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VPL - Classics of Asian Literatures

This is a selection of classics of Asian literatures, excluding Chinese literary classics. There will be a separate list on classics of Chinese literature.

Vancouver Public Library

19 items

  • The Arabian Nights

    Tales of 1001 Nights

    Legend has it that beautiful Scheherazade saved her life by telling these stories to King Shahryār and keeping him spellbound for 1,001 nights. Also known as Arabian Nights, this is a world-renowned collection stories with roots in Arabic,…
    BookLondon ; New York : Penguin, 2010. — 398.20956 A65Ly
  • Dating as far back as the 8th century CE, this is a famous compilation of epic stories of the nomadicTurks, all linked by legendary soothsayer Dede (Grandfather) Korkut.
    BookAustin, University of Texas Press [1972] — 894.358 K62b
  • This collection of humorous stories about greed is a perennial classic of Arabic literature. Schoolmasters, singers, and scribes are among the many groups of people ridiculed for their greedy behaviour.
    BookReading : Center for Muslim Contribution to Civilization : Garnet Publishing, 1997. — 892.73 A41b
  • The birds of the world must cross seven valleys in order to find the mythical Persian bird Simorgh in this celebrated example of Persian poetry and Sufi literature. The poem also serves as a “parable” of an individual’s quest for God’s…
    BookNew York : Interlink Books, 2003. — 891.551 A88m3
  • The Essential Haiku

    Versions of Basho, Buson, and Issa

    The very short poetic form of haiku, originating in 9th century Japan, is a unique way of looking at the physical world and discovering the deeper nature of existence itself. This is a selection of haiku by three celebrated masters.
    BookHopewell, N.J. : Ecco Press, c1994. — 895.6108 E78h
  • The Fatal Rumour

    a Nineteenth-century Indian Novel

    Rajam Aiyar, B. R., 1872-1898
    A fast-moving family saga offering a unique glimpse into late nineteenth century India. One of the earliest novels written in Tamil.
    BookDelhi ; New York : Oxford University Press, 1998. — 894.8113 A33a
  • Gilgamesh

    a New English Version

    This Babylonian epic dating back to 2000 BCE follows king Gilgamesh in his quest for immortality.
    BookNew York : Free Press, c2004. — 892.1 G47mi
  • The Hundred Thousand Songs

    of Milarepa; the Life-story and Teaching of the Greatest Poet-saint Ever to Appear in the History of Buddhism

    Mi-la-ras-pa, 1040-1123
    These mystical songs by 11th century Tibetan yogi and poet Milarepa are gems of Tibetan sacred literature and a perennial source of beauty, inspiration, and deep significance.
    BookNew Hyde Park, N.Y., University Books [1962] — 294.3 M63h
  • The Mahābhārata

    An Abridged Translation

    An ancient epic from India, The Mahabharata is known as the longest poem ever written. It tells the tale of the struggle of two dynasties for the throne of Hastinapura.
    BookLondon : Penguin Books, 2009. — 294.592 M214s
  • Pancatantra

    the Book of India's Folk Wisdom

    An influential and famous collection of animal fables from ancient India. The original Sanskrit work, based on oral tradition, dates back to the 3rd century BCE.
    BookNew York : Oxford University Press, 1997. — 891.2 P188o
  • The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon

    the Diary of a Courtesan in Tenth Century Japan

    Sei Shōnagon, approximately 967-
    This diary of court lady Sei Shōnagon is a classic of Japanese literature. The reader gets a glimpse not only into her personal thoughts and opinions, but also into the court life of late 10th and early 11th century Japan.
    BookTokyo ; Rutland, Vt. : Tuttle Pub., c2011. — 895.68 S45p6
  • The Ramayana of Valmiki

    An Epic of Ancient India

    Vālmīki
    The fascinating journey of Rama to rescue his wife Sita from King Ravana. Beyond telling the story of Rama, this great epic of Hindu literature explores human values and the concept of dharma.
    BookPrinceton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, c1984-<c2009 > — 891.2 R16g
  • Persian poet and philosopher Omar Khayyám examines the transience of all things in this collection of his famous four-line poems.
    BookOxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2009. — 891.5 O54r38
  • Kabir was a 15th century Indian poet and mystic. His poems, translated to English by Rabindranath Tagore, are works of “marvelous radiant intensity,” inspired by the philosophies of both Sufism and Hinduism.
    BookNew York : New York Review Books, c2011. — 891.431 K11so
  • Spring Essence

    the Poetry of Ho Xuan Huong

    Hồ, Xuân Hương
    Woman poet Ho Xuan Huong (1772-1822) is a cultural symbol of Vietnam. Her poems are irreverent and at times shockingly erotic for her time.
    BookPort Townsend, WA : Copper Canyon Press, c2000. — 895.9221 H67s
  • A masterpiece of Japanese literature from early 11th century, often considered “the world’s first modern novel.” Written by the noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu, the novel offers a unique glimpse into the life of high courtiers of that time.
    BookTokyo ; Rutland, Vt. : Tuttle Pub., c2010. — 895.63 M97g6
  • Compiled of different oral tales, this medieval Japanese epic tells of the struggle between the Taira and Minamoto clans for control of Japan at the end of the 12th century CE.
    BookNew York : Viking, 2012. — 895.63 H46ty
  • The adventures of Prince Samuttakote and his princess as they tour the heavenly realms with a magic sword. This epic, the work of three different poets of the 17th and 18th centuries, is teeming with Thai legends from the human, natural,…
    BookAthens, Ohio : Ohio University Center for International Studies, 1993. — 895.911 H81t
  • This long poem of 50,000 lines in Persian by Sufi saint and poet Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī (1207-1273) is considered a masterpiece of religious literature and illustrates the main themes of Sufi mystical life.
    BookRichmond, Surrey, [England] : Curzon Press, 1993. — 891.553 J26t