskrit
literature extended from about 1500 BCE to about 1000 CE and reached its height of
development in the 1st to 7th centuries CE. In addition to sacred and philosophical
writings, such genres as erotic and devotional lyrics, court poetry, plays, and narrative
folktales emerged (The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. (n.d.).
China
Chinese writing began with the act of divination during the Shang Dynasty of
1600-1046 BCE. The readers of oracle bones wrote pictographs (similar to hieroglyphs)
on the bones which became the writing known as jiaguwen. This was the foundation,
which would eventually develop into script still used today.
Paper, which was invented in China around the year 105 BCE during the Han
Dynasty, helped maintain Chinese writing and literature. Creating books was still labor
intensive because each book needed to be handwritten. Later, the invention
of woodblock printing, which came out during the Tang Dynasty of 618-907 BCE,
helped spread writing in China. This shifted reading away from being accessible only by

3
the elites to everyday people. Woodblock printing was similar to the printing press in
Europe and similarly led to increased literacy and writing in China.
Some of the first writings and the first stories in China were ghost stories and
myths. Chinese people and authors told each other and wrote about spirits to
emphasize the importance of proper burial and other cultural values. One popular myth
was about the Queen Mother of the West. This myth became so widespread that a cult
developed, people began wearing talismans, and the government had to erect shrines
for the supposed spirit (Chinese Literature: History & Facts, 2017).
Japan
The origins of the Japanese literature can be traced back to the 8th century after
the writing system came from China. The Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki were completed in
the year 712 and 720 respectively. Whereas the Kojiki is an anthology of myths and
legends of Japan, the Nihon Shoki is a chronological record of Japan’s history.

In the 11th century, the Japanese literature flourished in the court. There
appeared a diverse collection of Diaries, stories, and essays, which described the rich
lives of the aristocracy and the nobility.

Towards the end of the 12th century, the Japanese literature covered the rise and
the fall of the Taira clan and their battle with the Minamoto clan. When reading the
literature of this period, one can feel the pain and the sorrow of those who perished and
lost everything in the wars.

From early 17th century to mid 19th century, Literature became a means of social
interaction in Japan. Long poems with 17 syllables-known as haiku- became quite
popular around this time. kabuki plays and jaruri-a form of storytelling that makes use of
chanted lines originated in this era.

From then till now, the Japanese literature has flourished a lot and has come a
long way. Rapid modernization is the common theme that is prevalent in most of the
works of this time. Naturalism and neo-sensualism dominates the literary works
produced around this time in Japan.

Japanese literature is read and appreciated all over the world. This is clearly
evident from the fact that Japanese novels and books are translated in to many
languages (“Quick facts about the Japanese literature”. (2013)

Africa
African literature has origins dating back thousands of years to Ancient Egypt
and hieroglyphs, or writing which uses pictures to represent words. These Ancient
Egyptian beginnings led to Arabic poetry, which spread during the Arab conquest of
Egypt in the seventh century C.E. and through Western Africa in the ninth century C.E.

4
These African and Arabic cultures continued to blend with the European culture and
literature to form a unique literary form.
Africa experienced several hardships in its long history which left an impact on
the themes of its literature. One hardship, which led to many others, is that of
colonization. Colonization is when people leave their country and settle in another
land, often one which is already inhabited. The problem with colonization is when the
incoming people exploit the indigenous people and the resources of the inhabited land.
Colonization led to slavery. Millions of African people were enslaved and brought
to Western countries around the world from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries. This
spreading of African people, largely against their will, is called the African Diaspora.
Sub-Saharan Africa developed a written literature during the nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries. This development came as a result of missionaries coming to the
area. The missionaries came to Africa to build churches and language schools in order
to translate religious texts. This led to Africans writing in both European and indigenous
languages.
Though African literature's history is as long as it is rich, most of the popular
works have come out since 1950, especially the noteworthy Things Fall Apart by Chinua
Achebe. Looking beyond the most recent works is necessary to understand the
complete development of this collection of literature (“African Literature: History &
Characteristics”. (n.d.).

5. TO EVALUATE
I. Write at least three (3) descriptions on the literature of the different Afro-Asian countries.

(britannica.com) (en.wikipedia.org)

1.__________________ 1.
___________________
____________________
2.__________________ _________________
___________________
3.__________________ 2.
____________________

5
 (britannica.com) (britannica.com)

1.__________________ 1.__________________
___________________ ___________________

2.__________________ 2.__________________
___________________ ___________________
3.__________________ 3.__________________
____________________ ____________________

II. Create a mind map all about the Africa and Asian countries mentioned above. Include
the country’s tradition, some historical facts, and emerging philosophies and religions.
Please be guided on the criteria given below.

Mind Map Criteria:

Creativity (neatness, graphics) - 15 points

Organization (sequencing and categorization) - 15 points
Over-all quality - 10 points
TOTAL - 40 points

6
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 2 (Lesson 1): Indian Religions

Learning  To discover the different religions in India- its beliefs and
Targets: customs;
 To develop an open mind to Indian culture and tradition;
 To appreciate India’s rich religions.

References:
de Heer, M. (2015, September 19). Hinduism & Buddhism [Video].
Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnN1bgqnUDc
“Hinduism”. (2019). Retrieved from
https://www.history.com/topics/religion/hinduism
Stanford School of Medicine. (2020). “Religion and Indian Philosophy”.
Retrieved from
https://geriatrics.stanford.edu/ethnomed/asian_indian/introducti
on/religion.html

1. TO ENGAGE

Hinduism Beliefs (“Hinduism”, 2019)

Some basic Hindu concepts include:

 Hinduism embraces many religious ideas. For this reason, it’s

sometimes referred to as a “way of life” or a “family of religions,” as opposed
to a single, organized religion.
 Most forms of Hinduism are henotheistic, which means they worship a
single deity, known as “Brahman,” but still recognize other gods and
goddesses. Followers believe there are multiple paths to reaching their god.
 Hindus believe in the doctrines of samsara (the continuous cycle of life,
death, and reincarnation) and karma (the universal law of cause and effect).
 One of the key thoughts of Hinduism is “atman,” or the belief in soul.
This philosophy holds that living creatures have a soul, and they’re all part of
the supreme soul. The goal is to achieve “moksha,” or salvation, which ends
the cycle of rebirths to become part of the absolute soul.
 One fundamental principle of the religion is the idea that people’s
actions and thoughts directly determine their current life and future lives.
 Hindus strive to achieve dharma, which is a code of living that
emphasizes good conduct and morality.
 Hindus revere all living creatures and consider the cow a sacred
animal.

7
  Food is an important part of life for Hindus. Most don’t eat beef or pork,
and many are vegetarians.
 Hinduism is closely related to other Indian religions, including Buddhism,
Sikhism and Jainism.
The above-mentioned beliefs are from the dominant religion in India which is
Hinduism. Hindus follows these beliefs and are deeply absorbed by their religion.

2. TO EXPLORE

The major religions of India are Hinduism and Buddhism.

Hinduism, literally “the belief of the people of India,” is the predominant faith of
India and of no other nation. The Hindus are deeply absorbed with God and the
creation of the universe
Buddhism originated in India in the 6th century B.C. This religion is based on
the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, called Buddha, or the ‘Enlightened One.’
According to Buddhist beliefs, human beings are bound to the wheel of life which is a
continual cycle of birth, death, and suffering.

3. TO EXPLAIN

The majority of Asian Indians practice the Hinduism. The other major regions are
Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity and Islam; and a small percentage of
population practice Judaism, Zoroastrianism, and Baha’I’ Faith.

About 900 million of the 6.5 billion world population are Hindus, making Hinduism
the fourth-largest religion in the world. Most Hindus living in the United States are of
Asian Indian origin. About 80% of Asian Indian immigrants practice Hinduism (Stanford
School of Medicine, 2020).

In this course, however, we will focus our discussion onthe two major religions of
India, Hinduism and Buddhism, their characteristics and unique culture and tradition.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

1. Religions. Indian creativity is evident in religion as the country is the birthplace of

two important faiths: Hinduism, the dominant religion, and Buddhism, which ironically
became extinct in India but spread throughout Asia.

a) Hinduism, literally “the belief of the people of India,” is the predominant faith of
India and of no other nation. The Hindus are deeply absorbed with God and the
creation of the universe.

The Purusarthas are the three ends of man: dharma – virtue, duty,
righteousness, moral law; artha – wealth; and kama – love or pleasure. A fourth
end is moksha – the renunciation of duty, wealth and love in order to seek

8
spiritual perfection. It is achieved after the release from samsara, the cycle of
births and deaths. The Hindus believe that all reality is one and spiritual, and
that each individual soul is identical with this reality and shares its characteristics:
pure being, intelligence, and bliss. Everything that seems to divide the soul from
this reality is maya or illusion.

Life is viewed as an upward development through four stages of effort

called the four asramas:

a) the student stage – applies to the rite of initiation into the study of the
Vedas;
b) the householder stage – marries and fulfills the duties as head of the
family where he begets sons and earns a living;
c) the stage of the forest dweller – departs from home and renounces the
social world; and
d) ascetic – stops performing any of the rituals or social duties of life in
the world and devotes time for reflection and meditation.

Kama refers to one of the proper pursuits of man in his role as

householder, that of pleasure and love. The Kama-sutra is a classic textbook on
erotics and other forms of pleasure and love, which is attributed to the sage
Vatsyayana.

The Hindus regard Purusha, the Universal Spirit, as the soul and original
source of the universe. As the universal soul, Purusha is the life-giving principle
in all animated beings. As a personified human being, Purusha's body is the
source of all creation. The four Varnas serve as the theoretical basis for the
organization of the Hindu society. These were thought to have been created
from Purusha’s body:

- The Brahman(priest) was Purusha’s mouth. Their duty is to perform

sacrifices, to study and to teach the Vedas, and to guard the rules of
dharma. Because of their sacred work, they are supreme in purity and
rank.
- The Ksatriyas (warriors) are the arms. From this class arose the kings
who are the protectors of society.
- The Vaisyas (peasants) are the thighs. They live by trading, herding,
and farming.
- The Sudras (serfs) are the feet. They engage in handicrafts and manual
occupation and they are to serve meekly the three classes above them.
They are strictly forbidden to mate with persons of a higher varna.

 The Upanishads form a highly sophisticated commentary on the religious

thought suggested by the poetic hymns of the Rigveda. The name implies,
according to some traditions, ‘sitting at the feet of the teacher.’ The most
important philosophical doctrine is the concept of a single supreme being, the

9
 Brahman, and knowledge is directed toward reunion with it by the human
soul, the Atmanor Self. The nature of eternal life is discussed and such
themes as the transmigration of souls and causality in creation.

b) Buddhism originated in India in the 6th century B.C. This religion is based on
the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, called Buddha, or the ‘Enlightened
One.’ Much of Buddha’s teaching is focused on self-awareness and self-
development in order to attain nirvana or enlightenment.

According to Buddhist beliefs, human beings are bound to the wheel of life
which is a continual cycle of birth, death, and suffering. This cycle is an effect of
karma in which a person’s present life and experiences are the result of past
thoughts and actions, and these present thoughts and actions likewise create
those of the future. The Buddhist scriptures uphold the Four Noble Truths and
the Noble Eightfold Path. The Four Noble Truths are: 1) life is suffering; 2) the
cause of suffering is desire; 3) the removal of desire is the removal of suffering;
and 4) the Noble Eightfold Path leads to the end of suffering. The Noble
Eightfold Path consists of: 1) right understanding; 2) right thought; 3) right
speech; 4) right action; 5) right means of livelihood; 6) right effort; 7) right
concentration; and 8) right meditation. The Buddhist truth states that bad actions
and bad feelings such as selfishness, greed, hostility, hate are evil not because
they harm others but because of their negative influence on the mental state of
the doer. It is in this sense that evil returns to punish the doer

 The Dhammapada (Way of Truth) is an anthology of basic Buddhist teaching

in a simple aphoristic style. One of the best known books of the Pali Buddhist
canon, it contains 423 stanzas arranged in 26 chapters. These verses are
compared with the Letters of St. Paul in the Bible or that of Christ’s Sermon on
the Mount.

Thought
As a fletcher makes straight his arrow, a wise man makes straight his
trembling and unsteady thought which is difficult to guard, difficult to hold back.
As a fish taken from his watery home and thrown on the dry ground, our
thought trembles all over in order to escape the dominion of Mara, the tempter.
It is good to tame the mind, which is difficult to hold in and flighty, rushing
wherever it listeth; a tamed mind brings happiness.
Let the wise man guard his thoughts, for they are difficult to perceive, very
artful, and they rush wherever they list: thoughts well guarded bring happiness.
Those who bridle their mind which travels far, moves about alone, is without a
body, and hides in the chamber of the heart, will be free from the bonds of
Mara, the tempter

10
5. TO EVALUATE
I. Identify the terms referred by the statements below.
1. Literally means “the belief of the people of India”.
_____________2. This forms a highly sophisticated commentary on the religious\
thought suggested by the poetic hymns of the Rigveda. The name
implies, according to some traditions, ‘sitting at the feet of the
teacher.’
_____________3. This religion is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama,
called Buddha, or the ‘Enlightened One.’
_____________4.This is an anthology of basic Buddhist teaching in a simple aphoristic
style.
_____________5. Refers to the three ends of man: dharma, artha, and kama.
_____________6. The stage which refers to the rite of initiation into the study of the
Vedas.
_____________7. This is a classic textbook on erotics and other forms of pleasure and
love, which is attributed to the sage Vatsyayana.
_____________8. This refers to Purusha’s mouth. Their duty is to perform sacrifices, to
study and to teach the Vedas, and to guard the rules of dharma.
_____________9. They are Purusha’s arms. From this class arose the kings who are
the protectors of society.
_____________10. The stage that marries and fulfills the duties as head of the family
where he begets sons and earns a living.
_____________11. The stage that includes departing from home and renounces the
social world.
_____________12. The stage that stops performing any of the ritual or social duties of
life in the world and devotes time for reflection and meditation.
_____________13. This refers to one of the proper pursuits of man in his role as
householder, that of pleasure and love.
_____________14. They are Purusha’s thighs. They live by trading, herding, and
farming.
_____________15. They are Purusha’s feet. They engage in handicrafts and manual
occupation and they are to serve meekly the three classes above
them.

11
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 3 (Lesson 1): INDIAN LITERARY PERIODS

(Vedic and Epic and Buddhist Age)
Learning  To determine the different literary periods of Afro-Asian
Targets: literature;
 To develop awareness on the sacred literature of the Hindus;
 To reflect on the literary pieces during Vedic period and Epic
and Buddhist Age.
References: Mark, J. (2020, June 09). The Vedas.
https://www.ancient.eu/The_Vedas/
Dhruba, R. (2016, May 02). Dhammapada.
https://www.ancient.eu/Dhammapada/
Muller, M. (1891). Vedic Hymns, Part 1 (SBE32).
https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe32/sbe3215.htm
Smitha, F. (2018). “Epic Hindu Literature: Ramayana, Mahabharata
and Bhagavad Gita”. http://www.fsmitha.com/h1/ch05d-ind.htm
“Hinduism/ The Vedas”. (2020, May 22).
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Hinduism/The_Vedas

1. TO ENGAGE

Match the first two periods of India to their corresponding contributions.

1. Vedic Period (1500 B.C. –500 B.C.) 2. Epic and Buddhist Age (500
B.C. – A.D.)

Ramayana The Vedas are a

translates as the collection of
Story of Rama. religious texts that
form the foundation
The Mahabharata of Hindu theology.
means Great India.

dailyexcelsior.com (Smitha, 2018) (Hinduism/The Vedas, 2020)

12
2. TO EXPLORE

That’s right! The first two periods of Indian literature are Vedic Period (1500 B.C.
–500 B.C.) and Epic and Buddhist Age (500 B.C. – A.D.).

Vedic period is named for the Vedas which is a set of hymns that formed the
cornerstone of Aryan Culture. The epic and Buddhist Age is the period of composition of
the two great epics, Mahabharata and the Ramayana. The Dhammapada was also
probably composed during this period.

3. TO EXPLAIN

There were great literary pieces emerged during the Vedic and Epic and
Buddhist Age. Here are some excerpts from the Vedas and Dhammapada.

The Vedas are the religious texts which inform the religion of Hinduism (also
known as Sanatan Dharma meaning “Eternal Order” or “Eternal Path”). The
term veda means “knowledge” in that they are thought to contain the fundamental
knowledge relating to the underlying cause of, function of, and personal response to
existence. They are considered among the oldest, if not the oldest, religious works in
the world. They are commonly referred to as “scripture”, which is accurate in that they
can be defined as holy writ concerning the nature of the Divine (Mark, 2020).

Dhammapada is a collection of 423 verses as uttered by Gautama Buddha

himself to his disciples. An anthology of moral precepts and maxims, it is divided into 26
chapters under such headers as Thought, Flowers, Old Age, Self, Happiness, Pleasure,
Anger, Thirst, Brahmana and others. Though seemingly separated across so many
chapters a fundamental thread runs through all the verses, which becomes perceptible
on reading the text (Dhruba, 2016).

In this lesson, you will get to know the significant happenings during the Vedic
and Epic and Buddhist Age- what are the literary pieces available during the time and its
relevance to the Hindus.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

2. Literary Periods. The Indus Valley civilization flourished in northern India between
2500 and 1500 B.C. The Aryans, a group of nomadic warriors and herders, were
the earliest known migrants into India. They brought with them a well-developed
language and literature and a set of religious beliefs.

13
 a) Vedic Period (1500 B.C. –500 B.C.). This period is named for the Vedas, a set
of hymns that formed the cornerstone of Aryan culture. Hindus consider the
Vedas, which were transmitted orally by priests, to be the most sacred of all
literature for they believe these to have been revealed to humans directly by the
gods.

b) Epic and Buddhist Age (500 B.C. – A.D.). The period of composition of the two
great epics, Mahabharata and the Ramayana. This time was also the growth of
later Vedic literature, new Sanskrit literature, and Buddhist literature in Pali. The
Dhammapada was also probably composed during this period. The Maurya
Empire (322-230 B.C.) ruled by Ashoka promoted Buddhism and preached
goodness, nonviolence, and ‘righteousness’ although this period was known for
warfare and iron-fisted rule. The Gupta Dynasty (320-467 B.C.) was the next
great political power. During this time, Hinduism reached a full flowering and was
evident in culture and the arts.

5. TO EVALUATE

I. Fill in the blanks with the correct answer.

1. The ____ are group of nomadic warriors and herders and were the earliest known
migrants into India.
2. ____ is the period is named for the Vedas, a set of hymns that formed the
cornerstone of Aryan culture.
3. ____, which were transmitted orally by priests, are considered by Hindus to be the
most sacred of all literature for they believe these to have been revealed to humans
directly by the gods.
4. ______ is the period of composition of the two great epics, Mahabharata and the
Ramayana.
5. The _______ ruled by Ashoka promoted Buddhism and preached goodness,
nonviolence, and ‘righteousness’ although this period was known for warfare and
iron-fisted rule.

II. Choose at least two (2) passages from Vedas and write your insight about it.

“He who gives breath, he who gives strength, whose command all the bright gods
revere, whose shadow is immortality, whose shadow is death:—Who is the God to
whom we shall offer sacrifice?”

“He who through his might became the sole king of the breathing and twinkling world,
who governs all this, man and beast:—Who is the God to whom we shall offer
sacrifice?”

14
“Thou who createst light where there was no light, and form, O men! where there was
no form, hast been born together with the dawns.”

“Thou, O Indra, with the swift Maruts, who break even through the stronghold, hast
found even in their hiding-place the bright ones (days or clouds).”

“Thou art called forth to this fair sacrifice for a draught of milk; with the Maruts come
hither, O Agni!”

“No god indeed, no mortal, is beyond the might of thee, the mighty one; with the Maruts
come hither, O Agni!”

1.

2.

15
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 3 (Lesson 2): Indian Epic Ramayana

Learning  To comprehend how the content of the great epic “Ramayana”

Targets: relate to Hindus culture and values;
 To appreciate the richness of Indian literature of the great epic
of Ramayana;
 To make a concept map, commentary or composition about
Ramayana.

References: 1. Valmiki. (n.d.). “The Ramayana”. https://www.gradesaver.com/the-

ramayana/study-guide/summary
2. “Mahabharata”. (n.d.).
https://www.gradesaver.com/mahabharata/study-guide/summary

1. TO ENGAGE

Watch the video of the great epic of India - Ramayana.

2. TO EXPLORE

The two great epics of India are Ramayana and Mahabharata.

By Sanskrit, probably not before 300 BC, the Ramayana was composed by the
poet Valmiki and consists of some 24,000 couplets divided into seven books.

3. TO EXPLAIN

Ramayana reflects the Hindu values and forms of social organization, the theory
of karma, the ideals of wifehood, and feelings about caste, honor and promises.

Ramayana translates as the Story of Rama. It is believed to have been written by

a Brahmin named Valmiki, a man whose style of poetry was new and a style to be
copied thereafter. It is said to have appeared between 400 and 200 BCE. The story
takes place centuries earlier, when Aryans were expanding their influence over
Dravidians in southern India, the Aryans engaging in missionary endeavors supported
by military power and a strategy of divide and conquer. In its seven books and 24,000
verses the Ramayana praises the heroism and virtues of Aryan warrior-princes: the
Kshatriyas. The Ramayana has as its main hero a prince called Rama, whose life the
Ramayana describes from birth to death. Rama and his brothers are depicted as

16
embodying the ideals of Aryan culture: men of loyalty and honor, faithful and dutiful
sons, affectionate brothers and loving husbands, men who speak the truth, who are
stern, who persevere but are ready and willing to make sacrifices for the sake of virtue
against the evils of greed, lust and deceit.

In this lesson, we will focus our discussion on the stories of Ramayana and try to
relate and understand the stories based on the beliefs and culture of Indian people.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

 The Ramayana was composed in Sanskrit, probably not before 300 BC, by poet
Valmiki. It reflects the Hindu values and forms of social organization, the theory
of karma, the ideals of wifehood, and feelings about caste, honor and promises.

The poem describes the royal birth of Rama, his tutelage under the sage Visvamitra,
and his success in bending Siva’s mighty bow, thus winning Sita, the daughter of King
Janaka, for his wife. After Rama is banished from his position as heir by an intrigue, he
retreats to the forest with his wife and his half-brother, Laksmana. There Ravana, the
demon-king of Lanka, carries off Sita, who resolutely rejects his attentions. After
numerous adventures, Rama slays Ravana and rescues Sita. When they return to his
kingdom, however, Rama learns that the people question the queen’s chastity, and he
banishes her to the forest where she gives birth to Rama’s two sons. The family is
reunited when the sons come of age, but Sita, after again protesting her innocence,
asks to be received by the earth, which swallows her up.

The Ramayana Summary (Valmiki, n.d.)

Born during an age when the demon Ravana terrorized the world, Rama is the
virtuous, wise, and powerful prince of Ayohya. As a young man, he is able to
accomplish what no other man has ever done: he lifts and strings the bow of Siva, and
by so doing her earns the right to marry the beautiful Sita.

Just when he is about to ascend the throne of Ayodhya, his father Dasaratha is
forced to exile him for fourteen years to the forest due to a vow made long ago.
Unruffled, Rama accepts his exile; his wife Sita and his loyal
brother Lakshmana accompany him. In the forest, the princely brothers kill many
demons and visit many wise men and women.

The evil demon Ravana hears of Sita's beauty, and kidnaps her. He has fallen in
love with her and tries to seduce her, but she rebuffs his advances for nearly ten
months.

17
 Desperate to win her back, Rama and Lakshmana form an alliance with the
monkey king Sugriva, and invade Lanka with an army of monkeys. After many violent
battles, Rama defeats Ravana and wins back Sita. He is concerned that she has been
unfaithful during her long captivity, and so Sita undergoes a trial by fire to prove her
chastity. Rama takes her back, and they return to rule Ayodhya for many wonderful
years.

In another version of the tale, Rama hears his people gossiping about Sita's
imagined indiscretions, and he banishes her to the forest, where she gives birth to
Rama's twin sons. Sita and the children confront him years later; he tries to explain his
harsh actions to Sita, but she vanishes into the earth to escape him.

From the Ramayana: “Brother’s Faithfulness”

If my elder and his lady to the pathless forests wend,

Armed with bow and ample quiver Lakshman will on them attend,

Where the wild deer range the forest and the lordly tuskers roam,

And the bird of gorgeous plumage nestles in its jungle home,

Dearer far to me those woodlands where perennial bliss prevails!

Grant me then thy sweet permission, - faithful to thy glorious star,

Lakshman, shall not wait and tarry when his Rama wanders far,

Grant me then thy loving mandate, - Lakshman hath no wish to stay,

None shall bar the faithful younger when the elder leads the way!

5. TO EVALUATE

I. Read and analyze the following questions about the epic Ramayana. Write the letter
of the correct answer on the space provided before the number.

1. The Ramayana is an important text in which major religion.

a. Shintoism c. Buddhism
b. Islam d. Hinduism
2. Who is Dasaratha?

18
 a. King of Mithila c. sage of Kamasrama
b. King of the Devas d. King of Ayodhya

3. What caste is Rama born into?

a. Brahmin (holy person) c. Kshatriya (warrior)
b. Vaisya (Crafter, Merchant) d. Shudra (laborer)

4. How do you describe Rama’s appearance?

a. purple as the sunset c. fair as a moonbeam
b. brown as the sacred earth d. dark blue as a lotus

5. How do you describe Lakshmana’s appearance?

a. purple as the sunset c. fair as a moonbeam
b. brown as the sacred earth d. dark blue as a lotus

II. Write two-paragraph essay on the lessons you have learned out from Ramayana.
You can also include its theme. Each paragraph should consist of 4 to 5 sentences.
Please be guided on the criteria below.

Criteria:
Content- 10 points
Organization of ideas- 10 points
Correct grammar- 5 points
Total- 25 points

19
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 4 (Lesson 1): INDIAN LITERARY PERIODS

Classical Period

Learning  To determine the different literary periods of Afro-Asian

Targets: literature;
 To understand the main intention of the Panchatantra;
 To make a reflection on the excerpt taken from the
Panchatantra.

References: Mrunal. (2019, June 18). Top 11 Short Panchatantra Stories for
Kids. Retrieved from
https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/top-10-short-stories-of-
panchatantra-for-kids/
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2017, July 11).
Panchatantra. Retrieved from
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Panchatantra-Indian-
literature
www.gurukula.com. (2014, April 2). Panchatantra Told by Sriram
Raghavan 001 – Introduction [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t2fn47dSp4

1. TO ENGAGE

Read the sample fable from the Panchatantra and write the lessons you’ve learned out
from it.

The Foolish Lion and the Clever Rabbit

20
 Once upon a time, a greedy lion attacked and killed animals, because of which
every animal in the jungle was very afraid of him. One day, they decided that each
animal would go to the lion, per day, as his prey. The lion agreed. When it was the
rabbit’s turn, they decided to send the wise old one. He travelled slowly and reached the
lion’s den before sunset. The lion furiously asked him, “Why are you so late?” The rabbit
answered, ”A group of rabbits were coming to you, but on their way, the others were
attacked by another ferocious lion. I managed to escape and came here.” The rabbit
also mentioned that the other lion was challenging this one.

The lion was extremely angry and asked the rabbit to take him to meet the new
lion. The wise rabbit took the lion to a deep well, and showed him his own reflection. As
the lion growled, his reflection did the same. He considered this reflection to be his
enemy. The enraged lion jumped into the well to attack the other lion, and ended up
dying. Thus, the wise old rabbit saved himself, and all the animals in the forest.

Moral of the story:

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

2. TO EXPLORE

The Panchatantra is a collection of Indian beast fables originally written in

Sanskrit. In Europe, the work was known under the title The Fables of Bidpai after the
narrator, and Indian sage named Bidpai, (called Vidyapati in Sanskrit). It emerged
during the Classical Period (A.D. – 1000 A.D.).
3. TO EXPLAIN

In theory, the Panchatantra is intended as a textbook of niti (“policy,” especially

for kings and statesmen); the aphorisms tend to glorify shrewdness and cleverness
rather than altruism. The original text is a mixture of Sanskrit prose and stanzas of
verse, with the stories contained within one of the five frame stories. The introduction,
which acts as an enclosing frame for the entire work, attributes the stories to a learned
Brahmin named Vishnusharman, who used the form of animal fables to instruct the
three dull-witted sons of a king (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2017).

In this module, we will discuss the well-known stories of Panchatantra and

ponder on the morals of the stories.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

21
  Classical Period (A.D. – 1000 A.D.). The main literary language of northern
India during this period was Sanskrit, in contrast with the Dravidianlanguages of
southern India. Sanskrit, which means ‘perfect speech’ is considered a sacred
language, the language spoken by the gods and goddesses. As such, Sanskrit
was seen as the only appropriate language for the noblest literary works. Poetry
and drama peaked during this period. Beast fables such as the Panchatantra
were popular and often used by religious teachers to illustrate moral points.

 The Panchatantra is a collection of Indian beast fables originally written in

Sanskrit. In Europe, the work was known under the title The Fables of
Bidpai after the narrator, and Indian sage named Bidpai, (called Vidyapati in
Sanskrit). It is intended as a textbook of artha(worldly wisdom); the
aphorisms tend to glorify shrewdness and cleverness more than helping of
others. The original text is a mixture of Sanskrit prose and stanzas of verse,
with the stories contained within one of five frame stories. The introduction,
which acts as an enclosing frame for the entire work, attributes the stories to
a learned Brahman named Vishnusarman, who used the form of animal
fables to instruct the three dull-witted sons of a king.

From the Panchatantra: “Right-Mind and Wrong-Mind”The good and bad

of given schemes/ wise thought must first reveal: the stupid heron saw his
chicks/ provide a mongoose meal.

Here are sample fables from The Panchatantra (Mrunal, 2019)

1. The Monkey and the Crocodile

Once upon a time, in a forest, there lived a monkey who resided on a jamoon
(berry) tree, which was on the banks of a river. In the same forest, there lived a
crocodile and his wife. One day, the crocodile came to the banks of the river and rested
under the tree. The kindhearted monkey offered him some fruits. The crocodile came
back the next day for more fruits, as he loved them. As days passed by, the crocodile

22
and the monkey became good friends. One day, the monkey sent some fruits for the
crocodile’s wife. She ate the fruits and liked them, but was jealous, as she didn’t like her
husband spending time with the monkey. She told her husband, “If the fruits are so
juicy, I wonder how sweet the monkey’s heart would be. Get me the heart of the
monkey.” The crocodile was not willing to kill his friend, but had no choice.
He invited the monkey to his house for dinner and that his wife would like to meet
him. The monkey was happy, but couldn’t swim, so the crocodile took him on his back.
The crocodile was happy that he had tricked the monkey, however, while talking, he
blurted out the real reason for taking the monkey home. The clever monkey said, “You
should have told me earlier, I left my heart on the tree. We must go back and get it.” The
crocodile believed him and took him back to the tree. Thus, the clever monkey saved
his life.

Moral of the Story: Choose your company wisely and always have presence of mind.

2. The Elephants and the Mice

There was a village that was abandoned by its people after it shattered, post an
earthquake. However, the mice living in the village decided to stay and make it their
home. On the outskirts of this village, there was a lake, where a herd of elephants
visited regularly to bathe and drink water. Since the village was on the way to this lake,
the elephants trampled the mice while walking there. So, the king of mice decided to
meet the elephants. He told them, ” O elephants, as you travel through the village, many
mice are trampled. We will be very grateful if you could please consider changing your
route. We will remember and return the favour when you are in need.”

The elephant king laughed, “We are giant elephants. What favour can you mice
return? Nevertheless, we honour your request and change our route.”

After a few days, the elephants got trapped and entangled in nets that were set
up by hunters. They struggled hard to escape, but in vain. The elephant king
remembered the promise made by the king of mice. So, he sent a fellow elephant who
got lucky and was not trapped, to ask the mice king to come and help them.

23
 Soon, all the mice came and started nibbling the nets, and freed the elephants.
The king of the elephants couldn’t thank the mice enough!

Moral of the Story: A friend in need is a friend indeed. Always be kind to people, and
grateful for their help.

3. The Tortoise and the Geese

Once upon a time, beside a lake, there lived a tortoise and two geese who were
great friends. As the lake was drying, the geese decided to migrate to a new
place. The tortoise also wanted to move with them, but he couldn’t fly, and so he
pleaded the geese to take him with them. After trying really hard to convince them,
finally, the geese agreed. They held a stick with their beaks and asked the tortoise to
hold the stick with his mouth, warning him to not open his mouth and let go of the stick.

As they flew high, some onlookers thought that the tortoise was kidnapped and
commented: “Oh, the poor tortoise!” This angered the tortoise and he immediately
opened his mouth to say something back. As soon as he did, he fell to the ground and
died.

Moral of the Story: Think before you speak. Listen to instructions, and follow them.

5. TO EVALUATE
1. What is the major purpose of Panchatantra?

24
2. Create short fable on your own. Make sure the story focuses on an animal character,
which will deliver a good moral to the readers.

Criteria:
Content- 10 points
Organization of ideas- 10 points
Plot Development - 10 points
Moral/Lesson - 10 points
Grammar- 10 points
Total- 50 points

25
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 4 (Lesson 2): INDIAN LITERARY PERIODS

Medieval and Modern Age
Learning  To determine the different literary periods of Afro-Asian
Targets: literature;
 To comprehend the concealed meaning of Indian literary
pieces during the Medieval and Modern Age.
 Reflect and make a statement about the essay “On Learning
to be an Indian” by Santha Rama Rau and “Taj Mahal” by
SahirLudhianvi.

References: “Gitanjali”. (2020). Retrieved from

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gitanjali
Indian Diplomacy. (2011, February 01). The Story of Gitanjali: Song
Offerings (09.09 Mins.) [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg-Cux-v9bc
Poetry Foundation. (2020). “Gitanjali 35”. Retrieved from
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45668/gitanjali-35

Urduwallahs. (2012, December 26. “Sahir’s Taj Mahal”. Retrieved

from https://urduwallahs.wordpress.com/2012/12/26/sahirs-
taj-mahal/.

Vijay, R. (2015, December 09). “Sahir Ludhianvi – Is the Taj Mahal a

symbol of eternal love or wealth and power ?”. Retrieved from
http://desispeaks.com/sahir-ludhianvi/

1. TO ENGAGE

Let us watch a video about the Gitanjali.

2. TO EXPLORE

Some of the literary pieces that emerged during the Medieval and Modern Age
are Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore, The Taj Mahal by Sahir Ludhianvi, and On
Learning to be an Indian by Santha Rama Rau.

3. TO EXPLAIN
Many literary pieces emerged during the Medieval and Modern Age of India. One
of the famous work is Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore, which contains 157 poems in

26
the book. All were written in Bengali language. Many writers have translated it into many
languages.

In this course, we will just focus our discussion on the three major literary works
of the Medieval and Modern Age: Gitanjali, The Taj Mahal, and On Learning to be an
Indian.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

 Medieval and Modern Age (A.D. 1000 – present). Persian influence on

literature was considerable during this period. Persian was the court language of
the Moslem rulers. In the 18th century India was directly under the British Crown
and remained so until its Independence in 1947. British influence was strong and
modern-day Indians are primarily educated in English. Many have been brought
into the world of Western learning at the expense of learning about their own
culture.

 Gitanjali: Song Offerings was originally published in India in 1910 and it s

translation followed in 1912. In these prose translations, Rabindranath
Tagore uses imagery from nature to express the themes of love and the
internal conflict between spiritual longings and earthly desires.

Gitanjali 35
By Rabindranath Tagore
(Poetry Foundation, 2020)

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of
dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

 The Taj Mahal, a poem by Sahir

Ludhianvi, is about the mausoleum in North
India built by the Mogul emperor Shah
Jahan for his wife Mumtaz-i-Mahal. The
façade of this grandiose structure is made of
white marble and is surrounded by water

27
 gardens, gateways, and walks. The tomb at the center of the dome stands on
a square block with towers at each corner. The construction of the building
took twenty years to complete involving some 20, 000 workers.

Taj Mahal
(Vijay, R., 2015, December 09)

The Taj, may be, to you , a symbol of love supreme

You may hold this beauteous garden in great esteem;
Yet, my love, meet me hence at some other place!
How odd for the poor folk to frequent royal resorts;
‘Tis strange that the amorous souls should tread the regal paths
Trodden once by mighty kings and their proud consorts.
Behind the facade of love my dear, you had better seen,
The marks of imperial might that herein lie screen’d
You who take delight in tombs of kings deceased,
Should have seen the hovels dark where you and I did wean.
Countless men in this world must have loved and gone,
Who dares say their loves weren’t truthful or strong?
But in the name of their loves, no memorial is raised
For they too, like you and me, belonged to the common throng.

These structures and sepulchres, these ramparts and forts,

These relics of the mighty dead are,

No more than cancerous tumours on the face of earth,

Fattened on our ancestor’s very blood and bones.
They too must have loved, my love, whose hands had made,
This marble monument, nicely chiselled and shaped
But their dear ones lived and died, unhonoured, unknown,
None burnt even a lamp on their lowly graves.

This bank of Jamuna, this edifice, these groves and lawns,

These carved walls and doors, arches and alcoves,
An emperor on the strength of wealth, Has played with us a cruel joke.
Meet me hence, my love, at some other place.

Taj Mahal is a non-film masterpiece from Sahir’s quiver of poems, that demonstrates
his ability to give a fresh perspective to universally accepted things.

28
 Taj Mahal, known to the world as a symbol of love and beauty is portrayed, in Sahir
poem – Taj Mahal, as an insult to the love and aspirations of the millions of common
men and women who live their lives quietly, toiling and working to make a basic living
and still find the time and optimism to love. They don’t have the means to proclaim their
love with something as lavish as the Taj Mahal, but that does not mean that their love is
lesser than that of any emperor. It is also ironic to Sahir that the universal symbol of
love should be a tomb, a mausoleum – as if to say that love is forever doomed to failure,
never to be united with one’s lover (Urduwallahs, 2012, December 26).

On Learning to be an Indian an essay by Santha Rama Rau illustrates the telling

effects of colonization on the lives of the people particularly the younger generation.
The writer humorously narrates the conflicts that arise between her grandmother's
traditional Indian values and the author’s own British upbringing.

Because Mother had to fight against the old standards, and because she was
brought up to believe in them, she has an emotional understanding of them
which my sister I will never have. Brought up in Europe and educated in
preparatory and public schools in England, we felt that the conventions were
not only retrogressive and socially crippling to the country but also a little
ridiculous.

5. TO EVALUATE
I. Make an argumentative article about the poem Taj Mahal by Sahir Ludhianvi.
Determine your stand about the poem and your reasons why you go or against (pros
and cons) in relevance to the message of the poem. Cite expert’s opinion if necessary.
The article must not be less than one page.

Criteria on Argumentative Essay:

Content- 10 points
Organization of ideas 10 points
References 10 points
Argumentation 10 points
Grammar 10 points
Total 50 points
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 4 (Lesson 3): Major Writers in India and their Write-Ups

Learning  To distinguish the prominent writers of India and their major

29
Targets: works.
 To discover the manner of writing of India’s famous writers-
their unique style and theme.
 To answer the practice test at the end of the lesson.

References: Maigue, D. (2014, March 25). Short Summarization of the Love

story of Shakuntala [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z34Fc0M7IDg

Times of India.com. (2020). “10 Timeless Poems By Rabindranath

Tagore”. Retrieved from
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-
style/books/features/10-timeless-poems-by-rabindranath-
tagore/photostory/75593222.cms
1. TO ENGAGE

Do you know some Indian writers? You may name one.

2. TO EXPLORE

The major writers of India are:

a) Kalidasa
b) Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941).
c) Prem Chand
d) Kamala Markandaya (1924).
e) Anita Desai (1937).
f) Vir Singh (1872-1957).
g) Arundhati Roy.
h) R.K Narayan (1906)

3. TO EXPLAIN

The major writers mentioned above brought significant contributions on Indian

literature and in this lesson, we will discover their style of writing through
comprehending their literary pieces.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

Major Writers.
A. Kalidasa. A Sanskrit poet and dramatist is probably the greatest Indian writer
of all time. As with most classical Indian authors, little is known about Kalidasa’s
person or his historical relationships. His poems suggest that he was a Brahman

30
(priest). Many works are traditionally ascribed to the poet, but scholars have
identified only six as genuine.

Shakuntala Summary
(“Shakuntala Summary”, n.d.)

Dusyanta, a king in Northern India, is racing along in his chariot, preparing

to shoot a deer. Suddenly, a forest-dwelling ascetic warns him not to shoot, since
the deer belongs to the nearby hermitage of Kanva, a great sage. The ascetic
invites King Dusyanta to visit the hermitage, which is under his royal protection.
He explains that Kanva isn’t home, but the sage’s daughter, Shakuntala, is
receiving guests.

When the King enters the hermitage, he notices Shakuntala and her two
friends, Anasuya and Priyamvada, watering the sacred trees. He hides in the
shadows to observe them, instantly drawn to Shakuntala’s beauty. When
Dusyanta reveals his presence, a flustered Shakuntala is immediately attracted
to him, too. Though Shakuntala is modest and shy, the King questions
Shakuntala’s friends about her and offers her his signet ring.

Before the King has to concoct a reason to linger near the hermitage, he’s
asked to protect the ascetics from evil spirits in Kanva’s absence. He quickly
dispels the demons, then overhears Shakuntala, who’s desperately lovesick,
confiding her feelings for him to her friends. When Shakuntala recites a love
poem she’s composed for him, he emerges from hiding and openly declares his
love for her. Their mutual declarations effectively constitute a secret marriage.
Before long, Shakuntala is pregnant.

After Dusyanta is forced to return to his capital, Shakuntala is so

distracted that she unintentionally offends Durvasas, a short-tempered sage,
when he visits the hermitage. Durvasas puts a curse on her that will cause
Dusyanta to forget Shakuntala, but when Priyamvada intercedes, he grants that
the sight of a memento—the signet ring—will lift the curse. After Kanva returns,
he celebrates Shakuntala’s good fortune and sends her to join her husband,
escorted by seers.

In the capital, when Dusyanta receives word that a party from Kanva’s
hermitage is on its way, he is surprised and uneasy. To Shakuntala’s grief, the
baffled and defensive King denies having any connection with her. When she
tries to show him the signet ring as a reminder, she discovers it’s missing from
her finger. Dusyanta relents and agrees to house Shakuntala until she gives
birth, but before he can do so, Shakuntala is spirited away to the celestial realm
by nymphs.

A poor fisherman discovers the King’s signet ring in the belly of a fish and
is threatened with execution, but he is let go with a reward after the King, seeing

31
 the ring and remembering everything, corroborates his story. Soon thereafter,
Sanumati, a nymph and friend of Shakuntala’s mother, spies at the palace to find
out why the spring festival has been canceled. She learns that the King,
overwhelmed by depression and remorse over Shakuntala, has forbidden the
celebration. Dusyanta continues to obsess over the situation until Matali, the god
Indra’s charioteer, appears at the palace and takes him away on an urgent
mission to fight demons.

Six years pass. King Dusyanta has successfully vanquished the demons
and been duly honored by Indra. When Matali and the King tour the earth in a
flying chariot, they descend to visit Marica’s hermitage, a celestial realm of the
demigods. Here the King is astonished to meet a little boy who greatly resembles
him. When he picks up the boy’s protective amulet— able to be touched only by
the boy and his parents — he confirms that, the boy, Sarvadamana, is indeed his
child, the prophesied world ruler. Then Shakuntala enters, and, though it takes
her a moment to recognize the King, they are soon tearfully reunited. The three
of them talk with Marica the sage, and he explains Durvasas’s curse, telling the
couple not to blame themselves or one another. Marica confirms Sarvadamana’s
destiny and blesses the family, sending them home to live in Dusyanta’s court.

B. Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941). The son of a Great Sage, Tagore is a

Bengali poet and mystic who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. Tagore
managed his father's estates and lived in close contact with the villagers. His
sympathy for their poverty and backwardness was later reflected in his works.
The death of his wife and two children brought him years of sadness but this also
inspired some of his best poems. Tagore is also a gifted composer and a
painter.

Gitanjali
(Times of India.com, 2020)

Thou hast made me endless, such is thy pleasure. This frail vessel thou emptiest
again and again, and fillest it ever with fresh life.

This little flute of a reed thou hast carried over hills and dales, and hast breathed
through it melodies eternally new.

At the immortal touch of thy hands my little heart loses its limits in joy and gives
birth to utterance ineffable.

Thy infinite gifts come to me only on these very small hands of mine. Ages pass,
and still thou pourest, and still there is room to fill.

C. Prem Chand pseudonym of Dhanpat Rai Srivastava (1880-1936). Indian

author of numerous novels and short stories in Hindi and Urdu who pioneered in

32
adapting Indian themes to Western literary styles. He worked as a teacher
before joining Mahatma Gandhi’s anticolonial Noncooperation Movement.

 Sevasadana(House of Service). His first major novel deals with the

problems of prostitution and moral corruption among the Indian middle
class.
 Manasarovar (The Holy Lake). A collection of 250 or so short stories
which contains most of Prem Chand’s best works.
 Godan (The Gift of a Cow). This last novel was Prem Chand’s
masterpiece and it deals with his favorite theme – the hard and
unrewarding life of the village peasant.

D. Kamala Markandaya (1924). Her works concern the struggles of

contemporary Indians with conflicting Eastern and Western values. A Brahman,
she studied at Madras University then settled in England and married an
Englishman. In her fiction, Western values typically are viewed as modern and
materialistic, and Indian values as spiritual and traditional.

 Nectar in a Sieve. Her first novel and most popular work is about an
Indian peasant’s narrative of her difficult life.

E. R. K. Narayan (1906). One of the finest Indian authors of his generation

writing in English. He briefly worked as a teacher before deciding to devote
himself full-time to writing. All of Narayan’s works are set in the fictitious South
Indian town of Malgudi. They typically portray the peculiarities of human
relationships and the ironies of Indian daily life, in which modern urban existence
clashes with ancient tradition. His style is graceful, marked by genial humor,
elegance, and simplicity.

 Swami and Friends. His first novel is an episodic narrative

recounting the adventures of a group of schoolboys.
 Novels: The English Teacher (1945), Waiting for the Mahatma
(1955), The Guide (1958), The Man-Eater of Malgudi (1961), The
Vendor of Sweets (1967), A Tiger for Malgudi (1983),and The
World of Nagaraj (1990).
 Collection of Short Stories: Lawley Road (1956), A Horse and Two
Goats and Other Stories (1970), Under the Banyan Tree and Other
Stories (1985),and Grandmother’s Tale (1992).

F. Anita Desai (1937). An English-language Indian novelist and author of

children’s books, she is considered India’s premier imagist writer. She excelled
in evoking character and mood through visual images. Most of her works reflect
Desei’s tragic view of life.

33
  Cry, the Peacock. Her first novel addresses the theme of the
suppression and oppression of Indian women.
 Clear Light of Day. Considered the author’s most successful work,
this is a highly evocative portrait of two sisters caught in the lassitude
of Indian life. This was shortlisted for the 1980 Booker Prize.
 Fire on the Mountain. This work was criticized as relying too heavily
on imagery at the expense of plot and characterization, but it was
praised for its poetic symbolism and use of sounds. This won for her
the Royal Society of Literature’s Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize.

G. Vir Singh (1872-1957). A Sikh writer and theologian, he wrote at a time when
Sikh religion and politics and the Punjabi language were under heavy attack by
the English and Hindus. He extolled Sikh courage, philosophy, and ideals,
earning respect for the Punjabi language as a literary vehicle.

 Kalghi Dhar Chamatkar. This novel is about the life of the 17th
century guru Gobind Singh.
 Other novels on Sikh philosophy and martial excellence include
Sundri (1898)and Bijai Singh (1899).

H. Arundhati Roy. A young female writer whose first book The God of Small
Things won for her a Booker Prize.

5. TO EVALUATE
I. Match column A with the correct answers in column B. Write your answers on the
space provided before each number.
A B
_____1. Kalidasa a. Clear Light of Day
_____2. Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941). b. Manasarovar
_____3. Prem Chand c. Shakuntala
_____4. Kamala Markandaya (1924). d. The God of Small Things
_____5. Anita Desai (1937). e. Gitanjali
_____6. Vir Singh (1872-1957) f. Swami and Friends
_____7. R.K Narayan (1906) g. Nectar in a Sieve
_____8. Arundhati Roy h. Kalghi Dhar Chamatkar

II. Identify the following lines from the famous works of the authors. Write directly the
name of the author on the (a) first blank. Write also your insights or interpretation on the
(b) second blank.

1. “That's what careless words do. They make people love you a little less.”

a.)

34
 b.)

2. “Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.”

a.)

b.)

3. For where shall a man turn who has no money? Where can he go? Wide, wide world,
but as narrow as the coins in your hand. Like a tethered goat, so far and no farther.
Only money can make the rope stretch, only money.

a.)

b.)

4. There is no escape from loneliness and separation...." I told myself often. "Wife, child,
brothers, parents, friends.... We come together only to go apart again. It is one
continuous movement. They move away from us as we move away from them.

a.)

b.)

5. Deliverance is not for me in renunciation. I feel the embrace of freedom in a thousand

bonds of delight.

a.)

b.)

Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 5 (Lesson 1): CHINESE LITERATURE

35
 Historical Backgrounds

Learning  To determine the different Dynasties of China;

Targets:  To appreciate the literary pieces that emerged on the
different Dynasties;
 To complete the table by filling up the significant contributions
of the different Dynasties in China;

References: Epimetheus. (2018, March 07). All China's dynasties explained in 7

minutes (5,000 years of Chinese history) [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFNzX3tYTXU

Gill, N. (2020, January 02). “The Dynasties of Ancient China”.

Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/the-dynasties-of-
ancient-china-117659

1. TO ENGAGE

Try to recall the dynasties of China. What are the significant contributions of each
dynasty?

2. TO EXPLORE
The Dynasties of China are:

a) Shang Dynasty (1600 B.C.). During this time, the people practiced a religion
based on the belief that nature was inhabited by many powerful gods and spirits.

b) Chou Dynasty (1100 B.C. – 221 B.C.). This was the longest of all the
dynasties and throughout most of this period China suffered from severe
political disunity and upheaval.

c) Ch’in Dynasty (221 B.C. – 207 B.C.). This period saw the unification of China
and the strengthening of central government.

d) Han Dynasty (207 B.C. – A.D. 220). This period was one of the most glorious
eras of Chinese history and was marked by the introduction of Buddhism from
India.

e) T’ang Dynasty (A.D. 618-960). Fine arts and literature flourished during this
era which is viewed as the Golden Age of Chinese civilization.

f) Sung Dynasty (A.D. 960 – 1279). This period was characterized by delicacy
and refinement although inferior in terms of literary arts but great in learning.

36
 g) Later Dynasties (A.D. 1260-1912). During the late 12th and early 13th centuries,
northern China was overrun by Mongol invaders led by Genghis Khan whose
grandson Kublai Khan completed the Mongol conquest of China and established
the Yuan dynasty, the first foreign dynasty in China’s history.

h) Traditional Chinese Government. The imperial rule lasted in China for over
2,000 years leading to a pyramid-shaped hierarchy in the government. The
emperor, known as the Son of Heaven, was a hereditary ruler and beneath him
were bureaucratic officials.

3. TO EXPLAIN

The archaeology of ancient China provides insight into historical events dating back
four and a half millennia to roughly 2500 BCE. It is customary to refer to events in
Chinese history according to the dynasty to which the period's ancient rulers belonged.
A dynasty generally is a succession of rulers of the same line or family, although what
defines a family may vary from culture to culture.

This is not just true of ancient history, since the last dynasty, the Qing, ended in the
20th century. Nor is this true just of China. Ancient Egypt is another long-lived society
for which we use dynasties (and kingdoms) to date events (Gill, 2020).

In this lesson, you will be going to learn about the significant contributions of the
different Dynasties in China. We will also discuss some literary pieces that emerged on
the different Dynasties.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

1. Historical Background. Chinese literature reflects the political and social history
of China and the impact of powerful religions that came from within and outside the
country. Its tradition goes back thousand of years and has often been inspired by
philosophical questions about the meaning of life, how to live ethically in society,
and how to live in spiritual harmony with the natural order of the universe.

a.) Shang Dynasty (1600 B.C.). During this time, the people practiced a religion
based on the belief that nature was inhabited by many powerful gods and spirits.
Among the significant advances of this period were bronze working, decimal
system, a twelve-month calendar and a system of writing consisting of 3,000
characters.

b.) Chou Dynasty (1100 B.C. – 221 B.C.). This was the longest of all the
dynasties and throughout most of this period China suffered from severe
political disunity and upheaval. This era was also known as the Hundred
Schools period because of the many competing philosophers and teachers who

37
 emerged the most influential among them being Lao Tzu, the proponent of
Taoism, and Confucius, the founder of Confucianism. Lao Tzu stressed
freedom, simplicity, and the mystical contemplation of nature whereas Confucius
emphasized a code of social conduct and stressed the importance of discipline,
morality, and knowledge.

The Book of Songs, (Shih Ching) first compiled in the 6th century B.C., is
the oldest collection of Chinese poetry and is considered a model of poetic
expression and moral insight. The poems include court songs that entertained
the aristocracy, story songs that recounted Chou dynasty legends, hymns that
were sung in the temples accompanied by dance and brief folk songs and
ballads. Although these poems were originally meant to be sung, their melodies
have long been lost.

O Oriole, Yellow Bird

O oriole, yellow bird,/ Do not settle on the corn,
Do not peck at my millet./ The people of this land
Are not minded to nurture me./ I must go back, go home
To my own land and kin.

The Parables of the Ancient Philosophers illustrate the Taoist belief

and the humanism of the Chinese thought. In them can be seen the relativity of
all things as they pass through man’s judgment, the virtues of flexibility, and the
drawbacks of material progress.

The Missing Axe by Lieh Tzu

A man whose axe was missing suspected his neighbor’s son. The boy walked
like a thief, looked like a thief, and spoke like a thief. But the man found his axe
while he was digging in the valley, and the next time he saw his neighbor’s son,
the boy walked, looked, and spoke like any other child.

c.) Ch’in Dynasty (221 B.C. – 207 B.C.). This period saw the unification of
China and the strengthening of central government. Roads connecting all parts
of the empire were built and the existing walls on the northern borders were
connected to form the Great Wall of China.

d.) Han Dynasty (207 B.C. – A.D. 220). This period was one of the most glorious eras
of Chinese history and was marked by the introduction of Buddhism from India.

38
 5. TO EVALUATE
I. Comprehend and describe the significant contributions of China’s Dynasties.

Dynasty Year Significant Contribution

1. Shang Dynasty
2. Chou Dynasty
3. Ch’in Dynasty
4. Han Dynasty

II. Complete the box by taking down notes of the remarkable happening during
each Dynasty.

1. Shang Dynasty 2. Chou Dynasty

4. Han Dynasty 3. Ch’in Dynasty

Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 5 (Lesson 2): CHINESE LITERATURE

Historical Backgrounds

39
Learning  To determine the different Dynasties of China;
Targets:  To appreciate the literary pieces that emerged on the
different Dynasties;
 To complete the table by filling up the significant contributions
of the different Dynasties in China;

References: Epimetheus. (2018, March 07). All China's dynasties explained in 7

minutes (5,000 years of Chinese history) [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFNzX3tYTXU

“History of China”. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/history/

1. TO ENGAGE

What are the major changes in literary approach during the different dynasties of
China?

2. TO EXPLORE

a) T’ang Dynasty (A.D. 618-960). Fine arts and literature flourished during
this era which is viewed as the Golden Age of Chinese civilization.

The T’ang Poets. Chinese lyrical poetry reached its height during the
T’ang Dynasty. Inspired by scenes of natural beauty, T’ang poets wrote
about the fragile blossoms in spring, the falling of leaves in autumn, or the
changing shape of the moon.

b) Sung Dynasty (A.D. 960 – 1279). This period was characterized by

delicacy and refinement although inferior in terms of literary arts but great
in learning.

c) Later Dynasties (A.D. 1260-1912). There was a growth of drama in

colloquial language and a decline of the language of learning.

d) Traditional Chinese Government. The civil service examinations tested

on the major Chinese works of philosophy and poetry requiring the
composition for verse. Most government officials were well-versed in
literature and philosophy and many famous Chinese poets also served in
the government.

3. TO EXPLAIN

40
 China, one of the countries that can boast of an ancient civilization, has a long
and mysterious history - almost 5,000 years of it! Like most other great civilizations of
the world, China can trace her culture back to a blend of small original tribes which have
expanded till they became the great country we have today (“History of China”, n.d.)

In this lesson, we will continue to discuss the remaining Dynasties in China

namely: T’ang Dynasty (A.D. 618-960), Sung Dynasty (A.D. 960 – 1279), Later
Dynasties (A.D. 1260-1912), and Traditional Chinese Government.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

a.) T’ang Dynasty (A.D. 618-960). Fine arts and literature flourished during this era
which is viewed as the Golden Age of Chinese civilization. Among the technological
advances of this time were the invention of gunpowder and the block printing.

The T’ang Poets. Chinese lyrical poetry reached its height during the T’ang Dynasty.
Inspired by scenes of natural beauty, T’ang poets wrote about the fragile blossoms in
spring, the falling of leaves in autumn, or the changing shape of the moon.

Conversation in the Mountains by Li Po

If you were to ask me why I dwell among green mountains,
I should laugh silently; my soul is serene.
The peach blossom follows the moving water;
There is another heaven and earth beyond the world of men.

A Meeting by Tu Fu
We were often separated How long does youth last?
Like the Dipper and the morning star. Now we are all gray-haired.
What night is tonight? Half of our friends are dead,
We are together in the candlelight. And both of us were surprised when we met.

b.) Sung Dynasty (A.D. 960 – 1279). This period was characterized by delicacy and
refinement although inferior in terms of literary arts but great in learning. Professional
poets were replaced by amateur writers. The practice of Neo-Confucianism grew

41
 c.) Later Dynasties (A.D. 1260-1912). During the late 12th and early 13th centuries,
northern China was overrun by Mongol invaders led by Genghis Khan whose grandson
Kublai Khan completed the Mongol conquest of China and established the Yuan
dynasty, the first foreign dynasty in China’s history. It was during this time that Marco
Polo visited China. Chinese rule was reestablished after the Mongols were driven out of
China and the Ming dynasty was established. There was a growth of drama in
colloquial language and a decline of the language of learning. A second foreign
dynasty, the Ch’ing was established and China prospered as its population rapidly
increased causing major problems for its government.

d.) Traditional Chinese Government. The imperial rule lasted in China for over 2,000
years leading to a pyramid-shaped hierarchy in the government. The emperor, known
as the Son of Heaven, was a hereditary ruler and beneath him were bureaucratic
officials. An official government career was considered prestigious and the selection
was by means of government examinations. The civil service examinations tested on
the major Chinese works of philosophy and poetry requiring the composition for verse.
Most government officials were well-versed in literature and philosophy and many
famous Chinese poets also served in the government.

5. TO EVALUATE
I. Comprehend and describe the significant contributions of China’s Dynasties.

Dynasty Year Significant Contribution

1. T’ang Dynasty
2. Sung Dynasty
3. Later Dynasties
4. Traditional Chinese
Government

II. Make a graphic organizer of the significant happenings during the different
Dynasties of China discussed in this lesson.

Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 6 (Lesson 1): CHINESE LITERATURE 42

The Analects or Lun Yu
 Learning  To understand the concepts of The Analects;
Targets:  To appreciate the moral and social ideologies of The
Analects;
 Make a reflection on the chosen passages of The Analects.

References: “The Analects as the embodiment of Confucian ideas”. (n.d.).

Retrieved from
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Confucianism/The-Analects-
as-the-embodiment-of-Confucian-ideas
“The Analects of Confucius”. (n.d.) Retrieved from
https://www.gradesaver.com/the-analects-of-confucius/study-
guide/summary

“The Analects Quotes”. (n.d.) Retrieved from

https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/3320969-l-n-y

The Journey. (2016, July 14). EASTERN PHILOSOPHY -

CONFUCIUS | THE ANALECTS[Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1j-vJ3603o

1. TO ENGAGE

What is your favorite saying from China? Who is the proponent of the saying?

2. TO EXPLORE

There are lots of sayings in China. The most famous ones are written by
Confucius. Here is an example of his works taken from The Analects (Lun Yu).

From The Analects (II.1)

The Master said, “He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be
compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn
towards it.”

3. TO EXPLAIN

The Analects of Confucius is an anthology of brief passages that present the

words of Confucius and his disciples, describe Confucius as a man, and recount some

43
of the events of his life. The Analects includes twenty books, each generally featuring a
series of chapters that encompass quotes from Confucius, which were compiled by his
disciples after his death “The Analects of Confucius”. (n.d.).

In this lesson, we will focus our discussion on The Analects of Confucius and
ponder on some of his famous quotes from the Analects.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

The Analects (Lun Yu) is one of the four Confucian texts. The sayings range from
brief statements to more extended dialogues between Confucius and his students.
Confucius believes that people should cultivate the inherent goodness within
themselves –unselfishness, courage, and honor – as an ideal of universal moral and
social harmony. The Analects instructs on moderation in all things through moral
education, the building of a harmonious family life, and the development of virtues such
as loyalty, obedience, and a sense of justice. It also emphasizes filial piety and concern
with social and religious rituals. To Confucius, a person’s inner virtues can be fully
realized only through concrete acts of ‘ritual propriety’ or proper behavior toward other
human beings.
The Lunyu (Analects), the most-revered sacred scripture in the Confucian
tradition, was probably compiled by the succeeding generations of
Confucius’s disciples. Based primarily on the Master’s sayings, preserved in both oral
and written transmissions, it captures the Confucian spirit in form and content in the
same way that the Platonic dialogues embody Socratic pedagogy.

The Analects has often been viewed by the critical modern reader as a collection
of unrelated reflections randomly put together. That impression may have resulted from
the unfortunate perception of Confucius as a mere commonsense moralizer who gave
practical advice to students in everyday situations. If readers approach the Analects as
a communal memory, a literary device on the part of those who considered themselves
beneficiaries of the Confucian Way to continue the Master’s memory and to transmit his
form of life as a living tradition, they come close to why it has been so revered
in China for centuries. Interchanges with various historical figures and his disciples are
used to show Confucius in thought and action, not as an isolated individual but as the
centre of relationships. In fact, the sayings of the Analects reveal Confucius’s
personality—his ambitions, his fears, his joys, his commitments, and above all his self-
knowledge.

The purpose, then, in compiling the distilled statements centring on Confucius

seems not to have been to present an argument or to record an event but to offer an
invitation to readers to take part in an ongoing conversation. Through
the Analects Confucians for centuries learned to reenact the awe-inspiring ritual of
participating in a conversation with Confucius (“The Analects as the embodiment of
Confucian ideas”, n.d.

44
 From The Analects (II.1)
The Master said, “He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be
compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn
towards it.”

5. TO EVALUATE
I. Choose 5 passages from the Analects below and make a reflection out from
each passage.

“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”
― Confucius, Confucius: The Analects

“To be wealthy and honored in an unjust society is a disgrace.”

― Confucius, The Analects

“Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.”

― Confucius, The Analects

“The noble-minded are calm and steady. Little people are forever fussing and
fretting.”
― Confucius, Analects of Confucius

“When the wind blows,the grass bends.”

― Confucius, The Analects

“Fix your mind on truth, hold firm to virtue, rely on loving kindness, and find your
recreation in the Arts.”
― Confucius, The Analects

“He Who Knows And Knows That He Knows Is A Wise Man - Follow Him;
He Who Knows Not And Knows Not That He Knows Not Is A Fool - Shun Him”
― Confucius, The Analects

“The superior man has a dignified ease without pride. The mean man has pride
without a dignified ease.”
― Confucius, The Analects of Confucius

Taken from (“The Analects Quotes”, n.d.)

1.

45
 2.

3.

4.

5.

Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 6 (Lesson 2): CHINESE LITERATURE 46

Tao-Te Ching
Learning  To understand the concepts of Tao-Te Ching.
Targets:  To appreciate the moral and social ideologies of Tao-Te
Ching;
 Discuss the basic concept of Tao-Te Ching and relate it in
today’s realities

References: “Tao Te Ching Quotes”. (n.d.) Retrieved from

https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/100074-d-o-d-j-ng
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (n.d.). “Tao-te Ching”.
Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Tao-te-Ching.
Walter, D. (2013, December 27). “The Tao Te Ching”. Retrieved
from https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/dec/27/comfort-
reading-tao-te-ching-laozi

1. TO ENGAGE

Watch the video on Tao-Te Ching

2. TO EXPLORE

The Tao-Te Ching (Classic of the Way of Power) is believed to have been
written between the 8th and 3rd centuries B.C. The basic concept of the daois wu-wei
or “non-action” which means no unnatural action, rather than complete passivity.

3. TO EXPLAIN

Tao Te Ching translates very roughly as "the way of integrity". In its 81 verses it
delivers a treatise on how to live in the world with goodness and integrity: an important
kind of wisdom in a world where many people believe such a thing to be impossible
(Walter, 2013).

In this lesson, we will be going to focus our discussion on the basic concepts of
Tao Te Ching. We will also encounter some of the famous quotes taken from Tao Te
Ching.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

The Tao-Te Ching (Classic of the Way of Power) is believed to have been
written between the 8th and 3rd centuries B.C. The basic concept of the daois wu-wei or
“non-action” which means no unnatural action, rather than complete passivity. It implies

47
spontaneity, non-interference, letting things take their natural course i.e., “Do nothing
and everything else is done.” Chaos ceases, quarrels end, and self-righteous feuding
disappear because the dao is allowed to flow unchallenged.
Tao-te Ching, (Chinese [Wade-Giles romanization]: “Classic of the Way of
Power”)Pinyin romanization Daodejing, classic of Chinese philosophical literature. The
name was first used during the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE). It had previously been
called Laozi in the belief that it was written by Laozi, identified by the historian Sima
Qian as a 6th-century-BCE curator of the imperial Chinese archives. Laozi, however, is
better known as the reputed founder of Daoism, a way of life (the Chinese word dao,
or tao, means “way”) that, among many competing “Ways,” alone became known as the
Dao school, or Daoism. The long tradition that Laozi was the author of the Tao-te
Ching was so badly shaken in the 19th century that some scholars even questioned the
historical existence of the sage. The classic itself, moreover, contains no references to
other writings, persons, events, or places that might provide a clue for dating
the composition. Scholarly opinions consequently range between the 8th and the 3rd
century BCE.

The Tao-te Ching presented a way of life intended to restore harmony and
tranquillity to a kingdom racked by widespread disorders. It was critical of the unbridled
wantonness of self-seeking rulers and was disdainful of social activism based on the
type of abstract moralism and mechanical propriety characteristic of Confucian ethics.
The Dao of the Tao-te Ching has received a wide variety of interpretations because of
its elusiveness and mystical overtones, and it has been a basic concept in
both philosophy and religion. In essence, it consists of “nonaction” (wuwei), understood
as no unnatural action rather than complete passivity. It implies spontaneity,
noninterference, letting things take their natural course: “Do nothing and everything is
done.” Chaos ceases, quarrels end, and self-righteous feuding disappears because the
Dao is allowed to flow unchallenged and unchallenging. Everything that is comes from
the inexhaustible, effortless, invisible, and inaudible Way, which existed before heaven
and earth. By instilling in the populace the principle of Dao, the ruler precludes all cause
for complaint and presides over a kingdom of great tranquillity.

The popularity of the Tao-te Ching is reflected in the vast number of

commentaries that have been written: over 350 have been preserved in Chinese and
about 250 in Japanese. Since 1900 more than 40 translations have appeared in English
(The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.d.).

Realize the Simple Self

Banish wisdom, discard knowledge, The people have need of

what they can depend
And the people shall profit a upon:

48
 hundredfold; Reveal thy Simple Self,
Banish love, discard justice, Embrace the Original
Nature,
And the people shall recover the love of
their kin; Check thy selfishness,
Banish cunning discard utility, Curtail thy desires.
And the thieves and brigands shall
disappear.
As these three touch the externals and are
inadequate;

5. TO EVALUATE
I. Choose 5 passages from Tao-Te Ching below and make a reflection out from
each passage.
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

“Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know.”
― Lao Tzu, Tao Teh Ching 49

“The truth is not always beautiful, nor beautiful words the truth.”
― Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 7 (Lesson 1): CHINESE LITERATURE

Philosophy and Religion
Learning  To develop awareness on the two major philosophies in
Targets: China- Confucianism and Taoism;
50
 To reflect on the moral ideologies of China’s philosophy and
 Religion;
 Write five unique characteristics of China’s Philosophy and
religion- Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.

References:
“Chinese Religions and Philosophies”. (2019, August 19). Retrieved
from https://www.nationalgeographic.org/article/chinese-
religions-and-philosophies/

IT'S HISTORY. (2015, August 01). The Three Teachings - Taoism,

Buddhism, Confucianism l HISTORY OF CHINA [Video].
Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvfOMhx3cj8

1. TO ENGAGE

Complete the missing letters on each of the picture below.

_ a _ _sm C_ _ f _ c _ _ n _ _ m _u_d__s_

2. TO EXPLORE
The major philosophies and religion in china are Confucianism, Taoism, and
Buddhism.

a) Confucianism provides the Chinese with both a moral order and an order for the
universe.

51
 b) Taoism, was expounded by Lao Tzu during the Chou Dynasty. Taoist beliefs
and influences are an important part of classical Chinese culture.
c) Buddhism was imported from India during the Han dynasty. Buddhist thought
stresses the importance of ridding oneself of earthly desires and of seeking
ultimate peace and enlightenment through detachment.

3. TO EXPLAIN

Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism were the three main philosophies and
religions of ancient China, which have individually and collectively influenced ancient
and modern Chinese society.

Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism are considered the “three pillars” of

ancient Chinese society. As philosophies and religions, they not only influenced
spirituality, but also government, science, the arts, and social structure. Though their
specific beliefs and teachings have occasionally been at odds with each other, there
has been much room for overlap. Instead of one tradition taking over and pushing the
others out, the three philosophies have influenced society alongside each other,
changed each other, and at times blended together. Understanding the unique interplay
between these three traditions gives great insight into ancient Chinese society, as well
as modern times (“Chinese Religions and Philosophies”, 2019).

In this lesson, we will discuss the basic ideas of the major philosophies and
religion of China: Confucianism and Taoism, Buddhism.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

2. Philosophy and Religion. Chinese literature and all of Chinese culture has been
profoundly influenced by three great schools of thought: Confucianism, Taoism, and
Buddhism. Unlike Western religions, Chinese religions are based on the perception
of life as a process of continual change in which opposing forces, such as heaven
and earth or light and dark, balance one another. These opposites are symbolized
by the Yin and Yang. Yin, the passive and feminine force, counterbalances yang,
the active and masculine force, each contains a ‘seed’ of the other, as represented
in the traditional yin-yang symbol.

d) Confucianism provides the Chinese with both a moral order and an order for the
universe. It is not a religion but it makes individuals aware of their place in the
world and the behavior appropriate to it. It also provides a political and social
philosophy.

Confucius was China’s most famous teacher, philosopher, and political

theorist, whose ideas have influenced all civilizations of East Asia. According to

52
tradition, Confucius came from an impoverished family of the lower nobility. He
became a minor government bureaucrat but was never give a position of high office.
He criticized government policies and spent the greater part of his life educating a
group of disciples. Confucius was not a religious leader in the ordinary sense, for
his teaching was essentially a social ethic. Confucian politics is hierarchical but not
absolute and the political system is described by analogy with the family. There are
five key Confucian relationships: emperor and subject, father and son, husband and
wife, older brother and younger brother, friend and friend.
Confucian ethics is humanist. The following are Confucian tenets: a) jen or
human heartedness are qualities or forms of behavior that set men above the rest of
the life on earth. It is the unique goodness of man which animals cannot aspire to.
Also known as ren, it is the measure of individual character and such, is the goal of
self-cultivation. The ideal individual results from acting according to li, b) li refers to
ritual, custom, propriety, and manner. Li is thought to be the means by which life
should be regulated. A person of li is a good person and a state ordered by li is a
harmonious and peaceful state. Li or de as a virtue is best understood as a sacred
power inherent in the very presence of the sage. The sage was the inspiration for
proper conduct and the model of behavior.

The Analects (Lun Yu) is one of the four Confucian texts. The sayings range
from brief statements to more extended dialogues between Confucius and his
students. Confucius believes that people should cultivate the inherent goodness
within themselves –unselfishness, courage, and honor – as an ideal of universal
moral and social harmony. The Analects instructs on moderation in all things
through moral education, the building of a harmonious family life, and the
development of virtues such as loyalty, obedience, and a sense of justice. It also
emphasizes filial piety and concern with social and religious rituals. To Confucius, a
person’s inner virtues can be fully realized only through concrete acts of ‘ritual
propriety’ or proper behavior toward other human beings.

From The Analects (II.1)

The Master said, “He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be
compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn
towards it.”

53
 The Book of Changes (I Ching) is one of the Five Classics of Confucian
philosophy and has been primarily used for divination. This book is based on the
concept of change – the one constant of the universe. Although change is never-
ending, it too proceeds according to certain universal and observable patterns.

e) Taoism, was expounded by Lao Tzu during the Chou Dynasty. Taoist beliefs
and influences are an important part of classical Chinese culture. “The Tao” or
“The Way” means the natural course that the world follows. To follow the tao of
to “go with the flow” is both wisdom and happiness. For the Taoist, unhappiness
comes from parting from the tao or from trying to flout it.

The Taoist political ideas are very passive: the good king does nothing,
and by this everything is done naturally. This idea presents an interesting foil to
Confucian theories of state, although the Taoists never represented any political
threat to the Confucianists. Whereas Confucianism stressed conformity and
reason in solving human problems, Taoism stressed the individual and the need
for human beings to conform to nature rather than to society.

Lao-tzu. Known as the “old philosopher”, Lao-zi is credited as the founder

of Taoism and an elder contemporary of Confucius who once consulted with him.
He was more pessimistic than Confucius was about what can be accomplished in
the world by human action. He counseled a far more passive approach to the
world and one’s fellows: one must be cautious and let things speak for
themselves. He favored a more direct relationship between the individual self
and the dao.

The Tao-Te Ching (Classic of the Way of Power) is believed to have

been written between the 8th and 3rd centuries B.C. The basic concept of the dao
is wu-wei or “non-action” which means no unnatural action, rather than complete
passivity. It implies spontaneity, non-interference, letting things take their natural
course i.e., “Do nothing and everything else is done.” Chaos ceases, quarrels
end, and self-righteous feuding disappears because the dao is allowed to flow
unchallenged.

Realize the Simple Self

Banish wisdom, discard knowledge, The people have need of what
they can depend upon:
And the people shall profit a
hundredfold; Reveal thy Simple Self,

54
 Banish love, discard justice, Embrace the Original
Nature,
And the people shall recover the love of
their kin; Check thy selfishness,
Banish cunning discard utility, Curtail thy desires.
And the thieves and brigands shall
disappear.
As these three touch the externals and are
inadequate;

f) Buddhism was imported from India during the Han dynasty. Buddhist thought
stresses the importance of ridding oneself of earthly desires and of seeking
ultimate peace and enlightenment through detachment. With its stress on living
ethically and its de-emphasis on material concerns, Buddhism appealed to both
Confucians and Taoists.

5. TO EVALUATE
I. Determine 5 unique characteristics of China’s Philosophy and Religion-
Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.

Confucianism Taoism Buddhism

Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 7 (Lesson 2): CHINESE LITERATURE

Major Chinese Writers and their Write-ups
55
 Learning  To recognize the major writers in China and their write-ups;
Targets:  To value the literary works of the major Chinese writers;
 To write an insight about the chosen literary piece.

References: Foolish Musings. (2019, May 15). Zhuangzi [Video]. Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUMy8FTN-As
Vance, C. (2015, June 17). The Stories of Chuang Tzu - EP 1: The
Flight from the Shadow [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUXxtAZXdaM

1. TO ENGAGE

Do you know any Chinese writer? What does he/she wrote that you like the
most?

2. TO EXPLORE
The major writers in China are:

 Chuang Tzu (4th century B.C.)

 Lieh Tzu (4th century B.C.)
 Lui An (172 – 122 B.C.)
 Ssu-ma Ch’ien (145 – 90 B.C.)

 The T’ang Poets:

 Li Po (701 –762)
 Tu Fu (712 –770)
 Wang Wei (796? – 761?)
 Po Chu-I (772 – 846)
 Li Ch’ing-chao (A.D. 1084 – 1151)
 Chou-Shu-jen (1881 – 1936)

3. TO EXPLAIN

 China has many significant and well-known writers that contributed to the
abundance of their literature. In this lesson, however, we will just limit our
discussion on the most notable writers namely: Chuang Tzu (4th century B.C.),
Lieh Tzu (4th century B.C.), Lui An (172 – 122 B.C.), Ssu-ma Ch’ien (145 – 90
B.C.), and the T’ang poets like Li Po (701 –762), Tu Fu (712 –770), Wang Wei

56
 (796? – 761?), Po Chu-I (772 – 846), Li Ch’ing-chao (A.D. 1084 – 1151), and
Chou-Shu-jen (1881 – 1936)

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

3. Major Chinese Writers

 Chuang Tzu (4th century B.C.) was the most important early interpreter of the
philosophy of Taoism. Very little is known about his life except that he served as
a minor court official. In his stories, he appears as a quirky character who cares
little for either public approval or material possessions.
 Lieh Tzu (4th century B.C.) was a Taoist teacher who had many philosophical
differences with his forebears Lao-Tzu and Chuan Tzu. He argued that a
sequence of causes predetermines everything that happens, including one’s
choice of action.
 Lui An (172 – 122 B.C.) was not only a Taoist scholar but the grandson of the
founder of the founder of the Han dynasty. His royal title was the Prince of Haui-
nan. Together with philosophers and under his patronage, he produced a
collection of essays on metaphysics, cosmology, politics, and conduct.
 Ssu-ma Ch’ien (145 – 90 B.C.) was the greatest of China’s ‘Grand Historians’
who dedicated himself to completing the first history of China the Records of the
Historian. His work covers almost three thousand years of Chinese history in
more than half a million written characters etched onto bamboo tablets.

The T’ang Poets:

 Li Po (701 –762) was Wang Wei’s contemporary and he spent a short time in
courts, but seems to have be too much of a romantic and too give to drink to
carry out responsibilities. He was a Taoist, drawing sustenance from nature and
his poetry was often other-wordly and ecstatic. He had no great regard for his
poems himself. He is said to have mad thousands of them into paper boats
which he sailed along streams.
 Tu Fu (712 –770) is the Confucian moralist, realist, and humanitarian. He was
public-spirited, and his poetry helped chronicle the history of the age: the
deterioration
 Wang Wei (796? – 761?) was an 8th century government official who spent the
later years of his life in the country, reading and discussing Buddhism with
scholars and monks. He is known for the pictorial quality of his poetry and for its
economy. His word-pictures parallel Chinese brush artistry in which a few
strokes are all suggestive of authority, the disasters of war, and official
extravagance.
 Po Chu-I (772 – 846) was born two years after Tu Fu died, at a time when China
was still in turmoil from foreign invasion and internal strife. He wrote many

57
 poems speaking bitterly against the social and economic problems that were
plaguing China.
 Li Ch’ing-chao (A.D. 1084 – 1151) is regarded as China’s greatest woman poet
and was also one of the most liberated women of her day. She was brought up
in court society and was trained in the arts and classical literature quite an
unusual upbringing for a woman of the Sung dynasty. Many of her poems
composed in the tz’u form celebrate her happy marriage or express her
loneliness when her husband was away.
 Chou-Shu-jen (1881 – 1936) has been called the ‘father of the modern Chinese
short story because of his introduction of Western techniques. He is also known
as Lu Hsun whose stories deal with themes of social concern, the problems of
the poor, women, and intellectuals.

5. TO EVALUATE
I. Describe the characteristics and the way of writing of each of the major Chinese
writers below.
1) Chuang Tzu (4th century B.C.)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2) Lieh Tzu (4th century B.C.)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
3) Lui An (172 – 122 B.C.)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

4) Ssu-ma Ch’ien (145 – 90 B.C.)

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

5) Li Po (701 –762)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
58
6) Tu Fu (712 –770)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
7) Wang Wei (796? – 761?)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
8) Po Chu-I (772 – 846)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
9) Li Ch’ing-chao (A.D. 1084 – 1151)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
10) Chou-Shu-jen (1881 – 1936)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

II. Select and read one literary work from the list of major Chinese writers then make a
summary and your insights about the literary piece.
Criteria:
Content 10%
Organization of thoughts 10%
Grammar 5%
TOTAL 25%

59
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 8 (Lesson 1): CHINESE LITERATURE

Genres in Chinese Poetry
Learning  To understand the genres in Chinese poetry;
Targets:  To appreciate the genres of Chinese poetry by studying
some literary samples.
 To write a poem following one of the genres in Chinese
poetry.

References: “Chinese Poetry”. (2020). Retrieved from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_poetry

Gao, C. (2020, April 19). Cynthia's Chinese Poetry Episode

3 Genres of Chinese Poetry [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf1Vzpf3_vQ

1. TO ENGAGE

Arrange the letters to come up with the correct word.

__________1. ihsulh- Also known as ‘regulation poetry’ was developed

during the Tang dynasty.
__________2. utz - It is not governed by a fixed number of verses nor a fixed
number of characters per verse.
__________3. aos - Also known as ‘encountering sorrow’, a poem of lamentation
and protest authored by China’s first known great poet, Chu
Yuan (332-295 B.C.
__________4. uf - a poem partially expository and partly descriptive involving a
single thought or sentiment usually expressed in a reflective
manner.
__________5. ihsh - The dominant Chinese poetic form from the 2nd through the
12th century.
__________6. hucehuch- Truncated poetry is a shorter version of the lu-shih and was
also popular during the Tang dynasty.

2. TO EXPLORE

b) shih was the dominant Chinese poetic form from the 2nd through the 12th century
characterized by: i) an even number of lines; ii) the same number of words in
each line, in most cases five or seven; and iii) the occurrence of rhymes at the
end s of the even-numbered lines.

60
 c) sao was inspired by li sao or ‘encountering sorrow’, a poem of lamentation and
protest authored by China’s first known great poet, Chu Yuan (332-295 B.C.).

d) fu was a poem partially expository and partly descriptive involving a single

thought or sentiment usually expressed in a reflective manner.

e) lu-shih or ‘regulation poetry’ was developed during the Tang dynasty but has
remained popular even in the present times.

f) chueh-chu or truncated poetry is a shorter version of the lu-shih and was also
popular during the Tang dynasty.

g) tzu was identified with the Sung dynasty.

3. TO EXPLAIN

Chinese poetry is poetry written, spoken, or chanted in the Chinese language.

Poetry has consistently been held in extremely high regard in China, often incorporating
expressive folk influences filtered through the minds of Chinese literation. In Chinese
culture, poetry has provided a format and a forum for both public and private
expressions of deep emotion, offering an audience of peers, readers, and scholars
insight into the inner life of Chinese writers across more than two millennia (“Chinese
Poetry”, 2020).

Chinese poetry has its unique way of writing poems. They follow certain patterns
that makes the poem livelier and more beautiful. In this lesson, we will discuss about the
genres of Chinese poetry namely: shih, sao, fu, lu-shih, chueh-chu, and tzu

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

1. Genres in Chinese Poetryhas always been highly valued in Chinese culture and
was considered superior to prose. Chief among its characteristics are lucidity,
brevity, subtlety, suggestiveness or understatement, and its three-fold appeal to
intellect, emotion, and calligraphy. There are five principle genres in Chinese poetry:

a) shih was the dominant Chinese poetic form from the 2nd through the 12th
century characterized by: i) an even number of lines; ii) the same number of
words in each line, in most cases five or seven; and iii) the occurrence of
rhymes at the end s of the even-numbered lines. Shih poems often involve
the use of parallelism, or couplets that are similar in structure or meaning.

b) sao was inspired by li sao or ‘encountering sorrow’, a poem of

lamentation and protest authored by China’s first known great poet, Chu
Yuan (332-295 B.C.). It was an unusually long poem consisting of two parts:

61
 i) an autobiographical account that is Confucian in overtones; and ii) a
narration of an imaginary journey undertaken by the persona. The sao
enables the poets to display their creativity of describing China’s flora and
fauna, both real and imaginary. It is also filled with melancholia for
unrewarded virtue.

c) fu was a poem partially expository and partly descriptive involving a single

thought or sentiment usually expressed in a reflective manner. Language
ranges from the simple to the rhetorical.

d) lu-shih or ‘regulation poetry’ was developed during the Tang dynasty but
has remained popular even in the present times. It is an octave consisting of
five or seven syllabic verses with a definite rhyming scheme with all even
lines rhyming together and the presence of the caesura in every line. The
first four lines of this poem is the ching (scene) while the remaining four lines
describe the ch’ing (emotion). Thus, emotion evolves from the setting or
atmosphere and the two becomes fused resulting in a highly focused
reflection of the persona’s loneliness but with determination to struggle.
e) chueh-chu or truncated poetry is a shorter version of the lu-shih and was
also popular during the Tang dynasty. It contains only four lines but within its
twenty or twenty-eight syllables or characters were vivid pictures of natural
beauty.

f) tzu was identified with the Sung dynasty. A fixed number of verses nor a
fixed number of characters per verse does not govern it. The tzu lyrics were
sung to the tunes of popular melodies.

5. TO EVALUATE
I. Write a poem using one of the genres of Chinese poetry. Minimum of three (3)
stanzas.

Criteria
Content- 10 points
Creativity- 10 points
Correct use of the chosen genre- 10 points
Total- 30 points

62
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 8 (Lesson 2): CHINESE LITERATURE

Conventions of Chinese Theatre

Learning  To determine the conventions of Chinese theatre;

Targets:  To appreciate the conventions of Chinese theatre by
watching a sample Chinese play;
 To answer the practice test at the end of the lesson.

References: CCTV English. (2014, November 10). Cultural performance:

Highlights of Chinese Theater - Flowers of all Colors [Video].
Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqeqZ6d8GaQ

Theatre of China. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre_of_China

1. TO ENGAGE

Watch the sample video of Chinese theatre.

2. TO EXPLORE

There are four principal roles in Chinese theatre: sheng, tau, ching, and chao.

 The sheng
 The tau
 The ching
 The chau

a) Unlike Greek plays, classical Chinese plays do not follow the unities of time,
place, and action.
b) Chinese drama conveys an ethical lesson in the guise of art in order to
impress a moral truth or a Confucian tenet.
c) There are two types of speeches – the dialogue, usually in prose, and the
monologues.
d) Chinese plays are long – six or seven hours if performed completely.
e) Music is an integral part of the classical drama.
f) The poetic dialogue, hsieh tzu (wedge), is placed at the beginning or in
between acts and is an integral part of the play.

63
 g) Dramatic conventions that serve to identify the nature and function of each
character.
h) Action reflects highly stylized movements.
3. TO EXPLAIN

Theatre of China has a long and complex history. Traditional Chinese theatre,
often called Chinese opera, is musical in nature. Western forms like the spoken
drama, western-style opera, and ballet did not arrive in China until the 20th century
(Theatre of China, n.d.).

In this lesson, we will be going to highlight the conventions of Chinese theatre

and get to know the four principal roles in Chinese theatre: sheng, tau, ching, and
chao. Moreover, we will watch a sample video of Chinese theatre for us to understand
the lesson.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

4. Conventions of Chinese Theater. Chinese drama may be traced to the song and
dances of the chi (wizards) and the wu (witches) whom the people consulted to
exercise evil spirits, to bring rain, to insure bountiful harvest, etc., an origin in worship
or in some sacred ritual.

a) There are four principal roles: sheng, tau, ching, and chao.

 The sheng is the prerogative of the leading actor, usually a male

character, a scholar, a statesman, a warrior patriot and the like.
 The tau plays all the women’s roles. The female impersonator who
has taken over the role after women were banned from the Chinese
stage as they were looked down upon as courtesan plays at least six
principal characters.
 The ching roles usually assigned the roles of brave warriors, bandits,
crafty and evil ministers, upright judges, loyal statesmen, at times god-
like and supernatural beings. Conventionally, the ching must have
broad faces and forehead suitable or the make-up patters suggestive
of his behavior.
 The chau is the clown or jester who is not necessarily a fool and may
also do serious or evil character. He is easily recognized for the white
patch around his eyes and nose, his use of colloquial language and
adeptness in combining mimicry and acrobatics.

b) Unlike Greek plays, classical Chinese plays do not follow the unities of
time, place, and action. The plot may be set in two or more places, the
time element sometimes taking years to develop or end, and action
containing many other sub-plots.

64
 c) Chinese drama conveys an ethical lesson in the guise of art in order to
impress a moral truth or a Confucian tenet. Dramas uphold virtue,
condemn vice, praise fidelity, and filial piety. Vice is represented on the
stage not for its own sake but as contrast to virtue.

d) There are two types of speeches – the dialogue, usually in prose, and the
monologues. While the dialogue carries forward the action of the day, the
monologue is the means for each character to introduce him/herself at the
beginning of the first scene of every scene as well as to outline the plot.

e) Chinese plays are long – six or seven hours if performed completely. The
average length is about four acts with a prologue and an epilogue.The
Chinese play is a total theater. There is singing, recitation of verses,
acrobats, dancing, and playing of traditional musical instruments.

f) Music is an integral part of the classical drama. It has recitatives, arias,

and musical accompaniment. Chinese music is based on movement and
rhythm that harmonized perfectly with the sentiments being conveyed by a
character.

g) The poetic dialogue, hsieh tzu (wedge), is placed at the beginning or in

between acts and is an integral part of the play. The stage is bare of
props except a table and a pair of chairs may be converted toa battlefield
or a court scene, a bedroom, even a prison through vivid acting and
poetry.Property conventions are rich in symbolism table with a chair at the
side, both placed atthe side of the stage, represents a hill or a high wall.

h) Dramatic conventions that serve to identify the nature and function of each
character.
Make-up identifies the characters and personalities. Costumes help reveal
types and different colors signify ranks and status.

i) Action reflects highly stylized movements. Hand movements may indicate

embarrassment, helplessness, anguish, or anger.

5. TO EVALUATE
I. Fill in the blanks with the correct answer.
1. The ____ is the prerogative of the leading actor, usually a male character, a
scholar, a statesman, a warrior patriot and the like.
2. The ____plays all the women’s roles. The female impersonator who has taken
over the role after women were banned from the Chinese stage as they were looked
down upon as courtesan plays at least six principal characters.

65
3. The ____ roles usually assigned the roles of brave warriors, bandits, crafty and
evil ministers, upright judges, loyal statesmen, at times god-like and supernatural
beings.
4. The ____ is the clown or jester who is not necessarily a fool and may do serious
or evil character.
5. There are two types of speeches – the ______, usually in prose, and the______.
6. The _______ carries forward the action of the day.
7. The _______ is the means for each character to introduce him/herself at the
beginning of the first scene of every scene as well as to outline the plot.
8. The poetic dialogue, _________, is placed at the beginning or in between acts
and is an integral part of the play.

66
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 9 (Lesson 1): JAPANESE LITERATURE

Historical Background and Religious Traditions

Learning  To get to know the historical background and religious

Targets: traditions of Japan;
 To appreciate the significant contributions of the different
Japanese periods.
 To compare and contrast the 2 major religions of Japan-
Shintoism and Zen Buddhism.

References:
Epimetheus. (2018, July 14). History of Japan explained in eight
minutes (all periods of Japanese history documentary) [Video].
Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxQcQ5DJqqE

“Feudal Japan”. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://sites.google.com/site/mrvailsclass2/feudal-japan

”Japanese History – A Timeline of Periods and Events”. (2020, July

07). Retrieved from
https://owlcation.com/humanities/Japanese-History-
Summary#mod_46441242

1. TO ENGAGE

Do you know some of the different periods and religious traditions in Japan. What
do you like about them? What are the major happenings during the different periods?
And can you cite some of the uniqueness that the Japanese religions have?

2. TO EXPLORE

The different periods in Japan are:

g) The Heian Age was the period of peace and prosperity, of aesthetic refinement
and artificial manners.

67
 h) The Feudal Era was dominated by the samurai class, which included the
militaristic lords, the daimyo and the band of warriors, the samurai who adhered
to a strict code of conduct the emphasized bravery, loyalty, and honor.

i) The Tokugawa Shogonate in the late 1500s crushed the warring feudal lords and
controlled all of Japan from a new capital at Edo, now Tokyo.

The different religions in Japan are:

a) Shintoism or ‘ the way of the gods,’ is the ancient religion that reveres in dwelling
divine spirits called kami, found in natural places and objects.

b) Zen Buddhism emphasized the importance of meditation, concentration, and self-

discipline as the way to enlightenment.

3. TO EXPLAIN

During the Heian Period, the Yamato court conquered the Ainu lands of Northern
Honshū, thus extending their rule over most of the Japanese archipelago. Conversely, it
also suffered a prolonged political decline. This decline was the result of courtiers being
more concerned with petty power struggles and artistic pursuits, rather than proper
governing (”Japanese History – A Timeline of Periods and Events”, 2020, July 07).

The feudal period of Japanese history was a time when powerful families
(daimyo) and the military power of warlords (shogun), and their warriors, the samurai
ruled Japan. The Yamato family remained as emperor, but their power was seriously
reduced because the daimyo, shoguns, and samurai were so powerful (“Feudal Japan”,
n.d.).

The Edo Period is alternatively known as the Tokugawa Shogunate and refers to
the three pre-modern centuries when Japan was under the de facto rule of the
Tokugawa Shoguns. Major events of this important historical period include a
strengthening of social order, the implementation of nation-wide isolationist policies, and
a shift of political power from the Heian Court to Edo. “Edo” itself is the historical name
of Tokyo and means “bay entrance” (”Japanese History – A Timeline of Periods and
Events”, 2020, July 07).

In this lesson, we will be going to tackle about the three major periods in Japan, as well
as their different religions. Moreover, we will get to know the unique tradition and culture
of Japan.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

2. Historical Background. Early Japan borrowed much from Chinese culture but
evolved its own character over time. Early Japan’s political structure was based

68
 on clan, or family. Each clan developed a hierarchy of classes with aristocrats,
warriors, and priests at the top and peasants and workers at the bottom. During
the 4th century A.D. the Yamato grew to be most powerful and imposed the
Chinese imperial system on Japan creating an emperor, an imperial
bureaucracy, and a grand capital city.

A) The Heian Age was the period of peace and prosperity, of aesthetic
refinement and artificial manners. The emperor began to diminish in power
but continued to be a respected figure. Since the Japanese court had few
official responsibilities, they were able to turn their attention to art, music, and
literature.

The Pillow Book by Sei Shōnagon, represents a unique form of the diary
genre. It contains vivid sketches of people and place, shy anecdotes and
witticisms, snatches of poetry, and 164 lists on court life during the Heian
period. Primarily intended to be a private journal, it was discovered and
eventually printed. Shōnagon served as a lady-in-waiting to the Empress
Sadako in the late 10th century.
From Hateful Things
One is in a hurry to leave, but one’s visitor keeps chattering away. If it is
someone of no importance, one can get rid of him by saying, “You must tell
me all about it next time”; but, should it be the sort of visitor whose presence
commands one’s best behavior, the situation is hateful indeed.
B) The Feudal Era was dominated by the samurai class which included the
militaristic lords, the daimyo and the band of warriors, the samurai who
adhered to a strict code of conduct the emphasized bravery, loyalty, and
honor. In 1192 Yorimoto became the shogun or chief general one of a
series of shoguns who ruled Japan for over 500 years.

C) The Tokugawa Shogonate in the late 1500s crushed the warring feudal
lords and controlled all of Japan from a new capital at Edo, now Tokyo. By
1630 and for two centuries, Japan was a closed society: all foreigners were
expelled, Japanese Christians were persecuted, and foreign travel was
forbidden under penalty of death. The shogonate was ended in 1868 when
Japan began to trade with the Western powers. Under a more powerful
emperor, Japan rapidly acquired the latest technological knowledge,
introduced universal education, and created an impressive industrial
economy.

3. Religious Traditions. Two major faiths were essential elements in the cultural
foundations of Japanese society.

69
 A) Shintoism or ‘ the way of the gods,’ is the ancient religion that reveres in
dwelling divine spirits called kami, found in natural places and objects. For
this reason natural scenes, such as waterfall, a gnarled tree, or a full moon,
inspired reverence in the Japanese people.

The Shinto legends have been accepted as historical fact although in

postwar times they were once again regarded as myths. These legends from
the Records of Ancient Matters, or Kokiji, A.D. 712, and the Chronicles of
Japan, or Nihongi, A.D. 720 form the earliest writings of ancient Japan. Both
collections have been considerably influenced by Chinese thought.
B) Zen Buddhism emphasized the importance of meditation, concentration,
and self-discipline as the way to enlightenment. Zen rejects the notion that
salvation is attained outside of this life and this world. Instead, Zen disciples
believe that one can attain personal tranquility and insights into the true
meaning of life through rigorous phusical and mental discipline.

5. TO EVALUATE
I. What are the most significant happening in the following Japanese era:
A. Heian Age

B. Feudal Era

C. Tokugawa Shogonate

70
II. Compare and contrast the two (2) major religions of Japan- Shintoism and Zen
Buddhism using a Venn Diagram.

71
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

1. TO ENGAGE
Topic: Module 9 (Lesson 2): JAPANESE LITERATURE
Socio-political Concepts

Learning  To be aware of the socio-political concepts of Japan;

Targets:  To develop an open mind on the socio-political concepts of
Japan;
 To compare and contrast the Giri and On using a Venn
diagram

References: “Giri and On - an Aiki perspective”. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16901
“Giri (Japanese)”. (2009, September 29). Retrieved from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giri_(Japanese)
WikiTubia. (2018, January 09). Wikipedia] Giri (Japanese) [Video].
Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcgksgssS3w

Try to recall and describe the terms below:

a) Giri
b) On

2. TO EXPLORE

The Socio-political concepts in Japan are:

a.) Giri connotes duty, justice, honor, face, decency, respectability, courtesy,
charity, humanity, love, gratitude, claim.

b.) On suggests a sense of obligation or indebtedness, which propels a Japanese

to act, as it binds the person perpetually to other individuals to the group, to
parents, teachers, superiors, and the emperor.

1. TO EXPLAIN

Giri is a Japanese value roughly corresponding to "duty", "obligation", or even

"burden of obligation" in English. It is defined as "to serve one's superiors with a self-
sacrificing devotion" by Namiko Abe. It is also associated with the complex Japanese
values that involve loyalty, gratitude, and moral debt.[3] This value is so integral to

72
Japanese culture that the conflict between giri and ninjō, or "human feeling", is said to
have been the primary topic of Japanese drama since earlier periods in history (“Giri
(Japanese)”, 2009, September 29).

Giri” (Sanseido dictionary) denotes an “obligation, duty, justice” and an obligation

to be ”faithful” and “conscientious”. “On” (Sanseido dictionary) describes “a favor.
kindness, a debt of gratitude”. It relates to being “profoundly grateful” to a benefactor, to
be under an “obligation” to one whose kindness deserves such reciprocity and honor
(“Giri and On - an Aiki perspective”, n.d.).

In this lesson, you will be going to get to know the two socio-political concepts of
Japan: Giri and On, and try to relate it to the daily situations in the world.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

Socio-political concepts. Japan has integrated Confucian ethics and Buddhist

morality which India implanted in China. The concepts of giri and on explain why the
average Japanese is patriotic, sometimes ultra-nationalistic, law-abiding. Even
seppuku or ritual disembowelment exemplify to what extent these two socio-political
concepts could be morally followed.

a) Giri connotes duty, justice, honor, face, decency, respectability, courtesy, charity,
humanity, love, gratitude, claim. Its sanctions are found in mores, customs,
folkways. For example, in feudal Japan ‘loss of face’ is saved by suicide or
vendetta, if not renouncing the world in the monastery.

b) On suggests a sense of obligation or indebtedness, which propels a Japanese to

act, as it binds the person perpetually to other individuals to the group, to
parents, teachers, superiors, and the emperor.

5. TO EVALUATE
I. Describe the two major socio-political concepts of Japan- Giri and On.
Giri

On

73
II. Reflect how the concepts of Giri and On are integrated on the lives of the Japanese
people, and determine what is the equivalent concept we have in the Philippines. Write
your reflection in a short bond paper. Your reflection should have two paragraphs, with
each paragraph consisting of 4 to 5 sentences.

Criteria
Content- 10 points
Organization of ideas- 10 points
Grammar- 5 points
Total- 25 points

74
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 10 (Lesson 1): Japanese Poetry

Learning 1. To determine the different Japanese poetry forms and
Targets: structures;
2. To appreciate the beauty of Japanese poetry by fathoming its
deep and seemingly hidden meanings.;
3. Write their own poems using Japanese forms and structures.

References: Adel. (2020, March 21). Tanka And Choka [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GFY-LoAvnQ

Advocate Of Wordz. (2015, October 29). HAIKU | #PoetryDefined

[Video].
Youtube.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUNc6L90UT8

Advocate Of Wordz. (2016, March 23). TANKA | Poetry Defined

[Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLY2pHYNDys

“Choka Poems- New Choka Poem Examples”. (2020). Retrieved

from https://www.poetrysoup.com/poems/choka

Jaugonoto. (2015, June 04). INTRODUCTION OF RENGA(日本 の

連 歌の基礎知識) [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4tQZkK2JEQ

Miner, E. (1980). “Renga Example: A Hundred Stanzas by Three

Poets at Minase”. Retrieved from
https://sites.google.com/site/linkedpoetry/forms/renga/renga-
example-01
Shortz, J. (2014, August 05). “A Crash Course in Japanese Poetry”.
Retrieved from https://www.tofugu.com/japan/japanese-
poetry-crash-course/

1. TO ENGAGE
Watch the videos about Japanese poetry.

75
2. TO EXPLORE

2. Poetry is one of the oldest and most popular means of expression and
communication in the Japanese culture. Japanese poetry has different poems
according to set forms or structures. Here are some of the examples of Japanese
poetry:

Every Single Thing How Helpless My Heart!

(by Priest Saigyo) (by Ono Komachi)

Every single thing How helpless my heart!

Changes and is changing Were the stream to tempt,
Always in this world. My body, like a reed
Yet with the same light Severed at the roots,
The moon goes on shining. Would drift along, I think.

3. TO EXPLAIN

The earliest Japanese poetry was part of an oral tradition and is almost entirely
lost. And even once the Japanese started writing stuff down, a lot of the early emphasis
was on poetry in Chinese ("kanshi").

Traditional Japanese poetry comes in many highly technical forms. You've

probably all heard of haiku, but there are many more types of Japanese poetry. The
most significant are the chōka, tanka, renga, haikai, renku, hokku, and haiku (Shortz,
2014, August 05).

In this lesson, however, we will just focus our discussion on the most common
forms namely: choka, tanka, renga, and hokku also known as haiku. We will also tackle
some examples of the poems using the different forms for a better understanding.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

1. Poetry is one of the oldest and most popular means of expression and
communication in the Japanese culture. It was an integral part of daily life in
ancient Japanese society, serving as a means through which anyone could
chronicle experiences and express emotions

76
a) The Manyoshu or ‘Book of Ten Thousand Leaves is an anthology by
poets from a wide range of social classes, including the peasantry, the
clergy, and the ruling class.
b) There are different poems according to set forms or structures:
 choka are poems that consist of alternate lines of five and seven
syllables with an additional seven-syllable line at the end. There is
no limit to the number of lines which end with envoys, or pithy
summations. These envoys consist of 5-7-5-7-7 syllables that
elaborate on or summarize the theme or central idea of the main
poem.

New Road

Obligated we,
Pray dearly in a trainroad
Made of a new brand.
In a room without entrance,
A caress does satisfy
Should spit the tears you swallow.

(“Choka Poems- New Choka Poem Examples”, 2020)

 tanka is the most prevalent verse form in traditional Japanese

literature. It consists of five lines of 5-7-5-7-7 syllables including at
least one caesura, or pause. Used as a means of communication
in ancient Japanese society, the tanka often tell a brief story or
express a single thought or insight and the common subjects are
love and nature.

Every Single Thing How Helpless My Heart!

(by Priest Saigyo) (by Ono Komachi)

Every single thing How helpless my heart!

Changes and is changing Were the stream to tempt,
Always in this world. My body, like a reed
Yet with the same light Severed at the roots,
The moon goes on shining. Would drift along, I think.

77
  renga is a chain of interlocking tanka. Each tanka within a renga
was divided into verses of 17 and 14 syllables composed by
different poets as it was fashionable for groups of poets to work
together during the age of Japanese feudalism.

“ A Hundred Stanzas by Three Poets at Minase

(Miner, E. (1980)

Despite some snow

The base of the hills spreads with haze
The twilight scene

Despite some snow

The base of the hills spreads with haze
The twilight scene
Where the waters flow afar
The village glows with the sweet plumb flowers

Where the waters flow afar

The village glows with the sweet plumb flowers
In the river wind
A single stand of willow trees
Show spring color

In the river wind

A single stand of willow trees
Show spring color
Day break comes on distinctly
With sounds of punted boat”

 hokku was the opening verse of a renga which developed into

a distinct literary form known as the haiku. The haiku consist of
3 lines of 5-7-5 syllable characterized by precision, simplicity,
and suggestiveness. Almost all haiku include a kigo or
seasonal words such as snow or cherry blossoms that indicates
the time of year being described.

Buson Sokan
Blossoms on the pear; If to the moon
and a woman in the moonlight one puts a handle – what
reads a letter there… a splendid fan!

Onitsura
Even stones in streams
78
 of mountain water compose
songs to wild cherries.

5. TO EVALUATE
I. Write one poem on each of the different forms and structure of Japanese poetry:

choka tanka

renga hokku

79
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 10 (Lesson 2): Japanese Prose

Learning  To be acquainted with the different prose of Japan;
Targets:  To value the richness of the Japanese prose by pondering on
the moral lessons it gave to the readers;
 Write an insight about their chosen Japanese prose.
References: Isoda, H. (2017, October 19). The Tale of Genji（源氏物語 [Video].
Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsYl8-yTsHA
“Japanese literature”. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/japanese_literature
1. TO ENGAGE

Can you guess the authors of these Japanese proses?

 The Tale of Genji

 Essays in Idleness

 In the Grove

Lady Murasaki Shikibu Yoshida Kenko Ryunusuke Akutagawa

2. TO EXPLORE

 The Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki Shikibu, a work of tremendous length

and complexity, is considered to be the world’s first true novel.

 Essays in Idleness by Yoshida Kenko was written during the age of

feudalism.

 In the Grove by Ryunusuke Akutagawa is the author’s most famous story

made into the film Rashomon. The story asks these questions: What is the
truth? Who tells the truth? How is the truth falsified?

80
3. TO EXPLAIN

Japanese literature is one of the major literatures of the world, comparable to

English literature in age and variety. From the seventh century C.E., when the earliest
surviving works were written, until the present day, there has never been a period when
literature was not being produced in Japan. Possibly the earliest full-length novel, The
Tale of Genji was written in Japan in the early eleventh century. In addition to novels,
poetry, and drama, other genres such as travelogues, personal diaries and collections
of random thoughts and impressions, are prominent in Japanese literature. In addition
to works in the Japanese language, Japanese writers produced a large body of writing
in classical Chinese (“Japanese literature”, n.d.).

In this lesson, we will discuss some of the well-known prose of Japan and think
about how it reflects to the Japanese culture.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

A. Prose appeared in the early part of the 8th century focusing on Japanese history.
During the Heian Age, the members of the Imperial court, having few
administrative or political duties, kept lengthy diaries and experimented with writing
fiction.
 The Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki Shikibu, a work of tremendous length
and complexity, is considered to be the world’s first true novel. It traces the life
of a gifted and charming prince. Lady Murasaki was an extraordinary woman
far more educated than most upper-class men of her generation. She was
appointed to serve in the royal court of the emperor.
 The Tale of Haike written by an anonymous author during the 13th century
was the most famous early Japanese novel. It presents a striking portrait of
war-torn Japan during the early stages of the age of feudalism.
 Essays in Idleness by Yoshida Kenko was written during the age of
feudalism. It is a loosely organized collection of insights, reflections, and
observations, written during the 14th century. Kenko was born into a high-
ranking Shinto family and became a Buddhist priest.

Excerpt from Essays in Idleness:

In all things, Beginning and End are interesting. The love of men and women
– is it only when they meet face to face? To feel sorrow at an unaccomplished
meeting, to grieve over empty vows, to spend the long night sleepless and
alone, to yearn for distant skies, in a neglected house to think fondly of the
past – this is what love is.

81
  In the Grove by Ryunusuke Akutagawa is the author’s most famous story
made into the film Rashomon. The story asks these questions: What is the
truth? Who tells the truth? How is the truth falsified? Six narrators tell their
own testimonies about the death of a husband and the violation of his wife in
the woods. The narrators include a woodcutter, a monk, an old woman, the
mother-in-law of the slain man, the wife, and finally, the dead man whose story
is spoken through the mouth of a shamaness. Akutagawa’s ability to blend a
feudal setting with deep psychological insights gives this story an ageless
quality.

An Excerpt: “The Story Of The Murdered Man As Told Through A

Medium”
After violating my wife, the robber, sitting there, began to speak comforting
words to her. Of course I couldn’t speak. My whole body was tied fast to the
root of a cedar. But meanwhile I winked at her many times, as much as to
say, “Don’t believe the robber.” I wanted to convey some such meaning to
her. But my wife, sitting dejectedly on the bamboo leaves, was looking hard at
her lap. To all appearances, she was listening to his words. I was agonized
by jealousy.”

5. TO EVALUATE
I. Select and read at least one Japanese prose. Write an insight about the prose and the
lessons you have learned out from it.
Criteria:
Content- 10 points
Organization of ideas- 10 points
Grammar- 5 points
Total- 25 points

82
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 11 (Lesson 1): JAPANESE DRAMA

Learning 1. To determine what is a Japanese drama.

Targets: 2. To realize the importance of Japanese drama and its impact in today’s
generation of dramas.
3. To construct an essay about how Japanese drama became an influence in
today’s period.

References The forms of Japanese Drama, accessed on 20 July 2020, Retrieved from
: http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/japan_1000ce_drama.htm

Lombard, F. A. (2015). An outline history of the Japanese drama. Routledge.

CrashCourse. (27, July 2018). Japan, Kabuki, and Bunraku: Crash Course Theater
#23 [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc3dWwbctw4

1. TO ENGAGE

Try to imagine a drama with Japanese actors. What can you foresee in how they
deliver their drama?

2. TO EXPLORE

Buddhist and Shintô influences and a generally higher level of wealth brought
about the popularization of drama during Japan's middle ages (1300-1700). Like all
drama, the first music and acting were ceremonies celebrating the divine, performed in
the natural environment. As time passed, these dramas developed into sophisticated
traditions and told stories ranging from the tragic to the comic, in tones ranging from
religious to ribald. They are still widely performed today in Japan.

3. TO EXPLAIN

83
 The forms of drama that developed during Japan's feudal period include:

Noh. This form started from the ancient Shintô ceremony. Later the stories of Noh plays
developed Buddhist themes dealing with the great sadness of life, especially death of
loved ones and lost hopes.

Kyôgen. These humorous plays were usually performed at intermissions of Noh plays.
Most are about the "lesser" sadnesses of life, such as inequalities of wealth, beauty,
and health. Resolution of these disparities rests on the fine line of individuality and
universality of the human condition.

Kabuki. These plays were the most in tune with what was timely and in vogue during
the Tokugawa period (1600-1868). Kabuki is tied to urban life. The plays deal with tales
of merchants rising in the world, star-crossed lovers from different classes, or the flight
and fancy of the entertainment world of old Edo.

Bunraku. Bunraku was originally called Jôruri. It is the oldest form of puppet theater in
Japan. The name derives from Lady Jôruri, who had a brief affair with Minamoto
Yoshitsune, a great general and hero of many dramas about the early samurai period.
At the end of the sixteenth century, puppets, romantic tales, and samisen (Japanese
banjo) music were combined to form a new popular theater, called bunraku. The same
plays are often used in kabuki and bunraku.

In this lesson, you are going to learn what are the different forms of Japanese
drama and their functions.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

3. Drama.
a) Nō plays emerged during the 14th century as the earliest form of Japanese
drama. The plays are performed on an almost bare stage by a small but
elaborately costumed cast of actors wearing masks. The actors are
accompanied by a chorus and the plays are written either in verse or in highly
poetic prose. The dramas reflect many Shinto and Buddhist beliefs, along with a
number of dominant Japanese artistic preferences. The Nō performers’ subtle
expressions of inner strength, along with the beauty of the costumes, the
eloquence of the dancing, the mesmerizing quality of the singing, and the
mystical, almost supernatural, atmosphere of the performances, has enabled the
Nō theater to retain its popularity.

Atsumori by Seami Motokiyo is drawn from an episode of The Tale of the

Heike, a medieval Japanese epic based on historical fact that tells the story of

84
 the rise and fall of the Taira family, otherwise known as the Heike. The play
takes place by the sea of Ichi no tani. A priest named Rensei, who was once a
warrior with the Genji clan, has decided to return to the scene of the battle to
pray for a sixteen-year-old named Atsumori, whom he killed on the beach during
the battle. Rensei had taken pity on Atsumori and had almost refrained from
killing him. He realized though that if he did not kill the boy, his fellow warriors
would. He explained to Atsumori that he must kill him, and promised to pray for
his soul. On his return, he meets two peasants who are returning home from
their fields and Rensai makes an astonishing discovery about one of them.
An Excerpt from Atsumori
Chorus: [ATSUMORI rises from the ground and advances toward the Priest with
uplifted sword.]
“There is my enemy,” he cries, and would strike,
But the other is grown gentle
And calling on Buddha’s name
Has obtained salvation for his foe;
So that they shall be reborn together
On one lotus seat.
“No, Rensai is not my enemy.
Pray for me again, oh pray for me again.”

b) Kabuki involves lively, melodramatic acting and is staged using elaborate and
colorful costumes and sets. It is performed with the accompaniment of an
orchestra and generally focuses on the lives of common people rather than
aristocrats.
c) Jorori (now called Bunraku) is staged using puppets and was a great influence
on the development of the Kabuki.
d) Kyogen is a farce traditionally performed between the Nō tragedies.

5. TO EVALUATE

I-Identify the correct answer using the description provided. Write your answer on the
space provided before each number.
_____________1. The plays deal with tales of merchants rising in the world, star
crossed lovers from different classes, or the flight and fancy of the

85
 entertainment world of old Edo.
_____________2. It is a farce traditionally performed between the Nō tragedies.
_____________3. This form started from the ancient Shintô ceremony.
_____________4. It is the oldest form of puppet theater in Japan. The name derives
from Lady Jôruri, who had a brief affair with Minamoto Yoshitsune,
a great general and hero of many dramas about the early samurai
period.
_____________5. A medieval Japanese epic based on historical fact that tells the story
of the rise and fall of the Taira family, otherwise known as the
Heike.

II- Write an essay on how do you think the Japanese drama influenced the drama that
we have in today’s generation.

Criteria:
Content 20 points
Originality 15 points
Organization of ideas 10 points
Creativity 5 points
TOTAL 50 points

86
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 11 (Lesson 2): JAPANESE NOVELS AND SHORT STORIES

Learning 1. To recognize the difference between novels and short stories.

Targets: 2. To appreciate the importance of novels and short stories in the literature.
3. To construct an essay about a novel or shot story.

References Literary Devices: Definition and Examples of Literary Terms, accessed on 20 July
: 2020, Retrieved from https://literarydevices.net/novel/

Literary Devices: Definition and Examples of Literary Terms, accessed on 20 July

2020,Retrieved from
https://literarydevices.net/short-story/

Koshal, 2011, Difference Between Novel and Short Story, accessed on 20 June
2020, Retrieved from https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-novel-
and-vs-short-story/

LIT TIPS. (22, February 2019). Yukio Mishima’s Sea of Fertility Tetralogy [Video].
Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw8Vv7Kbp4A&fbclid=IwAR0TiUeCP18aTpF--
w6oqHbSDx1-JfQhkTC0x9dM_ND65a8JKZM4BOC8a68

1. TO ENGAGE

Have you ever tried reading a novel or a short story? Do you know what their
differences are?

2. TO EXPLORE

A Novel is a long narrative work of fiction with some realism. It is often

in prose form and is published as a single book. The word ‘novel’ has been derived from
the Italian word ‘novella’ which means “new”. Similar to a short story, a novel has some
features like a representation of characters, dialogues, setting, plot, climax, conflict,
and resolution. However, it does not require all the elements to be a good novel.
A short story is a fully developed story, which is shorter than a novel and longer
than a fable. It typically takes just a single sitting for reading. Short Story focuses on the

87
incidents bigger or smaller and evokes strong feelings from its readers. A short story
often has a few characters in the plot.

3. TO EXPLAIN

A novel is a story that has many characters and explores many incidents. A novel
is a long literary form. It is usually divided into various chapters, sometimes numbered
and sometimes not numbered. The story of a novel is usually spread for a good number
of years of the main character of the novel. Many other characters are also associated
with the main character. These characters appear and go in a novel. However, it may
not be very easy for a reader to remember all the characters appearing in a novel. This
is due to the large size of a novel.

A writer who writes a novel is called a novelist. A novelist usually takes several
years to complete a novel. He has all the time in the world to expand the story,
introduce as many characters as he wants, relate the characters in the way he likes,
make changes in the story whenever he wants, and use his creativity to build the climax
at the end of the story. But, sometimes, a novel is written quickly too and it depends
upon the concentration and the time the writer takes to write on a daily basis. In the
same way, reading a novel also takes more time when compared to the time taken to
read a short story. It must be remembered that it is quite natural for a novelist to writes
short stories too. Hence, it is possible that a novelist can be a short story writer too.

A short story is a story with fewer characters and it focuses on one main incident.
A short story is a short literary form. Many characters do not characterize it, which is a
feature of a novel. A few other characters that add importance to the short story, of
course, support the main character of a short story. Thus, it is easy for the reader to
remember the characters that appear in a short story.

A person who writes a short story is a short story writer. Writing a short story is
harder. That means, writing a novel is more flexible than writing a short story. This is
because the storywriter has to covey the important message to the readers by means of
the short story, which is short in length. A short story cannot take the liberty of dealing
with the details of any given incident in the story. It is more message-oriented than a
novel. Therefore, it is compact and explains only what is necessary. When it comes to
time spent to write a short story, one could see that a short story can be written in a
short span of time. This is an important difference between the two. In addition, like a
novelist, a short story writer too can be a novelist. However, some writers are better
short story writers than novelists.

In this lesson, you will learn the famous novels and short stories in the Japanese
literature.

88
4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

Novels and Short Stories.

 Snow Country by Kawabata tells of love denied by a Tokyo dilettante,

Shimamura, to Komako, a geisha who feels ‘used’ much as she wants to
think and feel that she is drawn sincerely, purely to a man of the world. She
has befriended Yoko to whom Shimamura is equally and passionately drawn
because of her virginity, her naivete, as he is to Komako who loses it, after
her affair with him earlier. In the end, Yoko dies in the cocoon-warehouse in
a fire notwithstanding Komako’s attempt to rescue her. Komako embraces
the virgin Yoko in her arms while Shimamura senses the Milky Way ‘flowing
down inside him with a roar.’ Kawabata makes use of contrasting thematic
symbols in the title: death and purification amidst physical decay and
corruption.
 The House of Sleeping Beauties by Kawabata tells of the escapades of a
dirty old man, Eguchi, to a resort near the sea where young women are given
drugs before they are made to sleep sky-clad. Decorum rules it that these
sleeping beauties should not be touched, lest the customers be driven away
by the management. The book lets the reader bare the deeper recesses of
the septuagenarian’s mind. Ironically, this old man who senses beauty and
youth is incapable of expressing, much less having it. Thus, the themes of
old age and loneliness and coping become inseparable.
 The Makioka Sisters by Tanizaki is the story of four sisters whose chief
concern is finding a suitable husband for the third sister, Yukiko, a woman of
traditional beliefs who has rejected several suitors. Until Yukiko marries,
Taeko, the youngest, most independent, and most Westernized of the sisters,
must remain unmarried. More important than the plot, the novel tells of
middle-class daily life in prewar Osaka. It also delves into such topics as the
intrusion of modernity and its effect on the psyche of the contemporary
Japanese, the place of kinship in the daily life of the people, and the passage
of the old order and the coming of the new.
 The Sea of Fertility by Mishima is the four-part epic including Spring Snow,
Runaway Horses, The Temple of Dawn, and The Decay of the Angel. The
novels are set in Japan from about 1912 to the 1960s. Each of them depicts
a different reincarnation of the same being: as a young aristocrat in 1912, as
a political fanatic in the 1930s, as a Thai princess before the end of WWII,
and as an evil young orphan in the 1960s. Taken together the novels are a
clear indication of Mishima’s increasing obsession with blood, death, and
suicide, his interest in self-destructive personalities, and his rejection of the
sterility of modern life.
 The Setting Sun by Ozamu is a tragic, vividly painted story of life in postwar
Japan. The narrator is Kazuko, a young woman born to gentility but now
impoverished. Though she wears Western clothes, her outlook is Japanese;

89
 her life is static, and she recognizes that she is spiritually empty. In the
course of the novel, she survives the deaths of her aristocratic mother and
her sensitive, drug-addicted brother Naoji, an intellectual ravage by his own
and society’s spiritual failures. She also spends a sad, sordid night with the
writer Uehara, and she conceives a child in the hope that it will be the first
step in a moral revolution
 In the Grove by Akutagawa is the author’s most famous story made into the
film Rashomon. The story asks these questions: What is the truth? Who tells
the truth? How is the truth falsified? Six narrators tell their own testimonies
about the death of a husband and the violation of his wife in the woods. The
narrators include a woodcutter, a monk, an old woman, the mother-in-law of
the slain man, the wife, and finally, the dead man whose story is spoken
through the mouth of a shamaness. Akutagawa’s ability to blend a feudal
setting with deep psychological insights gives this story an ageless quality.
 The Wild Geese by Oagi is a melodramatic novel set in Tokyo at the
threshold of the 20th century. The novel explores the blighted life of Otama,
daughter of a cake vendor. Because of extreme poverty, she becomes the
mistress of a policeman, and later on of a money-lender, Shazo. In her desire
to rise from the pitfall of shame and deprivation, she tries to befriend Okada, a
medical student who she greets every day by the window as he passes by on
his way to the campus. She is disillusioned however, as Okada, in the end,
prepares for further medical studies in Germany. Ogai’s novel follows the
traditio of the watakushi-shosetsu or the confessional I- novel where the
storyteller is the main character.
 The Buddha Tree by Fumio alludes to the awakening of Buddha under the
bo tree when he gets enlightened after fasting 40 days and nights. Similarly,
the hero of the novel, Soshu, attains self-illumination after freeing himself
from the way of all flesh. The author was inspired by personal tragedies that
befell their family and this novel makes him transcend his personal agony into
artistic achievement.

5. TO EVALUATE
I-Identify what novel or short story it is from the description provided. Write your answer
on the space provided before each number.
_____________1. It is a tragic, vividly painted story of life in postwar Japan.
_____________2. It is the story of four sisters whose chief concern is finding a suitable
husband for the third sister, Yukiko, a woman of traditional beliefs
who has rejected several suitors.
_____________3. The author was inspired by personal tragedies that befell their family
and this novel makes him transcend his personal agony into artistic
achievement.
_____________4. It tells of the escapades of a dirty old man, Eguchi, to a resort near

90
 the sea where young women are given drugs before they are made
to sleep sky-clad.
_____________5. Six narrators tell their own testimonies about the death of a husband
and the violation of his wife in the woods.

II- Choose one example of a novel or a short story and give your insights about it.

Criteria:

Content 20%
Originality 15%
Organization of ideas 10%
Creativity 5%
TOTAL 50%

91
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 12 (Lesson 1): JAPANESE LITERATURE

Major Writers

Learning 1. To recognize the major writers during the Japanese Period.

Targets: 2. To appreciate the works of the major writers during Japanese period.
3. To choose one major writer and make an essay about the author.

References Yamamoto, J., & Iga, M. (1975). Japanese suicide: Yasunari Kawabata and Yukio
: Mishima. Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis, 3(2), 179-186.

Tsukimura, R., & Yasunari, K. (1968). A thematic study of the works of Kawabata
Yasunari. The Journal-Newsletter of the Association of Teachers of
Japanese, 5(2), 22-31.

The School of Life. (29, August 2015). Eastern Philosophy-Matsuo Basho [Video].
Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90-2Dg2CJdw

1. TO ENGAGE

Do you know who this author is? Are you familiar with his works?

92
2. TO EXPLORE

Yasunari Kawabata, a Japanese representative of Neo Sensationalism,

produced a lot of female literature and created many female images, delicate but strong,
and beautiful but tragic. For instance, the classic female images in Snow Country,
Ancient Capital and The Dancing Girl of Izu, the three works by Kawabata, analyzes the
aestheticism in these female works.

3. TO EXPLAIN

A brief review of the life histories of Kawabata and Mishima will help us to
understand some of their strivings and suicidal motives. Yasunari Kawabata was an
orphan. His parents died when he was a baby, during his first year of life. He was then
separated from his only sibling, a sister, and she died when he was only 10 years old.
He was raised by his grandparents, but when he was only 7, his grandmother died and
when he was 16, he lost his grandfather too. With all these deaths, all these losses,
Kawabata must surely have had a great need to believe that there was a continuity
between life and death, that one can communicate with the dead, for what was left for
Kawabata except extreme loneliness, if he were not able to believe that the dead had
become ancestors and that he could relate with them. In a short story, Fushi (No
Death), he wrote about a couple who attempted a double suicide. The girl died, but the
young man’s suicide attempt failed and he lived to be an old man, suffering from poverty
and deafness. After he finally died, his spirit as an old man returned home and met with
the spirit of the girl, who still appeared 18 years old. Their short conversation is full of
affection and pathos.

In this lesson you are going to learn about the major writers during the Japanese
period and some of their famous works.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

 Seami Motokiyo had acting in his blood for his father Kanami, a priest, was
one of the finest performers of his day. At age 20 not long after his father’s
death, he took over his father’s acting school and began to write plays. Some
say he became a Zen priest late in life; others say he had two sons, both of
them actors. According to legend, he died alone at the age of 81 in a
Buddhist temple near Kyoto.
 The Haiku Poets

93
 - Matsuo Bashō (1644 – 1694) is regarded as the greatest haiku poet. He
was born into a samurai family and began writing poetry at an early age.
After becoming a Zen Buddhist, he moved into an isolated hut on the
outskirts of Edo (Tokyo) where he lived the life of a hermit, supporting
himself by teaching and judging poetry. Bashō means ‘banana plant,’ a
gift given him to which he became deeply attached. Over time his hut
became known as the Bashō Hut until he assumed the name.
- Yosa Buson (1716 – 1783) is regarded as the second-greatest haiku
poet. He lived in Kyoto throughout most of his life and was one of the
finest painters of his time. Buson presents a romantic view of the
Japanese landscape, vividly capturing the wonder and mystery of nature.
- Kobayashi Issa (1763 –1827) is ranked with Bashō and Buson although
his talent was not widely recognized until after his death. Issa’s poems
capture the essence of daily life in Japan and convey his compassion for
the less fortunate.
 Yasunari Kawabata (1899 – 1972) won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968.
The sense of loneliness and preoccupation with death that permeates much of
his mature writing possibly derives from the loneliness of his childhood having
been orphaned early. Three of his best novels are: Snow Country, Thousand
Cranes, and Sound of the Mountains. He committed suicide shortly after the
suicide of his friend Mishima.

5. TO EVALUATE
I- Choose one major writer and give your insights about their life or works.
Criteria:
Content 20%
Originality 15%
Organization of ideas 10%
Creativity 5%
TOTAL 50%

II- Choose the correct answer from the word pool and write your answer on the space
provided before each number.

Yasunari Kawabata Kobayashi Issa

Yosa Buson Matsuo Bashō

Seami Motokiyo

94
_____________1. He presents a romantic view of the Japanese landscape, vividly
capturing the wonder and mystery of nature.

_____________2. After becoming a Zen Buddhist, he moved into an isolated hut on the
outskirts of Edo (Tokyo) where he lived the life of a hermit,
supporting himself by teaching and judging poetry.

_____________3. At age 20 not long after his father’s death, he took over his father’s
acting school and began to write plays.

_____________4. Three of his best novels are: Snow Country, Thousand Cranes, and
Sound of the Mountains. He committed suicide shortly after the
suicide of his friend Mishima.

_____________5. His poems capture the essence of daily life in Japan and convey his
compassion for the less fortunate.

95
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 12 (Lesson 2): JAPANESE LITERATURE

Major Writers

Learning 1. To determine the works and life of the major writers in the Japanese
Targets: literature.
2. To reflect on the works of the major writers in the Japanese literature.
3. To label the major writers in the Japanese literature with their works and life.

References Golley, G. L. (1995). Tanizaki junichiro: The art of subversion and the subversion of
: art. Journal of Japanese Studies, 21(2), 365-404.

Mcmahon, M. (2020). Who is Junichiro Tanizaki?, accessed on 21 July 2020,

Retrieved from https://www.wisegeek.com/who-is-junichiro-tanizaki.htm

SmileTop. (19, September 2017). Top Ten Most Iconic Authors in Japanese
Literature [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpuS9_pK3ig&t=25s

1. TO ENGAGE

This writer has his own vocation:“The more artistic art becomes, the more it
serves to pacify our passion for action”. Do you know who is he?

2. TO EXPLORE

Junichiro Tanizaki is a Japanese novelist who lived from 1886 to 1965. He is one
of Japan's most famous authors, and his work is widely read all over the world.
Junichiro Tanizaki is well known for his experimental writing style paired with very
traditionally formatted Japanese narrative. His work is characterized by very strange
and often tormented characters who struggle with the clash between Westernization
and traditional Japanese values, much like Junichiro Tanizaki himself. Many of his
novels are also frankly erotic, although the eroticism tends to take a nontraditional and
sometimes non-consensual form. Several of Tanizaki's books were later adapted into
films as well.

96
3. TO EXPLAIN

The life of Junichiro Tanizaki took a radical turn with the Kanto earthquake in
1923. His home in Yokohama was leveled, and he ended up leaving his wife and child
and moving to Kyoto, traditionally a very old fashioned city that placed a high value on
Japanese culture before Westernization. Junichiro Tanizaki himself began to change,
and he fed his interest in Japanese history and culture, leading to the production of
some of the finest Japanese novels of the 20th century.
Naomi (1924), Tanizaki's first novel from this period, is the story of a very traditionally
raised engineer who falls in love with a young Japanese woman who has embraced
modern culture. He continued the theme of clashes between traditionalism and
modernism in Some Prefer Nettles (1929), a novel exploring the conflict between East
and West. Junichiro Tanizaki wrote a number of books about this struggle between
values, and sad, strange characters who leave the reader with an oddly uncomfortable
feeling characterize them all.

In this lesson, you are going to learn about the major writers in the Japanese
literature and some of their famous works.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

 Junichiro Tanizaki (1886 –1965) is a major novelist whose writing is

characterized by eroticism and ironic wit. His earliest stories were like those of
Edgar Allan Poe’s but he later turned toward the exploration of more traditional
Japanese ideals of beauty. Among his works are Some Prefer Nettles, The
Makioka Sisters, Diary of a Mad Old Man.
 Yukio Mishima (1925 – 1970) is the pen name of Kimitake Hiraoka, a prolific
writer who is regarded by many writers as the most important Japanese novelist
of the 20th century. His highly acclaimed first novel, Confessions of a Mask is
partly autobiographical work that describes with stylistic brilliance a homosexual
who must mask his sexual orientation. Many of his novels have main characters
who, for physical or psychological reasons, are unable to find happiness. Deeply
attracted to the austere patriotism and marital spirit of Japan’s past, Mishima was
contemptuous of the materialistic Westernized society of Japan in the postwar
era. Mishima committed seppuku (ritual disembowelment).
 Dazai Ozamu (1909 – 1948) just like Mishima, and Kawabata committed suicide,
not unusual, but so traditional among Japanese intellectuals. It is believed that
Ozamu had psychological conflicts arising from his inability to draw a red line
between his Japaneseness clashing with his embracing the Catholic faith, if not
the demands of creativity. The Setting Sun is one of his works.
 Ryunosuke Akutagawa (1892 – 1927) is a prolific writer of stories, plays, and
poetry, noted for his stylistic virtuosity. He is one of the most widely translated of
all Japanese writers, and a number of his stories have been made into films.

97
 Many of his short stories are Japanese tales retold in the light of modern
psychology in a highly individual style of feverish intensity that is well suited to
their macabre themes. Among his works are Rashomon, and Kappa. He also
committed suicide.
 Oe Kenzaburo (1935) a novelist whose rough prose style, at time nearly
violating the natural rhythms of the Japanese language, epitomizes the rebellion
of the post-WWII generation which he writes. He was awarded the Nobel Prize
for Literature in 1994. Among his works are: Lavish are the Dead, The Catch,
Our Generation, A Personal Matter, The Silent Cry, and Awake, New Man!.

5. TO EVALUATE
I- Label the writers with their works and life. Write your answer on the space provided.
Junichiro Tanizaki
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Yukio Mishima
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Dazai Ozamu
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Ryunosuke Akutagawa
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Oe Kenzaburo
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

II- Match the words in column A in the column B. Write your answer in the space
provided before each number.

Column A Column B

98
____1. The Setting Sun is one of his works. A. Oe Kenzaburo
____2. He is a prolific writer of stories, plays,and B. Ryunosuke Akutagawa
poetry, noted for his stylistic virtuosity.
____3. A novelist whose rough prose style, at time C. Dazai Ozamu
nearly violating the natural rhythms of the
Japanese language, epitomizes the rebellion of
the post-WWII generation which he writes.
_____4.He is a major novelist whose writing is D. Yukio Mishima
characterized by eroticism and ironic wit.
_____5. A prolific writer who is regarded by many E. Junichiro Tanizaki
writers as the most important Japanese
novelist
of the 20th century.

III. Choose only one among the Japanese writers that you like. Do a research on their
lives and formulate questions which have something to do with the writer’s genre, style,
works, and how that writer rise to fame. Consolidate the details you have researched
and write a character sketch (10 to 15 sentences) based on what you have gathered.
Please be guided on the given criteria.
Criteria for Character Sketch/Analysis:
Character Analysis - 10 points
Creativity - 10 points
Research - 10 points
Personal Narrative - 10 points
Spelling and Grammar - 10 points
TOTAL - 50 points

99
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill
\ ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 13 (Lesson 1): AFRICAN LITERATURE

(The Rise of Africa’s Great Civilization and Literary Forms (Orature to
African Proverbs)

Learning 1. To identify the differences among the literary forms during Africa’s great
Targets: civilization
2. To develop appreciation to the literatures, cultures and beliefs of the
African
3. To reflect on the teachings and the values of the African during their
civilization

References: Williams, C. (2019). Destruction of Black Civilization: Great Issues of a Race

From: 4500 BC to 2000 AD. Lulu Press, Inc.
Livan, B. (nd). Orature vs Literature in Post Colonial African Literature, Retrieved
from
https://www.academia.edu/198321/orature_vs_literature_in_post_colonial
_african_literature
Stoller, P. (1994). Ethnographies as texts/ethnographers as griots. American
Ethnologist, 21(2), 353-366.
Okpewho, I. (1992). African oral literature: Backgrounds, character, and
continuity (Vol. 710). Indiana University Press.
Black Matters. (13, December 2019). Great Civilizations of Africa - The Rise of
Cities [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEc7VDd0ga8.

1. TO ENGAGE

“What became of the Black People of Sumer?” the traveler asked the old man,
“for ancient records show that the people of Sumer were Black. What happened to
them?” “Ah,” the old man sighed. “They lost their history, so they died.” – A Sumer
Legend
Recall the rise of Africa’s civilization. Can you name some literary forms during
that period?

100
2. TO EXPLORE

This is a quote from a Sumer Legend who attempts to explain Black People’s
past in the domination of white people.
In this quote, we may be able to question ourselves of what could be the possible
contributions of the Africans in the world of literature.
During Africa’s Civilization, they have many literary forms. These are just some of
the literary forms during that period; Orature, Griots, Lyric Poem, Hymns of Praise
Songs and African Proverbs.
3. TO EXPLAIN
These are just some of the literary forms during the Africa’s civilization;
Orature- is an “unwritten literature” and it depends on a performer who
formulates it in words on a specific occasion and it helps it to be actualized.
Griots- or bards are charged with talking social life; they are burdened by a
localized politics of representation.

Features of African oral literature:

 repetition and parallel structure
 repeat and vary technique
 tonal assonance
 call-and-response format

Lyric Poems- is short, highly musical verse that conveys powerful feelings using
rhyme, meter and other literary devices.
Hymns of Praise and Songs- are songs of tribute and praise to gods, and many of
these songs have encouraged and impacted people throughout the generations.
African Proverbs- offer wisdom and poetry in just one sentence. Proverbs play an
important part in African cultures all across the continent. The beauty of proverbs is the
universality of their meaning, everyone can relate to them in some way and on some
level. Yet these proverbs are also uniquely African and help gain an insight into African
cultures. It can convey wisdom, truth, a discovery of ideas, as well as life lessons.

In this lesson, you will learn the significant events during Africa’s civilization and
as well as some of the literary forms during that period.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

The Rise of Africa’s Great Civilization. Between 751 and 664 B.C. the kingdom of
Kush at the southern end of the Nile River gained strength and prominence succeeding
the New Kingdom of Egyptian civilization. Smaller civilizations around the edges of the
Sahara also existed among them the Fasa of the northern Sudan, whose deeds are
recalled by the Soninka oral epic, The Daust.

 Aksum (3rd century A.D.), a rich kingdom in eastern Africa arose in what is now
Ethiopia. It served as the center of a trade route and developed its own writing

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 system. The Kingdom of Old Ghana (A.D. 300) the first of great civilizations in
western Africa succeeded by the empires of Old Mali and Songhai. The
legendary city of Timbuktu was a center of trade and culture in both the Mali and
Songhai empires. New cultures sprang up throughout the South: Luba and
Malawi empires in central Africa, the two Congo kingdoms, the Swahili culture of
eastern Africa, the kingdom of Old Zimbabwe, and the Zulu nation near the
southern tip of the continent.

 Africa’s Golden Age (between A.D. 300 and A.D. 1600) marked the time when
sculpture, music, metalwork, textiles, and oral literature flourished.

 Foreign influences came in the 4th century. The Roman Empire had proclaimed
Christianity as its state religion and taken control of the entire northern coast of
Africa including Egypt. Around 700 A.D. Islam, the religion of Mohammed, was
introduced into Africa as well as the Arabic writing system. Old Mali, Somali and
other eastern African nations were largely Muslim. Christianity and colonialism
came to sub-Saharan Africa towards the close of Africa’s Golden Age. European
powers created colonized countries in the late 1800s. Social and political chaos
reigned as traditional African nations were either split apart by European
colonizers or joined with incompatible neighbors.

 Mid-1900s marked the independence and rebirth of traditional cultures written in

African languages.

Literary Forms.
a) Orature is the tradition of African oral literature which includes praise poems,
love poems, tales, ritual dramas, and moral instructions in the form of proverbs
and fables. It also includes epics and poems and narratives.
b) Griots, the keepers of oral literature in West Africa, may be a professional
storyteller, singer, or entertainer and were skilled at creating and transmitting the
many forms of African oral literature. Bards, storytellers, town criers, and oral
historians also preserved and continued the oral tradition.
c) Features of African oral literature:
 repetition and parallel structure – served foremost as memory aids for griots
and other storytellers. Repetition also creates rhythm, builds suspense, and
adds emphasis to parts of the poem or narrative. Repeated lines or refrains
often mark places where an audience can join in the oral performance.
 repeat-and-vary technique – in which lines or phrases are repeated with
slight variations, sometimes by changing a single word.
 tonal assonance – the tones in which syllables are spoken determine the
meanings of words like many Asian languages.
 call-and-response format - includes spirited audience participation in which
the leader calls out a line or phrase and the audience responds with an
answering line or phrase becoming performers themselves.
d) Lyric Poems do not tell a story but instead, like songs, create a vivid, expressive
testament to a speaker’s thoughts or emotional state. Love lyrics were an

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 influence of the New Kingdom and were written to be sung with the
accompaniment of a harp or a set of reed pipes.

The Sorrow of Kodio by Baule Tribe

We were three women

Three men
And myself, Kodio Ango.
We were on our way to work in the city.
And I lost my wife Nanama on the way.
I alone have lost my wife
To me alone, such misery has happened,
To me alone, Kodio, the most handsome of the three men,
Such misery has happened.
In vain I call for my wife,
She died on the way like a chicken running.
How shall I tell her mother?
How shall I tell it to her, I Kodio,
When it is so hard to hold back my own pain.

e) Hymns of Praise Songs were offered to the sun god Aten. The Great Hymn to
Aten is the longest of several New Kingdom hymns. This hymn was found on
the wall of a tomb built for a royal scribe named Ay and his wife. In was intended
to assure their safety in the afterlife.
f) African Proverbs are much more than quaint old sayings. Instead, they
represent a poetic form that uses few words but achieves great depth of meaning
and they function as the essence of people’s values and knowledge.
 They are used to settle legal disputes, resolve ethical problems, and teach
children the philosophy of their people.
 Often contain puns, rhymes, and clever allusions, they also provide
entertainment.

5. TO EVALUATE
I- Fill in the blanks the correct answer to complete the sentence. Choose the answer
from the word pool.

Nile River Africans Christianity

Arabic writing system Aksum Mid-1900s

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Roman Empire Mohammed
1. __________ a rich kingdom in eastern Africa arose in what is now Ethiopia.

2. Islam, the religion of Mohammed was introduced in Africa and it also includes the
______________________.
3. Between 751 and 664 B.C., the kingdom of Kush at the southern end of the
_____________ gained strength and prominence succeeding the New Kingdom of
Egyptian civilization.
4. _______________ independence and rebirth of traditional cultures written in African
languages.
5. The ____________________ had proclaimed Christianity as its state religion and
taken control of the entire northern coast of Africa including Egypt.

II- Match the words in column A to its corresponding meanings in column B. Write the
letter of your answer before each number.

COLUMN A COLUMN B
a. It also includes epics, poems, and
1. African Proverbs narratives.
b. do not tell a story but instead express
2. Hymn of Praise Songs thoughts and emotional state
3. Griots c. are much more than quaint old sayings.
4. Lyric Poems d. the keepers of oral literature in West
Africa
5. Orature e. were offered to the sun god Aten.

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Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 13 (Lesson 2): AFRICAN LITERATURE

Literary Forms (Dilemma or Enigma Tale to Epics)

Learning 1. To differentiate the literary forms in African literature.

Targets: 2. To appreciate the literary forms in the African literature.
3. To apply the learnings and teachings of the literary forms in the African
literature.

References Bascom, W. (2011). African dilemma tales. Walter de Gruyter.

:
Ashanti Tales (Writer), accessed on 18 June 2020, Retrieved from
https://what-when-how.com/writers/ashanti-tales

Courlander, H. (1975). A treasury of African folklore: The oral literature,

traditions, myths, legends, epics, tales, recollections, wisdom, sayings,
and humor of Africa. New York: Crown Publishers.

MeMsie Africa. (8, December 2019). The History of African Literature (Part
1): Pre-colonial Literature |African Writers [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzJgkjeiLAg

1. TO ENGAGE

Recall the different literary forms during the African Civilization. What are those
literary forms during that period?

2. TO EXPLORE
During Africa’s Civilization, there are different literary forms that became the
vehicle to preserve the African language in a creative way. Those literary forms are
utilized by the whole Africa regardless of the social status and position. Those literary
forms became their weapon and creation at the same time. These are the literary forms
during that period; Orature, Griots, Feature of African Oral Literature, Lyric Poem,

105
Hymns of Praise Songs, African Proverbs, Dilemma or Enigma Tale, Ashanti Tale,
Folk, Origin, Trickster Tale, Moral Stories, Humorous Stories and Epic.

3. TO EXPLAIN

Dilemma or Enigma Tale- are an integral part or moral and ethical training in
many African societies.
Ashanti Tale- often tells a moral lesson, describe a myth, or answer a question
about the natural world.
Folk- embody African’s religious and social beliefs. It also entertains and teaches
it audience.
Origin- stories that talks how creation and death is done.
Trickster Tale- an oral tradition that depicts a protagonist with super powers.
Moral Stories- its main goal is to teach a moral lesson.
Humorous Stories- it is often used to give humor and entertainment.
Epic- it is an oral tradition that narrates the adventures of heroic or legendary
figures or the history of a nation.
In this lesson, you are going to learn the continuation of the literary forms during
the African Civilization that you have learned in the previous lesson.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

a) Dilemma or Enigma Tale is an important kind of African moral tale intended for
listeners to discuss and debate. It is an open-ended story that concludes with a
question that asks the audience to choose from among several alternatives. By
encouraging animated discussion, a dilemma tale invites its audience to think
about right and wrong behavior and how to best live within society.

b) Ashanti Tale comes from Ashanti, whose traditional homeland is the dense and
hilly forest beyond the city of Kumasi in south-central Ghana which was
colonized by the British in the mid-19th century. But the Ashanti, protected in their
geographical stronghold, were able to maintain their ancient culture. The tale
exemplifies common occupations of the Ashanti such as farming, fishing, and
weaving. It combines such realistic elements with fantasy elements like talking
objects and animals.

c) Folk Tales have been handed down in the oral tradition from ancient times. The
stories represent a wide and colorful variety that embodies the African people’s

106
 most cherished religious and social beliefs. The tales are used to entertain, to
teach, and to explain. Nature and the close bond that Africans share with the
natural world are emphasized. The mystical importance of the forest, sometimes
called the bush, is often featured.

d) Origin stories include creation stories and stories explaining the origin of death.

e) Trickster Tale is an enormously popular type. The best known African trickster
figure is Anansi the Spider, both the hero and villain from the West African origin
to the Caribbean and other parts of the Western Hemisphere as a result of the
slave trade.

f) Moral Stories attempt to teach a lesson.

g) Humorous Stories is primarily intended to amuse.

“Talk”
The chief listened to them patiently, but he couldn’t refrain from scowling.
“Now, this is really a wild story,” he said at last. “You’d better all go back
to your work before I punish you for disturbing the peace.”
So the men went away, and the chief shook his head and mumbled to
himself, “Nonsense like that upsets the community”
“Fantastic, isn’t it?” his stool said, “Imagine, a talking yam!”

h) Epics of vanished heroes – partly human, partly superhuman, who embody the
highest values of a society – carry with them a culture’s history, values, and
traditions. The African literary traditions boasts of several oral epics.
 The Dausi from the Soninke
 Monzon and the King of Kore from the Bambara of western Africa
 The epic of Askia the Great, medieval ruler of the Songhai empire in western
Africa
 The epic of the Zulu Empire of southern Africa
 Sundiata from the Mandingo peoples of West Africa is the best-preserved and
the best-known African epic which is a blend of fact and legend. Sundiata
Keita, the story’s hero really existed as a powerful leader who in 1235
defeated the Sosso nation of western Africa and reestablished the Mandingo
Empire of Old Mali. Supernatural powers are attributed to Sundiata and he is
involved in a mighty conflict between good and evil. It was first recorded in
Guinea in the 1950s and was told by the griot Djeli Mamoudou Kouyate.

5. TO EVALUATE

107
I- Identify the correct answer based on the description given. Write your answer on the
space provided before each number.
______________1.It is an oral tradition that narrates the adventures of heroic or
legendary figures or the history of a nation.
______________2. It combines such realistic elements with fantasy elements like
talking objects and animals.
______________3. Embody African’s religious and social beliefs. It also entertains and
teaches it audience.
______________4. This are stories that talks how creation and death is done.
______________5. It is an important kind of African moral tale intended for listeners to
discuss and debate.

II- Write TRUE if the statement is true and FALSE if the statement is false.
______________1. Trickster tale talks about the creation and it also explains death.
______________2. An attempt to teach a lesson is called Epics.
______________3. A humorous story is intended for amusement.
______________4. Dilemma or Enigma tale is an open-ended story that concludes with
a question that asks the audience to choose from among several
alternatives.
______________5. Folk tales exemplifies common occupations of the Ashanti such as
farming, fishing, and weaving.

108
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 14 (Lesson 1): Negritude Black Movement

Learning 1. To define the meaning of negritude.

Targets: 2. To appreciate how the black people fight for their rights as
humans.

References Diagne, Souleymane Bachir, "Négritude", The Stanford Encyclopedia of

: Philosophy (Summer 2018 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL =
https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2018/entries/negritude/>.

SheLearnsLife. (3, Dec 2016). Aimé Césaire And The Negritude

Movement (Subtitulos en Espanol) [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0ZFsP82vqc

1. TO ENGAGE

Let us read this passage and let us see what we can do about this.

“Listen to the white world

horribly weary of its immense effort
its rebellious knuckles crack under the hard stars
its stiffness of blue steel piercing mystical flesh
listen to its stupendous victories trump its defeats
listen to grandiose alibis its
pitiful stumbling Pity for our omniscient and naive victors ! ”

- Aimé Césaire, Notebook of a return to the native land

2. TO EXPLORE

That is a quote from a black man who is suffering from criticism and judgment
from other people just because of their color. They are categorized as “black people”

109
and are labeled as a country’s low profile citizens. Because of their colors they are
stereotyped which is a very unjust situation for them. This is where the negritude black
movement started to show up.

3. TO EXPLAIN

Negritude, which means literally ‘blackness,’ is the literary movement of the 1930s –
1950s that began among French-speaking African and Caribbean writers living in Paris
as a protest against French colonial rule and the policy of assimilation. Its leading figure
was Leopold Sedar Senghor (1st president of the Republic of Senegal in 1960), who
along with Aime Cesaire from Martinique and Leo Damas from French Guina, began to
examine Western values critically and to reassess African culture. The movement
largely faded in the early 1960s when its political and cultural objectives had been
achieved in most African countries.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

The Concept of Négritude

Négritude was both a literary and ideological movement led by French-speaking

black writers and intellectuals from France’s colonies in Africa and the Caribbean in the
1930s. The movement is marked by its rejection of European colonization and its role in
the African diaspora, pride in “blackness” and traditional African values and culture. It
emerged as the expression of a revolt against the historical situation of French
colonialism and racism. Négritude was born from a shared experience of discrimination
and oppression and an attempt to dispel stereotypes and create a new black
consciousness through asserting their cultural identity.

Roots of Negritude Movement

The movement drew its inspiration from the Harlem Renaissance, which was
beginning its decline. The Harlem Renaissance, which was alternatively called the “New
Negro Renaissance,” fostered black artists and leaders who promoted a sense of pride
and advocacy in the black community, and a refusal to submit to injustices. But as the
glory days of the Harlem Renaissance came to an end, many African American
intellectuals of the period moved to France, seeking a haven against racism and
segregation. Among these artists were Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson,
Richard Wright, and Claude McKay, who Sengalese poet and politician Léopold Sédar
Senghor praised as the spiritual founder of Négritude.

The movement’s founders (or Les Trois Pères), Aimé Césaire, Senghor, and
Léon-Gontran Damas, met while studying in Paris in 1931 and began to publish the first
journal devoted to Négritude, L’Étudiant noir (The Black Student), in 1934.

110
Importance of this Movement

Negritude responded to the alienated position of blacks in history. The movement

asserted an identity for black people around the world that was their own. For Césaire
and Damas, from Martinique and French Guiana, the rupture from Africa through the
Atlantic Slave Trade was a great part of their cultural understanding. Their work told of
the frustration and loss of their motherland. For Senegalese Senghor, his works focused
more on African traditionalism. In ways the assertion of each poet diverges from each
other, but the combination of different perspectives is also what fueled and fed
Negritude.

From a political standpoint, Negritude was an important aspect to the rejection of

colonialism. Emerging at the cusp of African independence movements, Negritude
made an impact on how the colonized viewed themselves. It also sparked and fed off
subsequent literary movements that were responding to global politics.

*For further discussion of this topic, kindly watch the short video clip about the Negritude
Black Movement.

5. TO EVALUATE
I- Supply the missing terms in the blank.
1. ____________ which means literally blackness.
2. ____________________________ is the leading figure of the Negritude Black
Movement.
3. The _____________________ of African traditions and peoples must be
asserted.
4. The movement largely faded __________________ when its political and cultural
objectives had been achieved in most African countries.
5. Committed writers should use _____________________ and poetic traditions
and should excite a desire for political freedom.

II- Answer the following questions about the Negritude Black Movement. Please be
guided on the given criteria below.
Criteria:
Content 20%
Originality 15%
Organization of ideas 10%
Creativity 5%

111
 TOTAL 50%

1. How did Harlem Renaissance connect and influence the Negritude Movement?

2. What has been the influence of Negritude Movement towards the “black” writers
before?

3. How did the Negritude Movement influence the modern society today?

112
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 14 (Lesson 2): African Poetry

Telephone Conversation

Learning 1. To identify what is African poetry all about.

Targets: 2. To reflect on the excerpt of the “Telephone Conversation”.
3. To construct your own idea about your realization and thoughts about the
“Telephone Conversation”.

References Soyinka, W. (2001). Telephone conversation. A selection of African poetry, 116-

: 9.

Beaming Notes. (28, February 2018). Summary of Telephone Conversation by

Wole Soyinka [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc3B5aul5S8

1. TO ENGAGE

Recall the “Telephone Conversation”. What is it all about?

2. TO EXPLORE

The title reveals the fact that two people are talking on the phone, so the
beginning of the poem is on a positive note: The man is searching for a house and the
land lady has named a considerable price, and the area where it is located is an
impartial and not racially prejudiced. Also the man could enjoy his privacy as the land
lady does not live under the same roof. The African man is ready to accept the offer, but
maybe there has been a similar incident in his past, for he stops and admits to her that
he is black, saying he prefers not to waste the time travelling there if she’s going to
refuse him on that bounds.

113
3. TO EXPLAIN

The poem deals with a foul subject, that of racism and prejudice, in a light
hearted, almost comical manner. A most important device, which Soyinka has used to
highlight this sense of racism, which was previously widespread in western society, is
that of the telephone. Had the person been speaking face to face with the lady, this
whole conversation would never have taken place. She either would have refused
outright, or would have found a more subtle way of doing so. The whole back and forth
about ‘how dark’ the man is would not have occurred. Thus, the telephone is used to
make the issue of racism clear and prove how nonsensical it really is.
Written in an independent style and delivered in a passively sarcastic tone, this poem
is a potent comment on society. Soyinka might be speaking through personal
experience, judging by the raw emotions that this poem subtly convey: those of anger,
rage, shame, humility and an acute sense of disgust at the apathy and inhumanity of
humans who won’t judge a book by its cover but would turn down a man for the color
of his skin. In today’s world, racism might be a dying concern; but that does not mean
that discrimination against other minorities has been completely eradicated. Despite
the progressing times, people continue to harbor prejudices and illogical suspicions
about things they do not understand: may it be others ideals, religions or traditions and
customs. Thus this poem remains a universal message for all of us, as Soyinka
manages to convey just how absurd all prejudices are by highlighting the woman’s
poor choice of rejecting the man just because he does not share the same skin color.
‘Telephone Conversation’ is a favorite, both for its excellent use of rich language and
the timeless message it conveys.

In this lesson, you will learn about what is an African Poetry and some examples
of it, particularly “Telephone Conversation”.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

2. African Poetry is more eloquent in its expression of Negritude since it is the

poets who first articulated their thoughts and feelings about the inhumanity
suffered by their own people.

 Paris in the Snow swings between assimilation of French, European culture

or negritude, intensified by the poet’s catholic piety.
 Totem by Leopold Senghor shows the eternal linkage of the living with the
dead.
 Letters to Martha by Dennis Brutus is the poet’s most famous collection that
speaks of the humiliation, the despondency, the indignity of prison life.

 Train Journey by Dennis Brutus reflects the poet’s social commitment, as he

reacts to the poverty around him amidst material progress especially and
acutely felt by the innocent victims, the children

114
  Telephone Conversation by Wole Soyinka is the poet’s most anthologized
poem that reflects Negritude. It is a satirical poem between a Black man
seeking the landlady’s permission to accommodate him in her lodging house.
The poetic dialogue reveals the landlady’s deep-rooted prejudice against the
colored people as the caller plays up on it.

Excerpt from Telephone Conversation

The price seemed reasonable, location

indifferent. The landlady swore she lived
off premises. Nothing remained
but self-confession. “Madam,” I warned,
5
“I hate a wasted journey – I am African.”
Silence. Silenced transmission of
pressurized good-breeding. Voice, when it came,
lipstick coated, long gold-rolled
cigarette-holder pipped. Caught I was foully.
10
“HOW DARK?” … I had not misheard … “ARE YOU LIGHT
OR VERY DARK?” Button B. Button A. Stench
of rancid breath of public hide-and-speak.

“Telephone Conversation” is a poem that satirizes racism. The speaker, who is

black, makes fun of a white landlady who won’t rent to the speaker until she knows
whether the speaker’s skin is “dark” or “light.” In contrast to the landlady’s simple,
reductive ideas about race, the speaker suggests that race and identity are complicated
and multi-faceted. Judging a person based on their skin color, the poem argues, is thus
ignorant, illogical, and dehumanizing.

At first the landlady seems ready to move forward with renting to the speaker,
even “swearing” that “she lived / Off premises.” She can’t detect the speaker’s race
through the phone, a fact that emphasizes a) that the speaker’s identity is comprised of
more than his or her race and b) that skin color is irrelevant to the speaker’s suitability
as a tenant.

But when the speaker then makes a “self-confession” about being “African,” the
conversation abruptly shifts to a discussion of skin tone. Note that the speaker is being
ironic in the use of “confession” here, a word typically associated with the revelation of
something criminal, to undermine the racist notion that being “African” is a bad thing.
Clearly, the speaker understands how black people’s housing prospects are unfairly
limited by a racist society.

Indeed, in response to this “confession” the landlady asks whether the speaker’s
skin is “light” or dark”—a question so absurd that the speaker briefly wonders if he or
she has “misheard.” The landlady is playing into the ignorant idea that black people with
lighter skin (and, as such, whose skin is closer in appearance to that of white people)
are superior to those with darker skin. The key thing that matters to her, then, is how

115
black the speaker looks. Instead of asking what the speaker does professionally, what
the speaker's habits are—that is, instead of treating the speaker like an actual human
being and potential tenant—the landlady reduces the speaker to a single attribute: skin
color. Racism, the poem thus makes clear, is inherently reductive and dehumanizing.

As such, the speaker refuses to answer the landlady’s question directly, instead
offering a series of clever replies that reveal the landlady’s question to be not just
offensive but also utterly illogical. For instance, the speaker describes him or herself as
“West African sepia” (a kind of reddish-brown hue seen in old monochromatic photos) in
the speaker's passport, a joke that goes right over the slow-witted landlady’s head;
essentially this is like saying, “Well, in a black and white photograph my skin is gray.”

The speaker also notes that the human body isn’t just one color: the speaker's
face is “brunette,” but the speaker's palms and foot soles are “peroxide blonde.” The
speaker is being deliberately tongue-in-cheek in the comparisons here, but the point is
that race and identity are far too complex to be reduced to a simple, binary choice
between “dark” or “light,” between “Button B” or “Button A.”

The speaker doesn’t just criticize the landlady’s blatant racism, then, but also
critiques the way she thinks about race itself. In doing so, the speaker refuses to let the
complexity of human identity be reduced by the ignorant choice that the landlady offers.
For all the speaker’s ingenuity, however, the poem does not end on a triumphant note.
As the poem closes, the landlady is about to hang up on the speaker—suggesting that,
as a white person, she still holds the power in society to effectively silence the black
speaker.

5. TO EVALUATE
I- Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if the statement is incorrect. Write
your answer on the space provided before each number.
_____________1. Totem by Leopold Senghor shows the eternal linkage of the living
with the dead.
_____________2. Train Journey swings between assimilation of French, European
culture or negritude, intensified by the poet’s catholic piety.
_____________3. Letters to Martha by Dennis Brutus is the poet’s most famous
collection that speaks of the humiliation, the despondency, the
indignity of prison life.
_____________4. Africaby Dennis Brutus reflects the poet’s social commitment, as he
reacts to the poverty around him amidst material progress
especially and acutely felt by the innocent victims, the children.
_____________5. African Poetry is more eloquent in its expression of Negritude since it
is the poets who first articulated their thoughts and feelings about
the inhumanity suffered by their own people.

116
II- Answer the questions about the poem “Telephone Conversation” and write your
answer on the space provided.
1. What is the theme of poem “Telephone Conversation”?

2. What is the race of the man who wants to rent?

3. Why do you think the landlady did not pursue to let the man move in?

4. What did the landlady ask after the man’s confession?

_______________________________________________________

5. What can you say about the behavior of the landlady?

_______________________________________________________

117
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 15 (Lesson 1): African Poetry

“Africa”

Learning 1. To recognize the message of the poetry Africa by David Diop.

Targets: 2. To appreciate the thought that the Africa by David Diop wanted to give
us.
3. To create a sketch that shows your insights about the Africa by David
Diop.

References Analysis Of Africa By David Diop Africa. Accessed on 21, July 2020. Retrieved
: from https://www.bartleby.com/essay/Analysis-Of-Africa-By-David-Diop-Africa-
FKWAKEMQY9P

Duka, C. R. (2001). The Literatures of Asia & Africa. Quezon City: Rex Printing
Company, Inc.

Fernando, Aragon. (5, December 2018). Africa My Africa by David Diop.

[Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYySqMvLRu8

1. TO ENGAGE

Recall the time when the Spaniards colonized us. What have you read about their
treatment to our Filipino ancestors?

2. TO EXPLORE

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 Spaniards like all other colonizers of our country before were maltreating and
abusing our ancestors. It came to a point that we were enslaved because of their
“power” over the Filipinos. Imagine that our ancestors became slaves and object of
exploitation. Africa was also colonized before, and even African were treated like
animals, as they were slaves because of being “black”.
In our lesson, we have a poem written by David Diop entitled "Africa". This
reflects his hope for an independent African nation, and the problems brought to the
continent by colonialism. Through this poem and other writings, Mr. Diop attempts to
give a message of hope and resistance to the people of Africa.
The poem "Africa" was published in David Diop's first and only book of poems,
"Coups de Pillon," in 1956. The title of the book is in French, and translates to "Hammer
Blows and Pounding" in English.

3. TO EXPLAIN

The poem Africa was authored by David Diop, who was a French West
African poet known for his contribution to the Negritude literary movement, his anti-
colonial stance, and his hope for the independence of the African continent. David Diop
was born in Bordeaux, France, born to West African descendent parents. Through this
poem, Diop conveys his deep love, disappointment, and optimism for the continent of
Africa. The poet does this through celebrating and appreciating Africa as his own origin,
lamenting for the oppression that Africa faces, as well as expressing his strong
optimism for the hope of the future Africa is yet to realize.
As a result, this section of the poem invites the reader to sympathize with the poet as he
mourns for his beloved Africa. The last section of the poem is introduced by the
transitioning ending of the lamentation which changes from expressing the sorrows
resulting from the plight of Africa to questioning the future and destiny of this place. The
poet uses a mystical voice which seems to indicate that his questions and attitude of
Africa are too pessimistic and that Africa's future looks more hopeful than he is capable
of perceiving at the moment. This can be seen when Diop says that it is through
patience and stubbornness Africa puts forth its new shoots to grow its fruits of liberty.
The poem ends this way by the poet painting an optimistic, beautiful, image of his
ancestral land, which is heading for its bright future amidst the obstacles it faces.
Throughout Africa, Diop utilizes personification as a tool to reinforce Africa's humanity.
The poet use the words my, you, and your, to talk about or talk directly to the continent,
which give it life, identity, and emotions.

In this lesson, you will learn about what is an African Poetry and some examples
of it, particularly “Africa” by David Diop.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

119
  Africa by David Diop is a poem that achieves its impact by a series of
climactic sentences and rhetorical questions.
 “Africa” is a poem by the Afro-French poet David Diop (1927-1960), who was
born in France to a Senegalese father and Cameroonian mother. Although he
died at a young age in a plane crash and had only published one collection of
poems (Coups de pilon-1956), he had already become one of the most
notable poets of his generation. ''Africa'' is one of Diop's most famous poems
in which he explores the history of colonialism in Africa and expresses hope
for a postcolonial Africa. Before we start analyzing Diop's ''Africa,'' let's
familiarize ourselves with the poem:

Africa
Africa, my Africa This back trembling with red
Africa of proud warriors on ancestral weals Which says yes to the
savannahs whip on the hot roads of noon
Africa that my grandmother sings Then gravely a voice replies to
On the bank of her distant river me
I have never known you Impetuous son that tree robust
But my face is full of your blood and young
Your beautiful black blood which That tree over there
waters the wide fields Splendidly alone amidst white
The blood of your sweat and faded flowers
The sweat of your work That is Africa your Africa which
The work of your slavery grows
The slavery of your children Grows patiently obstinately
Africa tell me Africa And whose fruit little by little
Is this really you this back which is learn
bent The bitter taste of liberty.
And breaks under the load of insult

Connecting to Africa

First, we have to examine how Diop connects the reader to Africa using himself
as the medium. There are two main poetic devices at work here. The first is apostrophe,
in which a poet addresses a person or abstract idea as if it were really there. This starts
in the very first line (''Africa my Africa''); Diop is talking to Africa as if he were sitting with
it and having a conversation. We see this in lines like ''I have never known you,'' or ''Is
this you this back that is bent,'' as well as consistent use of ''you'' and ''your.''

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 This is coupled with Diop's use of personification. Africa, the continent, is treated
like a human. Not only does Diop attribute human traits to Africa like an unbent back,
blood, and sweat, but he also gives it a ''grave voice'' that is capable of responding to
him, calling him an impetuous child. These poetic devices help us appreciate Diop's
connection to Africa as an ancestor, a family member. Many critics believe that Diop is
utilizing an old trope of Africa as a woman and specifically a mother to the African
people. This interpretation partly comes from Diop's original version of the poem, which
was written in French.

 Song of Lawino by Okot P’Bitek is a sequence of poems about the clash

between African and Western values and is regarded as the first important
poem in “English to emerge from Eastern Africa. Lawino’s song is a plea for
the Ugandans to look back to traditional village life and recapture African
values.

5. TO EVALUATE
I- Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if the statement is incorrect. Write
your answer on the space provided before each number.
_____________1. David Diop wrote the poem “Africa”.
_____________2. David Diop was born in Paris, France, born to West African
descendent parents.
_____________3. The poem invites the reader to sympathize with the poet as he
mourns for his beloved Africa.
_____________4. Africa by David Diop is a poem that achieves its impact by a series of
climactic sentences and rhetorical questions.
_____________5. Song of Lawino by Wole Soyinka is a sequence of poems about the
clash between African and Western values and is regarded as the
first important poem in “English to emerge from Eastern Africa.

POETRY ANALYSIS:

1. Does the speaker learn about the old Africa from direct experience? What line/s
in the poem give/s away the answer?

2. What symbolism was used by Diop to describe his motherland - Africa?

3. What do these lines tell you?

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 The blood of your sweat
The sweat of your work
The work of your slavery

4. How did Diop ended the poem by using these lines?

That is Africa your Africa which grows

Grows patiently obstinately
And whose fruit little by little learn

5. What event in the history influenced the change of status of the African from
proud warrior to abused slave? Give at least one event.

II- Imagine that you are the persona in the poem. Create a mental picture of what you
have understood. Make a sketch about your insights in the poem “Africa” by David Diop.
Criteria:
Content- 20 points
Originality- 15 points
Creativity- 15 points
TOTAL - 50 points

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Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 15 (Lesson 2): African Short Story

“Anticipation”

Learning 1. To recognize the message of the short story “Anticipation”.

Targets: 2. To value the importance of appreciating little things around us.
3. To give a critical insight about the short story

References Duka, C. R. (2001). The Literatures of Asia & Africa. Quezon City: Rex Printing
: Company, Inc.

Villanueva, P. M., Acurantes, D. C., & Aranzaso, R. C. (2009). Discovering your

Afro-Asian Neighbors II. Mandaluyong City: Books Atbp. Publishing
Corporation

1. TO ENGAGE

Have you experience the time when you want something in your life, and when then that
“thing” happened, you do not want to have it?

2. TO EXPLORE

Every one of us encountered that kind of scenario in our lives, yet we cannot
explain what it feels like. The excitement at first when we wish to have something is not
anymore evident when we finally bought or have it.

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 For example, you have read that there was a new iPhone model coming next
year. Next year you wanted to get that phone, but when the time comes you bought it,
there is no excitement and happiness anymore.

3. TO EXPLAIN

In this lesson, you will learn about the short story written by an African writer,
Mabel Dove-Danquah Ghana, entitled “Anticipation”. Sometimes the things that we
anticipate are already there. It is just that we fail to appreciate them and only see them
when we do not have any options or when we simply got bored. This is a story about
one’s appreciation and contentment of things.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

Short Story

Anticipation
Mabel Dove-Danquah Ghana

Nana Adaku II, Omanhene of Akwasim, was celebrating the 20th anniversary of his
accession to the stool of Akwasin. The capital, Nkwabi, was thronged with people from
the outlying towns and villages.

It was at the night on the cocoa season, money was circulating freely, and farmers
were spending to their hearts’ content. Friends who had not seen long time were
renewing their friendship. They called with gifts of gin, champagne, or whiskey, recalled
old days with gusto and, before departing, having imbibed, were happy. Coast
costumes. The men had tokota sandals on, their feet, and rich multicolored velvet and
gorgeous, hand woven, kente cloths nicely wrapped round their bodies. The women
with golden earrings dangling with golden chains and bracelets, looked dignified in their
colorful native attire.

The state drums were beating paeans of joy.

It was four o’clock in the afternoon and people were walking to the park where the
Odwira
was to be staged. Enclosures of palm leaves decorated the grounds.

The Omanhene arrived in a palanquin under a brightly patterned state umbrella,

a golden crown on his head; his kente studded with tiny golden beads, rows upon rows
of golden necklaces piled high on a chest. He wore bracelets of gold from the wrists
right up to the elbows. He held in his right hand a decorated elephant tail, which he

124
waved to his enthusiastic, cheering people. In front of him sat his “soul”, a young boy of
twelve, holding the sword of office.

After the Omanhene come the Adontehene, the next in importance. He was
resplendent in rich green and red velvet cloth; his headband was studded with golden
bars. Other chiefs came one after the other under the brightly colored state umbrellas.
The procession was long. The crowd raised cheers as each palanquin was lowered,
and the drums went on beating resounding joys of jubilation. The Omanhene look his
seat on the dais with his elders. The District Commissioner, Captain Hobbs, was near
him; Sasa, the Jester, looked ludicrous in his motley pair of trousers and his cap of
monkey skin. He made faces of the Omanhene who could not laugh; it was against
custom for the great Chief to be moved to laughter in public.

The state park presented a scene of barbaric splendor. Chiefs and their retinue
sat on native stools under state umbrellas of diver’s colors. The golden linguist’ staves
of offices gleamed in the sunlight. The women, like tropical butterflies, looked charming
in their multicolored brocaded silk, kente, and velvet, and Odaku headdress, black and
shiny, studded with long golden pins and slides. Young men paraded he grounds, their
flowing cloths trailing behind them, their silken plaited headbands glittering in the sun.
The drum beat on…

The women are going to perform the celebrated Adowa dance. The decorated
calabashes make rhythm. The women run a few steps, move slowly sideways and
sways their shoulders. One dancer looks particularly enchanting in her green, blue, and
red square kente, moving with the simple, charming, grace of a wild woodland creature.
The Chief is stirred and throws a handful of loose cash into the crowd of dancers. She
smiles as the coins fall on her and tinkle to the ground. There is a rush. She makes no
sign but keeps on dancing.

The Omanhene turns to his head linguist.

“Who is that beautiful dancer?”

“I am sorry, I do not know her.”
“I must have her as a wife.”

Nana Adaku II was a fifty-five and he already had a forty wives, but a new beauty gave
him the same thrill as it did the man who is blessed - or cursed – with only one better –
half. Desire again burned fiercely in his veins; he was bored with his forty wives. He
usually got so mixed up among them that lately he kept calling them by the wrong
names. His new wife cried bitterly when he called her Oda, the name of an old, ugly
wife.

“This dancer is totally different,” thought the chief, she will be a joy to the palace.”
He turned round to the linguist:
“I will pay one hundred pound for her.”
“She might already be married, Nana.”

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 “I shall pay the husband any money he demands.”

The linguist knew his Omanhene: When he desired a woman, he usually had his way.

“Get fifty pounds from the chief treasurer, find the relatives, give them the money
and when she is in my palace tonight I shall give her the balance of the fifty
pounds. Give the linguist staff to Kojo and begin your investigations now.”

Nana Adaku II was a fast worker. He was like men all over the world when they are
stirred by feminine charm, shapely leg, the flash of an eye, quiver of a nostril, the timbre
of a voice, and the male species become frenzy personified. Many men go through this
sort of mania until they reach their dosage. The cynics among them men with a little
flattery, blend tolerance, and take fine care not to become seriously entangled for life.
Women, on the other hand, use quit a lot of common sense; they are not particularly
thrilled by the physical charms of a man; if his pockets are heavy and his income sure,
he is good matrimonial risk. But there is evolving a new type of hardheaded modern
woman who insist on the perfect lover as well as income and other necessaries, or stay
forever from the unbliss of marriage.

By 6 p.m., Nana Adaku II was getting bored with the whole assembly and was very
glad to get into his palanquin. The state umbrella danced, the chief sat again in their
palanquin, and the crowd cheered wildly, the drums beat. Soon the shadows of evening
fell and the enclosures of palm leaves in the state park stood empty and deserted.

The Omanhene had taken his bath after dusk changed into a gold and green
brocaded cloth. Two male servants stood on either side and fanned him with large in his
private sitting room. An envelope containing fifty golden sovereigns was near him. He
knew his linguist as a man of tact and diplomacy and was sure that night would bring his
wife to help him celebrate the anniversary of his accession to the Akwasin Stool.

He must have dozed. When he woke up the young woman was kneeling by his feet.
He raised her onto the settee.

“Were you pleased to come?”

“I was pleased to do Nana‘s bidding.”
“Good girl. What is your name?”
“Effua, my lord and master.”

“It is a beautiful woman, too. Here are fifty gold sovereigns, the balance of the
rage dowry. We will marry privately tonight and do the necessary custom afterward.”
Nana Adaku II is not the first man use the technique. Civilized, semi-civilized, and
primitive men all over the world have said the same thing in nearly the same words.

“I shall give the money to my mother,” said the sensible girl. “She is in the
corridor. May I?” the Chief nodded assent.
Effua returned.

126
 “Nana, my mother and other relatives want to thank you for the hundred
pounds.”
“There is no need, my beauty,” and he played with the ivory beads lying so
snugly on her bosom.
“They think you must have noticed some extraordinary charm in me for you to
have spent so much money,” she smiled shyly at the Omanhene.
“But, my dear, you are charming. Haven’t they eyes?
“But, Nana, I cannot understand myself.”
“You cannot, you modest woman. Look at yourself in that mirror on there.”

The girl smiled mischievously, went to the mirror, looked at herself. She came
back, sat on the settee, and leaned her head on his bosom.

“You are a lovely girl, Effua.” He caressed her shiny black hair, so artistically
plaited.
“But my master, I have always been like this, haven’t I?
“I supposed so, beautiful, but only saw you today.”
“You only saw me today?”
“Today.”
“Have you forgotten?”
“Forgotten what, my love?”
“You paid fifty pounds…..and married me two years ago.

5. TO EVALUATE
I- After reading the short story, answer the following questions below.
1. Describe the setting.

2. What atmosphere is created by this setting?

3. What African customs and traits are revealed in this story?

4. Compare the African ways of celebrating with those of Filipinos.

5. Describe the characteristics of Nana Adaku II.

127
 6. From the word “anticipation”, what is your idea on what will happen next after
Omanhene knew the Effua’s statement?

II- Summarize the story “Anticipation” with the use of a flow chart. Make sure to follow
the plot of the story. Please be guided on the criteria below.
Criteria:
Content - 20 points
Neatness - 5 points
Creativity - 10 points
35 points

Exposition Rising Action

Falling Action Climax

128
 Denouement

Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________

Topic: Module 16 (Lesson 1): African Major Writers

Learning 1. To recognize the major writers in the African Literature.

Targets: 2. To appreciate the works and life of the writers in African Literature.
3. To write an appreciation essay on one of the major African writers.

References Culross, M. (2013). Chinua Achebe's biography and style.

:
MeMsie Africa. (6, December 2019). The History of African Literature (Part 2: Post-
colonial Literature) |20th Century African Writers [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltjJ5cP4HXk

1. TO ENGAGE

Are you familiar with this writer?

129
2. TO EXPLORE

Yes, that is correct. This is Chinua Achebe. Chinua Achebe made a splash with
the publication of his first novel, Things Fall Apart, in 1958. Renowned as one of the
seminal works of African literature, it has since sold more than 20 million copies and
been translated into more than 50 languages. Achebe followed with novels such as No
Longer at Ease (1960), Arrow of God (1964) and Anthills of the Savannah (1987), and
served as a faculty member at renowned universities in the U.S. and Nigeria. He died
on March 21, 2013, at age 82, in Boston, Massachusetts.

3. TO EXPLAIN

Chinua Achebe, Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic, born in 16

November 1930. Achebe has often been referred to as the founding father of African
literature in English. He was raised in the large village of Ogidi, one of the first centres
of Anglican missionary work in Eastern Nigeria, and is a graduate of University College,
Ibadan. His early career in radio ended abruptly in 1966, when he left his post as
Director of External Broadcasting in Nigeria during the national upheaval that led to the
Biafran War. Achebe joined the Biafran Ministry of Information and represented Biafra
on various diplomatic and fund-raising missions. He was appointed Senior Research
Fellow at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and began lecturing widely abroad. For
more than 15 years he was the Carles P. Stevenson Jr Professor of Languages and
Literature at Bard College; he then became the David and Marianna Fisher University
Professor and Professor of Africana Studies at Brown University.

Chinua Achebe received numerous honours from around the world, including the
Honorary Fellowship of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, as well as honorary
doctorates from more than 30 colleges and universities. He was also the recipient of

130
Nigeria’s highest award for intellectual achievement, the Nigerian National Merit Award.
In 2007, he won the Man Booker International Prize. He died on 22nd March 2013.

The writer and academic wrote more than 20 works – some fiercely critical of
politicians and a failure of leadership in Nigeria. South African writer and Nobel laureate
Nadine Gordimer called him the “father of modern African literature” in 2007 when she
was among the judges to award him the Man Booker International Prize in honour of his
literary career. Things Fall Apart has been translated into more than 50 languages and
focuses on the traditions of Igbo society and the clash between Western and traditional
values.

In this lesson, you will learn about other major writers in the African literature.

4. TO ELABORATE (to extend, connect, rationalize, and apply)

Major Writers

 Leopold Sedar Senghor (1906) is a poet

and statesman who was cofounder of the
Negritude movement in African art and
literature. He went to Paris on a
scholarship and later taught in the French
school system. During these years
Senghor discovered the unmistakable
imprint of African art on modern painting,
sculpture, and music, which confirmed his belief in Africa’s contribution to
modern culture. Drafted during WWII, he was captured and spent two years in
Nazi concentration camp where he wrote some of his finest poems. He became
president of Senegal in 1960. His works include: Songs of Shadow, Black
Offerings, Major Elegies, Poetical Work. He became Negritude’s foremost
spokesman and edited an anthology of French-language poetry by black African
that became a seminal text of the Negritude movement.

 Okot P’Bitek (1930 – 1982) was born in

Uganda during the British domination and was
embodied in a contrast of cultures. He attended
English-speaking schools but never lost touch
with traditional African values and used his wide
array of talents to pursue his interests in both
African and Western cultures. Among his works
are: Song of Lawino, Song of Ocol, African
Religions and Western Scholarship, Religion
of the Central Luo, Horn of My Love.

131
 Wole Soyinka (1934) is a Nigerian playwright, poet, novelis, and critic who was
the first black African to be awarded the
Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986. He
wrote of modern West Africa in a satirical
style and with a tragic sense of the
obstacles to human progress. He taught
literature and drama and headed theater
groups at various Nigerian universities.
Among his works are: plays – A Dance of
the Forests, The Lion and the Jewel, The Trials of Brother Jero; novels –
The Interpreters, Season of Anomy; poems – Idanre and Other Poems,
Poems from Prison, A Shuttle in the Crypt, Mandela’s Earth and Other
Poems.

 Chinua Achebe (1930) is a prominent Igbo novelist acclaimed for his

unsentimental depictions of the social and psychological disorientation
accompanying the imposition of Western customs and values upon traditional
African society. His particular concern was with emergent Africa at its moments
of crisis. His works include, Things Fall Apart, Arrow of God, No Longer at
Ease, A Man of the People, Anthills of Savanah.

 Nadine Gordimer (1923) is a South African novelist and short story writer
whose major theme was exile and alienation. She
received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1991.
Gordimer was writing by age 9 and published her first
story in a magazine at 15. Her works exhibit a clear,
controlled, and unsentimental technique that became her
hallmark. She examines how public events affect
individual lives, how the dreams of on’s youth are
corrupted, and how innocence is lost. Among her works
are: The Soft Voice of the Serpent, Burger’s
Daughter, July’s People, A Sport of Nature, My Son’s
Story.

 Bessie Head (1937 –1986) described the

contradictions and shortcomings of pre- and
postcolonial African society in morally didactic
novels and stories. She suffered rejection and
alienation from an early age being born of an
illegal union between her white mother and black
father. Among her works are: When Rain
Clouds Gather, A Question of Power, The
Collector of Treasures, Serowe.

132
  Barbara Kimenye (1940) wrote twelve books on children’s stories known as
the Moses series which are now a
standard reading fare for African school
children. She also worked for many years
for His Highness the Kabaka of Uganda, in
the Ministry of Education and later served
as Kabaka’s librarian. She was a
journalist of The Uganda Nation and later
a columnist for a Nairobi newspaper.
Among her works are: Kalasanda
Revisited, The Smugglers, The Money
Game.

 Ousmane Sembene (1923) is a writer and

filmmaker from Senegal. His works reveal an
intense commitment to political and social
change. In the words of one of his
characters: “You will never be a good writer
so long as you don’t defend a cause.”
Sembene tells his stories from out of Africa’s
past and relates their relevance and meaning
for contemporary society. His works include,
O My Country, My Beautiful People, God’s
Bits of Wood, The Storm.

5. TO EVALUATE
I- Complete the crossword puzzle below.

133
Down: Across:
1. the works of this writer showed a 3. a writer who suffered from the birth of
deep an illegitimate marriage between her
dedication to political and social white mother and black father from an
change early age
2. he was the first black African to win 5. a co-founder of Negritude Movement
a Nobel 7. wrote the Moses series which
Prize for Literature in 1986 became a standard reading book for
4. a writer whose major theme is all African children
about exile and alienation 8. wrote the famous works; Arrow of
6. he was born in Uganda and God, Things Fall Apart, and Anthills
embodied a of Savanah
contrast of cultures

II- Choose only one among the Japanese writers that you like. Do a research on their
lives and formulate questions which have something to do with the writer’s genre, style,
works, and how that writer rise to fame. Consolidate the details you have researched
and write a character sketch (10 to 15 sentences) based on what you have gathered.
Please be guided on the given criteria.
Criteria for Character Sketch/Analysis:
Character Analysis - 10 points
Creativity - 10 points

134
Research - 10 points
Personal Narrative - 10 points
Spelling and Grammar - 10 points
TOTAL - 50 points

135
Type of Activity:
⎕Concept Notes ⎕Laboratory ⎕Individual ⎕Quiz ⎕Formative ⎕Summative
⎕Exercise/Drill ⎕Art/Drawing ⎕Pair/Group ⎕Others, specify_____________________________
\
Assessment Information

Midterm Grade 25% Class Tests + 25% First Quarter Examination + 50%
Midterm Examination

Final Grade 25% Midterm Grade + 12.5% Class Tests + 12.5% Third
Quarter Examination + 50% Final Examination

Task Details Module 1 (Lesson 1): Introduction to Afro-Asian

Literature

In this lesson, there are two tasks. Task I is writing

descriptions on the following Africa and Asian countries
discussed. In task II, this asks the students to create a mind
map all about the Africa and Asian countries.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Creativity
3. Over-all Quality

Module 2 (Lesson 1): Indian Religions

In this lesson, there is only one task. Task I asks the students
to determine the important words related to the topic
discussed.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Organization

Module 3 (Lesson 1): Indian Literary Periods (Vedic and

Epic and Buddhist Age)

In this lesson, there are two tasks. The first task requires the
students to fill in the missing term related to the topic
discussed. The second task requires the students to choose
two passages from Vedas in which they will write an insight
about it.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Organization of Ideas
3. Correct Grammar

136
Module 3 (Lesson 2): Indian Epic “Ramayana”

In this lesson, there are two tasks. The first task asks the
students to answer five multiple-choice questions related to
the topic discussed. The second task requires the students to
write a two-paragraph essay on the lessons they have
learned out from Ramayana.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Organization of Ideas
3. Correct Grammar

Module 4 (Lesson 1): Indian Literary Period (Classical

Period)

In this lesson, there is only one task. This task requires the
students to answer the given questions about the purpose of
Panchatantra, and to create a short fable on their own

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Organization of Ideas
3. Plot Development
4. Moral of the Story
5. Correct Grammar

Module 4 (Lesson 2): Indian Literary Period (Medieval and

Modern Age)

In this lesson, there is only one task. This task requires the
students to write an argumentative article on the poem “Taj
Mahal”. They have to determine their stand and cite
references if there are any.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Organization of Ideas
3. References
4. Argumentation
5. Correct Grammar

Module 4 (Lesson 3): Major Writers in India and their

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Write-Ups

In this lesson, there are two tasks. In the first task, the
students are required to match the writers in column A with
their works in column B. In the second task, they have to
identify the lines or quotations from the famous works of the
writers. In addition, they have to give an interpretation on the
given line or quotation.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Creativity
3. Organization of Ideas

Module 5 (Lesson 1): Chinese Literature Historical

Backgrounds

In this lesson, there are two tasks. In the first task, the
students are required to give a description on the significant
contributions of the Chinese Dynasties discussed. In the
second task, they have to complete in the information needed
by taking down notes of the remarkable happening during
each dynasty.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Organization of Ideas

Module 5 (Lesson 2): Chinese Literature Historical

Backgrounds

In this lesson, there are two tasks. In the first task, the
students are required to give a description on the significant
contributions of the Chinese Dynasties discussed. In the
second task, they have to make a graphic organizer of the
significant happenings during the different dynasties in China.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Organization of Ideas

Module 6 (Lesson 1): The Analects or Lun Yu

In this lesson, there is only one task. The students are

required to choose five passages from the Analects and make
a reflection out from each passage.
Assessment Criteria

138
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Organization of Ideas
3. Creativity
4. Correct Grammar

Module 6 (Lesson 2): Tao-Te Ching

In this lesson, there is only one task. The students are

required to choose five passages from the Tao-Te Ching and
make a reflection out from each passage.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Organization of Ideas
3. Creativity
4. Correct Grammar

Module 7 (Lesson 1): Chinese Philosophy and Religion

In this lesson, there is only one task. The students are

required to determine five unique characteristics of China’s
Philosophy and Religion- Confucianism, Taoism, and
Buddhism.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Organization of Ideas

Module 7 (Lesson 2): Major Chinese Writers and their

Write-ups

In this lesson, there are two tasks. In Task I, the students are
required to describe the characteristics and the way of writing
of each of the major Chinese writers discussed. In Task II,
they have to read one literary work from the list of major
Chinese writers. In addition, they have to make a summary
about the literary piece.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Organization of Ideas
3. Correct Grammar

139
Module 8 (Lesson 1): Genres in Chinese Poetry

In this lesson, there is only one task. The students are asked
to write a poem using one of the genres of Chinese poetry.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Creativity
3. Correct use of the chosen genre

Module 8 (Lesson 2): Conventions of Chinese Theatre

In this lesson, there is only one task. This task asks the
students to fill in the appropriate term from the conventions of
Chinese Theatre discussed.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content

Module 9 (Lesson 1): Historical Background and

Religious Traditions

In this lesson, there are two tasks. In the first task, the
students are required to write the most significant happening
in the Japanese eras discussed. In the second task, they are
required to do a comparison-contrast of ideas between the
two major religions of Japan - Shintoism and Zen Buddhism
using a Venn Diagram.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Organization of Ideas

Module 9 (Lesson 2): Socio-Political Concepts

In this lesson, there are two tasks. In the first task, the
students are required to write a description on the two major
socio-political concepts of Japan- Giri and On. In the second
task, they are asked to reflect on the socio-political concepts
discussed. Moreover, they have to determine the equivalent
concept of Giri and On here in our country.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Organization of Ideas
3. Correct Grammar

140
Module 10 (Lesson 1): Japanese Poetry

In this lesson, there is only one task. This task requires the
students to write one poem on each of the different forms and
structure of Japanese poetry.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Organization of Ideas
3. Creativity
4. Proper format of Japanese poetry

Module 10 (Lesson 2): Japanese Prose

In this lesson, there is only one task. This task requires the
students to select and read at least one Japanese prose. In
addition, they have to write an insight about the prose and the
lessons that they have learned out from it.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Organization of Ideas
3. Correct Grammar

Module 11 (Lesson 1): Japanese Drama

In this lesson, there are two tasks. The first task requires the
students to determine the appropriate word in relation to the
given description in each item. In the second task, they have
to write an essay on how the Japanese drama influenced the
drama that we have in today’s generation.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Originality
3. Organization of Ideas
4. Creativity

Module 11 (Lesson 2): Japanese Novels and Short

Stories

In this lesson, there are two tasks. The first task requires the
students to determine the appropriate word in relation to the
given description in each item. In the second task, they have
to choose one example of a novel or a short story discussed
and give an insight about such.

Assessment Criteria

141
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Originality
3. Organization of Ideas
4. Creativity

Module 12 (Lesson 1): Japanese Major Writers

In this lesson, there are two tasks. The first task requires the
students to choose one major writer and they have to give
their insights about their life or works. The second task
requires them to identify the writer described in each item.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Originality
3. Organization of Ideas
4. Creativity

Module 12 (Lesson 2): Japanese Major Writers

In this lesson, there are three tasks. The first task requires the
students to label the writers with their works and life. The
second task requires them to match the details in column A
with the writers in column B. The third task requires them to
do a character sketch. In this activity, they have to research
on the writer’s life and works to write a character sketch
consisting of 10 to 15 sentences.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Research
3. Personal Narrative
4. Character Analysis
5. Creativity

Module 13 (Lesson 1): Africa’s Literary Forms

In this lesson, there are two tasks. The first task requires the
students to fill in the correct word to complete the statement.
The second task requires them to match the word in column A
with its corresponding meanings in column B.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Organization of Ideas

142
Module 13 (Lesson 2): Africa’s Literary Forms

In this lesson, there are two tasks. The first task requires the
students to identify the appropriate word described in each
item. The second task asks the students to comprehend each
item and answer whether the statement is true or false.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Organization of Ideas

Module 14 (Lesson 1): Negritude Black Movement

In this lesson, there are two tasks. The first task requires the
students to supply the missing term in each statement. The
second task asks the students to answer the following
questions posed about the Negritude Black Movement.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Originality
3. Organization of Ideas
4. Creativity

Module 14 (Lesson 2): African Poetry (Telephone

Conversation)

In this lesson, there are two tasks. The first task asks the
students to comprehend each item and answer whether the
statement is true or false. The second task asks the students
to answer the following questions about the poem “Telephone
Conversation”.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Organization of Ideas
3. Creativity

Module 15 (Lesson 1): African Poetry (Africa)

In this lesson, there are two tasks. The first task asks the
students to comprehend each item and answer whether the
statement is true or false. In addition, they will do a poetry
analysis, in which, they have to answer questions about the
poem, “Africa”. In the second task, they have to create a
mental picture on what they have understood about the
poem.

143
Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Originality
3. Creativity

Module 15 (Lesson 2): African Short Story (Anticipation)

In this lesson, there are two tasks. The first task asks the
students to answer the following questions about the short
story. In the second task, they have to summarize the short
story, “Anticipation” with the use of a flow chart.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Neatness
3. Creativity

Module 16 (Lesson 1): Major African Writers

In this lesson, there are two tasks. The first task asks the
students to answer the crossword puzzle about the famous
African writers. In the second task, they are required to do a
character sketch. In this activity, they have to research on the
writer’s life and works to write a character sketch consisting of
10 to 15 sentences.

Assessment Criteria
Acceptable submission will demonstrate the following:
1. Mastery of Content
2. Neatness
3. Creativity

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