Mumyōzōshi (無名草子; literally "nameless book") is an early 13th-centuryJapanese text. One volume in length, it is the oldest existing Japanese text on proseliterary criticism.^[1] The author is unknown, but the leading candidate proposed isShunzei's Daughter.^[2] Other candidates who have been proposed include her maternal grandfather,Shunzei himself, and themonk Jōgaku (上覚).^[3]

One manuscript gives the title asKenkyū Monogatari (建久物語),^[1] a reference to thename of the era in which it was written. Composition occurred between 1200 and 1202.^[4]

The author is unknown. Hypotheses includeFujiwara no Shunzei (c. 1114 -1204); his granddaughter, often called "Shunzei's Daughter" (c. 1171 - 1252); Jōkaku (1147-1226); andShikishi Naishinnō (1149-1201); but strongest support is for Shunzei's daughter.^[1][4]

The volume is composed of four distinct sections: a preface, literary criticism, poetic criticism, and a discussion on prominent literary women.

The preface introduces an 83-year-old woman on a trip. She stops to rest at a house, where she writes down the conversation of a group of women talking about literature, creating aframe tale excuse to write the volume. The frame tale itself has many elements frommonogatari of the time.^[5]

The literary criticism covers 28 stories, includingGenji Monogatari,Sagoromo Monogatari (ja),Yoru no Nezame,Hamamatsu Chūnagon Monogatari, andTorikaebaya Monogatari. The others mostly do not exist anymore.^[1][4][6]

For poetic criticism, it coversIse Monogatari,Yamato Monogatari,Man'yōshū, and private andimperial collections. The editor laments the lack of women compilers in the collections.^[1][4][6]

It then goes on to discuss the ability and upbringing of a number of prominent women:Ono no Komachi,Sei Shōnagon,Izumi Shikibu,Akazome Emon,Murasaki Shikibu and others.^[1][4][6]

The text is particularly valuable as a resource, since it includes descriptions of a number of either completely or partially lost texts.^[1]

• Fūyō Wakashū, a collection of poetry from various literary sources, many of which are no longer extant

• Hayashiya, Tatsusaburō (1973).Nihon Shisō Taikei 23: Kodai Chūsei Geijutsuron (in Japanese).Iwanami Shoten.ISBN 4-00-070023-5.
• Marra, Michele (1984). "Mumyōzōshi: Introduction and Translation".Monumenta Nipponica.39 (2):115–145.doi:10.2307/2385013.JSTOR 2385013.
• Kubota, Jun (2007).Iwanami Nihon Koten Bungaku Jiten [Iwanami Dictionary of Japanese Classical Literature] (in Japanese). Tokyo:Iwanami Shoten.ISBN 978-4-00-080310-6.OCLC 122941872.
• Nihon Koten Bungaku Daijiten: Kan'yakuban [A Comprehensive Dictionary of Classical Japanese Literature: Concise Edition].Tōkyō:Iwanami Shoten. 1986.ISBN 4-00-080067-1.OCLC 22820487.

• Marra, Michele (translator) (Summer 1984). "Mumyozoshi. Introduction and Translation".Monumenta Nipponica.39 (2).Sophia University:115–145.doi:10.2307/2385013.JSTOR 2385013.{{cite journal}}:|first= has generic name (help)
• Marra, Michele (translator) (Autumn 1984). "Mumyozoshi, Part 2".Monumenta Nipponica.39 (3). Sophia University:281–305.doi:10.2307/2384595.JSTOR 2384595.{{cite journal}}:|first= has generic name (help)
• Marra, Michele (translator) (Winter 1984). "Mumyozoshi, Part 3".Monumenta Nipponica.39 (4). Sophia University:409–434.doi:10.2307/2384574.JSTOR 2384574.{{cite journal}}:|first= has generic name (help)

• Early Middle Japanese texts
• Monogatari
• Books of literary criticism
• Works of unknown authorship
• Japanese literary criticism

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Articles containing Japanese-language text
• CS1 Japanese-language sources (ja)
• CS1 errors: generic name