Taijun Takeda

Taijun Takeda (武田 泰淳, Takeda Taijun, February 12, 1912 - September 5, 1976) was a Japanese novelist active as one of the first post-war generation writers, and a noted authority on Chinese literature.

Biography

Takeda was the second son of a Buddhist priest of the Pure Land Sect, and was raised in a temple. He developed an early interest in both Chinese literature and left-wing politics and, on graduating from high school, he chose to major in Sinology at Tokyo University in 1931. He did not complete his degree, for he withdrew from the university after being arrested for distributing leaflets critical of imperialism, which cost him a month’s imprisonment. However, it was there that he became acquainted with Yoshimi Takeuchi.