Tales, essays and diaries (prose)
Prose means writing in ordinary sentences, not in poem lines. Old prose has three common kinds.
- Tale: a made-up or retold story with characters. Example: old fable collections such as the Panchatantra, or the long court tales of old Japan.
- Essay: short notes on things the writer saw and felt, like seasons, people and small joys.
- Diary: a record of real days, often with the writer's feelings. Some old diaries were written by travellers and court ladies.
Tip: ask "Is there a plot?" Tale: yes. Essay: no, only thoughts. Diary: it follows the writer's own days.
Waka and other short poems
Poetry uses a fixed beat. A waka is an old Japanese poem with 5 lines of 5, 7, 5, 7 and 7 sound units: 31 in all. It is short, so every word matters. Poets use a picture (a moon, a falling leaf) to carry a feeling.
India has short poems too, such as the two-line doha. Both show a big idea in very few words.
Many waka were written to answer a letter or to say what one felt in a season.
Chinese prose and poetry
For many centuries scholars in Japan, Korea and other lands wrote in classical Chinese. The writing is called kanbun (prose) and kanshi (poems) in Japan. A common short poem has 4 lines of 5 characters (or 7). It follows rules of rhythm and pairing. Chinese-style prose includes histories, letters and wise sayings.
To read it, Japanese students add small marks that show the order in which to read the characters. That is why this family needs different reading skills from the other two.
Try it
Write your own 5-7-5-7-7 poem about today's weather. Tap the blocks in the 3D to check your counts. Then write 3 lines of a diary for today and 3 lines of an essay about the same weather. Notice how the three families feel different.
Key formulas and definitions
- Prose = tale + essay + diary (sentences)
- Waka = 5 + 7 + 5 + 7 + 7 = 31 sound units
- Short Chinese-style poem = 4 lines × 5 (or 7) characters
- Tale = story, essay = thoughts, diary = days
Worked examples
1. A text describes a lady's journey day by day and says how she felt each evening. Which kind of prose is it?
A diary. It follows real days and feelings in order.
2. A poem has 5 lines. The sound units are 5, 7, 5, 7, 7. What is it called and how many units in all?
It is a waka. 5 + 7 + 5 + 7 + 7 = 31 sound units.
3. A short text of 4 lines with 5 Chinese characters each is found in an old scholar's papers. Which family is it?
Chinese-style poetry (kanshi). The 4 × 5 shape is the clue.
Common mistakes
- Thinking all old writing is poetry. Tales, essays and diaries are prose.
- Mixing up the waka count. It is 5-7-5-7-7, not 5-7-5.
- Thinking Chinese-style writing was only written in China. Scholars in other lands used it too.
- Saying an essay has a plot. An essay shares thoughts; a tale has the plot.