The role of poetry in prose fiction of the Heian period was shaped throughout history under Chinese influence. This led to its importance in Japanese society and its use not only as stand-alone works, but as significant parts of prose fiction, such as Monogatari and Nikki. The poem greatly reflected its use in social activities, especially in the lives of aristocrats. As society developed, the style of Japanese narrative prose also increased. In other words, the poem served as a testimony to Japanese society assimilating Chinese ideals about literature by creating its own form of narrative prose. The development of Japanese poetry was greatly influenced by the Chinese (Shirane 182, 606). As the Japanese tended to emulate mainland society, they adopted various aspects of Chinese culture. This imitation was not only reflected in their prose, but also in developing social norms – in particular, that poetry was to be highly regarded as a reflection of culture and status and that its meaning was higher than prose (Keene 4-5). Over time, the waka became part of the daily life of the aristocracy. It also played an important role in the interaction between the sexes by bridging the physical separation and acting as the primary means of communication between the two parties (Shirane 113). The important role of the waka in society is the basis for the use of poetry in narrative prose. . In other words, since poetry was part of their daily lives, its importance and constant use in high society cannot help but be reflected in narrative prose. This can be seen in the monogatari and nikki genres. These stories and diaries create stories or tell episodes that reflect Japanese culture. They serve as accounts of the exchanges between... middle of paper... the world's first novel. Poetry during the Heian period was very important in the lives of aristocrats. This was reflected in its heavy use in popular or well-known narrative prose of that time period. There were various changes, such as the increase in female writers and the introduction of new ideas, such as mono no aware. So, although waka traces its roots to Chinese literature, it became a type of poetry in its own right that serves as a resource on Japanese society in the past. Works Cited Keene, Donald. Seeds in the Heart: Japanese Literature from the Early Times to the Late 16th Century. New York: Columbia University Press, 1999.Mills, D.E. “Japanese Poetry.” Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland (1975): 35-53. Shirane, Haruo. Traditional Japanese Literature: An Anthology, From the Beginning to the 1600s. New York: Columbia University Press, 2007.