TITLE:
A Study on the Washu Problem from the Perspective of Comparative Chinese and Japanese Han Poetry: Taking “Setsugekka” (Snow, Moon, and Flowers) as an Example
AUTHORS:
Hansong Zhang, Tao Zhai
KEYWORDS:
Comparative Study of Chinese and Japanese Literature, Japanese Han Poetry, Washu, Setsugekka, Cultural Reception
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.14 No.6,
June
29,
2026
ABSTRACT: Against the background of comparative studies of Chinese and Japanese Han poetry, this study focuses on the issue of Washu (Japanese stylistic idiosyncrasies in Chinese-language poetic composition) and takes the Setsugekka (Snow, Moon, and Flowers) imagery as its core analytical object. It examines the reception of Chinese classical poetry in Japanese Han poetry and the creative innovations that emerged alongside the process of localization. The study first clarifies that “Washu” refers to the phenomenon where Japanese literati integrated their native cultural norms, modes of thinking, and linguistic habits into their Chinese-language poetry creation. Its essence is not expressive deficiency or misinterpretation, but rather the active construction of cultural subjectivity and creative transformation by Japanese literati. In terms of research methodology, this paper comprehensively employs four approaches: textual analysis, historical textual criticism, cross-cultural comparison, and cultural interpretation. It conducts a comparative investigation into the usage patterns and differences of the “Setsugekka” imagery in representative poetic works from both China and Japan. The findings reveal that in Chinese Han poetry, “snow”, “moon”, and “flowers” are independent and scattered lyrical images with multiple functions. In contrast, in Japanese Han poetry, these three elements gradually merged and evolved into a holistic aesthetic symbol. Furthermore, the “Setsugekka” imagery in Japanese Han poetry embodies the connotations of traditional Japanese aesthetics represented by Mono no aware (the pathos of transience) and Yugen (profound subtlety and mystery), achieving a qualitative transformation from “functional imagery” to “essential symbol”. Based on the above analysis, this study demonstrates that “Washu” embodies Japan’s cultural strategy of Wakon Kansai (Japanese spirit with Chinese learning) and constitutes a conscious creative innovation in the localization process of Japanese Han poetry. The research findings provide a new analytical framework of “Imagery-Washu-Cultural Subjectivity” for cross-cultural literary studies. Meanwhile, they offer practically valuable insights into the significance of “locality” and the mechanisms of localization in the international dissemination of Chinese culture.