Bungei Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 2 (1963) award
Nobuhiko Matsugi
まつぎ のぶひこ
Matsugi Nobuhiko
Aliases:
眞継 伸彦
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1932-03-18 （Kyoto, Japan）
- Died
- 2016-08-22 age 84
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Kyoto, Japan → Tokyo, Japan → Himeji, Japan → Osaka Prefecture, Japan
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, University professor, Librarian, Proofreader
- Active Years
- 1954-2016
- Affiliations
- Senshu University Library, Sogensha (proofreading, part-time), Aoyama Gakuin University (part-time lecturer), Shibaura Institute of Technology, Momoyama Gakuin University, Himeji Dokkyo University (Professor)
- Memberships
- Literary circle/magazine 'Ningen to shite', Literary circle/magazine 'Shisha'
- Influenced By
- Kazumi Takahashi, Makoto Oda, Sho Shibata, Ken Kaiko
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyoto University | Faculty of Letters | German Literature | 学士 | ～1954年 | Japan |
Kyoto University
Faculty of Letters
/ German Literature
Degree:
学士
Period:
～1954年
Year of Graduation:
1954
Country:
Japan
Moved to Tokyo after graduation and worked as a proofreader before beginning his writing career.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Bungei Prize | Same (Shark) | — | Bungei (Bungei Prize) | 受賞 |
Bungei Prize
1963
Work:
Same (Shark)
Organization:
Bungei (Bungei Prize)
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Same (Shark)
1964 Historical novelA historical novel about a thief who converts to Jōdo Shinshū; it explores religious conversion and the conflicts of faith.
FaithReligionIkkō-ikkiConversion
Adaptations
- [Film] Same (Shark)
Hikaru Koe (The Shining Voice)
1966 NovelA social novel depicting the struggles of a Communist Party cell at a university shaken by Stalinist critique and the Hungarian Uprising; themes include party dynamics and personal suffering.
PoliticsCommunismIntra-party conflictSuffering
Mumyō (Darkness of Ignorance)
1970 NovelA sequel to 'Same', treating the Ikkō-ikki and depicting intersections of history and faith.
HistoryIkkō-ikkiExploration of faith
Shinran
1975 Biographical essayA biographical study of Shinran, the founder of Jōdo Buddhism, examining Buddhist thought and its historical significance.
BuddhismBiographyIntellectual history
Aozora (Blue Sky)
1983 NovelA novel; detailed synopsis is not provided here.
A Life with Go
1980 Essays and game commentariesA collection of essays and game commentaries focusing on Go, reflecting the author's passion for the game and commentary on professional matches.
GoLeisureEssays
Bibliography
- Same (Shark) — Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 1964
- Hikaru Koe (The Shining Voice) — Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 1966
- Behavior of Those Who Have Lost the Future — Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 1967
- Mumyō — Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 1970
- Before the Ominous Signs of Catastrophe — Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 1971
- Collected Works of Nobuhiko Matsugi — Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 1971
- Inner Freedom — Chikuma Shobo, 1972
- Testament of Youth — Chikuma Shobo, 1973
- My Twilight (formerly 'The Death of Katsumi Sugimoto') — Shinchosha, 1973
- Faces Under the Apple Tree — Chikuma Shobo, 1974
- Return to the Abyss — Chikuma Shobo, 1975
- Shinran — Asahi Shimbunsha, 1975
- Seeking a New Religion: What Am I? — Chikuma Shobo, 1975
- The Spirit Facing Darkness — Koso-sha, 1977
- The Heart of Buddhism — Chikuma Shobo, 1979
- A Life with Go — Chikuma Shobo, 1980
- The World of Mumyō — Bunwa Shobo, 1981
- My Rennyo — Chikuma Shobo, 1981
- The Buddha Under the Tree — Chikuma Shobo, 1982
- Blue Sky — Mainichi Shimbunsha, 1983
- There Was a Man — Chikuma Shobo, 1983
- Modern People and Salvation — Chikuma Shobo, 1983
- Light from Beyond Death — Henshuko Noah, 1984
- What Is Youth? Friends, Sports, Reading — Iwanami Junior Shinsho, 1985
- Japanese Buddhism by Sect: People and Teachings 4 — Shogakukan, 1985
- You, Be the Agent of Youth: Record of Kyoto University Football Club's National Victory — Kodansha, 1985
- Fly, Life! A Father's Childcare Diary — Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 1988
- Three Springs of the Heart: Shamanism, Zen Buddhism, Shinran's Jōdo — Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 1989
- The Structure of 'Salvation': Seeking the Place of the Japanese Soul — NHK Books, 1991
Adaptations
- Same (film adaptation; starring Nakamura Kinnosuke; Toei)
Translations by Author
- Collected Letters of Shinran (translation), Tokuma Shoten, 1978
- Complete Translation of Shinran's Works (5 volumes, translation), Hozokan, 1982-1984
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Prose that incorporates religious and philosophical reflectionNarrative style that treats historical events as subject matter
- Recurring Motifs
- Faith and salvationBuddhist thoughtIndividual suffering and redemptionGo and scenes of everyday life
Health
-
Peritonitis1967Underwent surgery and took leave from work; began writing during this period.
-
Acute pneumonia2016-08Died from acute pneumonia.
Legacy
Known for historical novels and biographical works focused on Buddhism and faith, Matsugi's oeuvre spans religious inquiry and socio-political themes. He was also active as a university professor and authored works on the game of Go.
Archives
- National Diet Library (Japan)
- Himeji Dokkyo University Library holdings
In Popular Culture
- Film adaptation of the novel 'Same' (Toei; starring Nakamura Kinnosuke)
Trivia
- His family-registration name uses the older character form '眞繼'.
- Moved to Tokyo in 1954 and worked as a proofreader at Sogensha.
- Worked at the Senshu University library from 1955 and later pursued writing.
- Won the Bungei Prize in 1963 for 'Same'; the novel was adapted into a film.
- An avid Go player, he was known as a strong amateur in literary Go competitions.
- Served as a professor at Himeji Dokkyo University; after being dismissed before retirement he sued and won in September 2005.
- Married Toyoko Matsugi in 1955 and had a daughter in 1962; divorced in 1992 and later remarried.