The Use of Tsuiku Literary Technique with Opposite Items in Hōjōki

Abstract

Hōjōki is a famous Japanese literature written in the year 1212 by Kamo no Chōmei. The first half of this work reflects the impermanence of life through narrating various disasters such as fires, storms, famine, and earthquakes. The latter half describes the tranquility of monastic life and the ascetic lifestyle. The purpose of this research is to study and analyze what the author intends to convey through the use of tsuiku literary technique, which involves juxtaposing opposites in Hōjōki. Tsuiku is a technique where two contrasting things are arranged in similar complex sentences to create a melodious rhythm and to emphasize or compare the two things mentioned. From the study, it is found that the authors often juxtapose two contrasting things with tsuiku to emphasize what they want to convey in the story, which is the image of the hardships of life on this earth. This is also to link to what the author wants to suggest at the end of the story about the lifestyle that helps to avoid those hardships, which is the ascetic lifestyle just like the author himself.