As in most societies, as time progresses, there will always be many changes. Likewise, as Japan entered the medieval period, changes would occur, particularly in some notable changes found in literature. In examining how prose and poetry were affected in this era, it is worth noting that in many ways the literature of this period was intended as a method of honoring ancient literature and building beyond of her. An example can be seen in the poems of Shinkokinshū, and in a drawing by Kokinshū, Shinkokin waka shū is a "New collection of ancient and modern poems" (document 10). That being said, Shinkokinshū was compiled exactly 300 years after Kokinshū's initial compilation, thus making Shinkokinshū an anniversary collection that would also draw inspiration from the original works. Shinkokinshū shows that it contains parts that draw heavily from the past, but also works from the modern period. As for the prose, there were some visible language changes between some examples. Descriptions of residences and daily life will always vary from person to person, as seen in Sei Shōnagon's The Pillow Book with its descriptions of life in the imperial court and in the very different An Account of My Kamo no Chōmei hut and its description. of a very different world seen by the humble Buddhist monk. The two stories were also written approximately 200 years apart, allowing for significant societal changes between the writings, in addition to the difference in the lifestyles of the respective authors. These examples are only a small representation of the changes that occurred in Japanese literature, particularly in poetry and prose during the medieval period, ...... middle of paper ......s that the two have building on the previous one. works from earlier periods. The most obvious example is that of Kokinshū and Shinkokinshū and their relationships. There are many aspects of the works that are similar, and quite possibly the same, but there are innovations and changes that are very visible in these works as they progress through time. The most notable innovation, which is also found in zuhitsu, concerns structural changes. The best examples are the use of the x-no-y-no-z pattern and the taigendome found in Shinkokinshū as they stand out very clearly and are consistent and divided into groups and sections in the structure between the two zuhitsus . With all art forms, there will be changes and innovations as they evolve. Even if they ultimately don't look like their predecessors, they will represent the survival of art and honor it in their own way..