Final answer:
The claim that Heian literature was mostly produced by and for the masses is false. It was predominantly the creation of the aristocratic elite, and its content usually focused on the lives and interests of this group, while largely ignoring or marginalizing the common people.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that Heian literature was mostly produced by and for the masses is false. Heian literature, including works such as 'The Tale of Genji', was crafted primarily by the courtly aristocracy, for a similarly elite audience. The literature from the Heian period was characteristically produced by the literate elite, often women of the court, who used their training in arts and script-writing to document their life and times. The popular subjects in Heian literature were the aristocrats themselves, and the common people were seldom mentioned, if at all, except in a dismissive or objectifying manner. The culture of this period was quite insular, particularly among the Hei'an elite, who were influential in producing and consuming literature. In addition, the advent of katakana and hiragana scripts bolstered the accessibility of writing among the aristocratic class, leading to a flourishing of literary works, which rarely, if ever, reflected the masses' perspective.