orientalism- vision, essentializes, synchronic (same over time)

Post orientalism- narrative, historicizes, diachronic (changes over time)

monolingual nation-state- everyone spoke the same language, everyone same ethnic group, live in same place; an attempt to homogenize; goal → culture that was easy to control, unified, homogenous

qui bono- what benefits?

nihojinron- theories of japanese uniqueness

synchronic- transhistorical

japonisme- japanese craze (esp. art and design) in the west (19th century); impressionism seen as exotic and quaint

1950’s and 60’s

• interested in japan as exteriority to or alternative to the west

• saw japan as offering an alternative to what was perceived as the west’s rigid conformity, mercenary materialism, and logocentric rationality

• japan offered an exteriority to all this through essentialisms about japanese lack of materialism, japanese distrust of logic, zen transmission of knowledge without relying on language

• therefore tended to focus on formal or traditional aspects of japanese culture

1970s and 80s

• bubble economy

• western interest shifted to things that fostered Japan’s economic success: management practices, business culture, math education, etc.

• focus was mainly on structural elements that related to the economy (labor laws, govt. investment in industry, management techniques, etc.); interest in traditional culture waned

1990s-present

• bubble collapse

• western interest shifts to japanese pop culture, especially manga, anime, and video games

• why?? none of the usual cultural curators, either in japan or the west, were interested in this

• now part of cool japan campaign by the ministry of foreign affairs, contributes to japan’s soft power

• mukokusei

• interest shifting to modernized, westernized, urbanized, consumer japan? still developing

Meiji Restoration

sakoku- closed country (never fully complete)

Commodore Matthew Perry- fired off canons in Tokyo bay (american)

extra territoriality- foreigners have the right to be tried in their own justice system

most favorite nation status-

sonno joi- revere the emperor, expell the barbarians (westerners)

meiji restoration (1868)- beginning of modern japan; restored power to emperor

meiji period (1868-1912)- westernization and modernization of japan; period of meiji emperor’s reign

bunmai kaika- civilization and enlightenment

ittokoku- first-rate nations (colonizer nations); had great culture, monolingual

shosetsu- prose fiction/novel

Language

Japanese SOV (subject object verb) vs English SVO (subjectverbobject)

pronunciation- string of syllables together; made of simple syllables (vowels or consonant+vowel); consonant and vowel glides; long vowels indicated by macron (line over)

5 writing systems:

1. english alphabet

2. arabic numerals

3. kanji

4. hiragana

5. katakana

Kanji- ideographs; each one represents an idea rather than a sound; chinese characters→represents chinese words and japanese words with the same meaning

Katakana-all writing came to japan from china, at first it was hard to understand all the chinese so scribes wrote kanji next to words to show pronunciation;simplified by writing one part of the guide kanji→katakana

Japanese language used for: poetry & those who could not read/write chinese due to lack of education

keigo- respect language; longer phrase=more polite

kyotsugo- common language

genbunichi- unification of speech and writing; promoted vernacular writing; classical japanese sometimes used like shakespearean english

post-war reforms- kanji was simplified; kana spelling was updated to spell based on pronunciation

-END OF LANGUAGE SECTION-

geography- mountainous; japan must import most materials; in the ring of fire

Jomon period- cable pottery, stone tools, doggu statues, holes in the ground show dwellings, watch tower, trade networks, planted chestnuts/hunted/gathered

Yayoi period- yayoi people married jomon people, metal tools, agriculture→rice cultivation, weaving, wheel-turned pottery, 3 kingdoms period in china (yamatai ruled by himiko)

kofun period-large burial mounds; honi wa clay figures; ise shrine; uji; matrilocal- lived in mother’s house; matrilineal- property passed from mother → daughter; kojiki-showed all clan’s gods working under 1 leader god; shinto- religion; izanami and izanagi; ameterasu; susano-o- sun; ninij- grandson of susano-o; jinmu- first emperor of japan; jinji (divine treasures, imperial regalia)- mirror, string of magatama beads, sword kusanagi

4 noble truths:

1. life is suffering

2. all phenomenon are impermanent; attachment is what makes us suffer

3. freeing ourselves from attachment can end suffering

4. following the eightfold path of moral precepts allows us to free ourselves from attachments to impermanent things

mujo- impermanence

mahayana (save people- divine power) vs. hinaya (self) (therevada)- 2 schools of bhuddist thought

bodhissatva- escaped reincarnation cycle, have bhudda powers, prayed to

“theater-state”- temples, bronze statues

taika reforms- imperial supremacy over dueling clans; china-inspired; provinces, ruled by governors; formal taxation system; ritsuryo system - japanese law code; only men allowed in govt.; rank came with estates; matrilineal (everything else) and patrilineal system (money-making estates); more formal marriages: son’s fathers → identifiable

Nara period:

Manyoshu- first collection of poetry in the japanese language

manyogana- uses chinese characters; special writing system

matsaraoburi (manliness) vs. tawayameburi (femininity/passiveness)

heian period-seat of emperor until Meiji period

• literacy; hiragana -court culture

• aristocrats married daughters to emperor ↳ daughters had ladies in waiting

• educated to be "interesting"

• not expected to read/write Chinese regency-rules in place of emperor (grandfathers rule in boy's place) Fujiwara clan-good at becoming regents

• forced off thrown very young insei system-retired emperor program

• power went to retired emperors after maturation regents vs. retired emperor decline in imperial power military responsibilities → warrior clans

• yamato-e-highly stylized characters (eye dash hooknose)

• use of clouds ♀-see-through roofs {tendai-lotus Sutra; unifier of bhuddism

• Shingon- esoteric rituals → magic powers ↳ Yama bushi-mountain aesthetics

• honjisuijaku-Shinto gods = bhuddas kokinshñ-first collection of poetry commissioned by emperor

• only Kokinshu topics were seen as serious (same w vocab)

• woman encouraged to participate

• waka-5.7.57.7 syllables

• kanajo-Kana preface to Kokinshu

  ↳ human heart = basis of poetry

• poetry = songs of humans

• First expression of japanese poetics imitate-confusing visuals with Other things

• elegant confusion (ex. plum blossoms being confused with snow)

• joryñ nikki literature-woman's of diary literature

• written for an audience

• insights on how people lived &-felt

• vernacular Sei Shona gon-lady in waiting

• Author of pillow book

• Pillow book-knew it would be read by others

  • uses mostly nouns; terse language

  • influenced a bunch of people

  • many did not approve of her wit O Kashi-quirky aesthetic ↳ Sei Shona gun's aesthetic

TALE OF GENJI genji Monogatari-very important

• "world's first novel"

• delves into emotions of characters; internal life

• written for women by women

• read aloud for salon audience

• men read it as well; scribes copied & distributed

• Murasaki Shikibu-woman author

  v v

  main character dad's office

• possibly inspired by husband's death

• hikaru genji-super hard to read; annotations added

• shining imperial → commoner

• liminal hero (imperial, but not emperor)

• confront chaos & extends imperial rule

• hitOgata-person substitute

  ↳ found substitutes for people he lost

• Murasaki no yukari- lavender

• Naka no Shina-middle ranks of women

  ↳ highborn women who fall/ low born women who rise

• Mononoke-spirit possession → causing illnesses mono no aware-pathos (sad)

HEIKE STORY

Shoen-tax free estate

land = income

↳ people converted land to Shoen

governors-low/mid rank

Shoen owners-high rank

Shiki-rights to income from the land

↳ sort of like stocks

12th century → only 10% of land was central govt.'s Samara i-"those who serve" → those who rule

↳ began rebelling & emperor enlisted help of other clans taira (heike) vs. Minamoto (genji)

v aristocratic v rougher

taira-west, ships/boats men

Minamoto-east, horseback

genpei-major civil war in japan (1180-1185) end of AI emperial rule (samurai rule)

tale of Heike_ "Japan's IIliad"; heike brought down by hubris

biwa hoshi-lute priest/monk; usually blind but not always

Chin Kon-calming the souls of the dead

Taira no Kiyomori-very prideful and tyrannical Minamoto no yoritomo-Minamoto leader

Minamoto no Yoshitsune-younger half brother; brilliant general; betrayed by his brother ichi no tani-turning point in the war; descending mountain/steep slope dan no ura-emperor drowned himself with nun of the 2nd rank; final battle (most people think the sword was lost at this point)

Kamakura era (1185-1333)- Stronger emphasis on religion: Buddhism spreads to the common people, imperial aristocrats still control much of the land but political power is shifting towards a samurai-controlled government.

Shogun Bakufu- Military government of the Samurai as opposed to the imperial government

Wako- Japanese pirates; preyed on shipping in the seas between Japan, China, and Korea; hard to control Mongol invasions (1274, 1281)- Occurred during the Kamakura era; vast armies were sent to Japan on two separate occasions but were killed by typhoons (kamikaze).

Kamikaze- The "divine wind" which killed tens of thousands of Mongol soldiers during their attempted invasion of Japan; Considered supernatural intervention

Seppuku- Committing suicide by cutting open one's own abdomen; Believed to make up for some transgression.

Zen- phenomenon are impermanent and everything we see is just a product of our diluted minds

Non-duality- Distinctions between phenomenon are illusions as are the phenomenon themselves

Koan- A Zen riddle, seemingly paradoxical impossible riddles meant to get people to stop thinking about dualities

Nichiren- Declared that the Lotus Sutra alone contains the highest truth of Buddhist teachings suited for the Third Age of Buddhism, insisting that the Sovereign of Japan and its people should support only this form of Buddhism and eradicate all others

Pure Land- Most prevalent, popular form of Buddhism in Japan; believed it's nearly impossible for most people to practice Buddhism in day-to-day life, so achieving a good rebirth is pretty much impossible; must rely on the power of the Buddha Amida

Amida- Buddha who welcomes all who seek salvation, to be reborn in the Pure Land

Nenbutsu- Recitation of Amida's name

Mappo- Last era of Buddhist law; One cannot achieve enlightenment on his own, youl must rely on the power of Amida; Age of degenerate law and corruption

Kamo no chomei- a Japanese author, poet, and essayist; witnessed a series of natural and social disasters, and, having lost his political backing, was passed over for promotion within the Shinto shrine associated with his family

Hojoki- Höjöki, variously translated as An Account of My Hut or The Ten Foot Square Hut, is an important and popular short work of the early Kamakura period in Japan by Kamo no Chomei, Idea was that if houses are impermanent, might as well just live in a hut so as you don't get attached to it. Author ultimately fails to live up to his own religious ideals

Warring States period (1467-1590)- characterized by warfare, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation

Daimyo- Became major political force following the Warring States period

Joka machi- Castle towns, Japan was considered the most urbanized country in the 15th century

Chonin- Townspeople/ urban commoners

Gekokujo- Characteristic spirit of the age: the low conquers the high

Ashikaga Xoshimitsu- Third shogun, reign characterized by stability and not much warfare; Sponsored the arts

No (Noh)- Acting troops that survive up until the present day; Sponsored by Yoshimitsu

Zeami- Actor/play write: established No/Noh

Xugen- Mystery in depth; Mood/aesthetic feature of Noh

Oda Nobunaga- Japanese daimyo and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period;"Great Unifier" of Japan; Capable administrator, but a pretty horrible person, putting women, children, and monks to death

Toyotomi Hideyoshi- Commoner who rose up through the ranks of Nobunaga's army, would eventually fully unify the country around 1590

Azuchi-Momoyama period (1573-1600)- Also called Momovama Period, (1574 - 1600), in Japanese history, age of political unification under the daimyo Oda Nobunaga and his successor Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who finally brought all provinces under the control of the central government

Koku- Measure of rice, about how much rice an adult would consumer in a year; Standard agricultural measure, a samurai's stipend was a certain amount of koku per year

The Korean invasions (1592, 1597)- Hundreds of thousands of samurai sent to Korea and rampaged throughout the land, but in the end with Hideyoshi's untimely death the campaign was cancelled with no gains or victory. Generally not studied as a watershed moment in Japanese history but caused famine and plague in Korea where nearly 1 million people died. Katana-gari (1588)- "Sword hunt." Confiscation of all swords among commoners by Hideyoshi in an effort to limit their power in uprooting him

The 4 Ps:

Patriarchal- A male head of household is in charge of the household and conducts its business

Patrilineal- Property is passed down from father to son

Patrilocal- When a new couple gets married, they move in at the groom's house where his father lives

Primogeniture- Eldest son inherits everything

Wabi-sabi- A world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection; appreciating beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete" in nature; prevalent throughout all forms of Japanese art; Characterized as the "Japanese aesthetic" but doesn't tell the whole story

Chanoyu/Chado- Highly-formal ritualized tea ceremony which became popular in the late-Medieval period; Ideally took place in a tea-house of simple, unfinished construction;used to show his wealth, such as Hideyoshi's mobile golden tea room

Tokugawa Ieyasu- daimyo (2nd most powerful) battle of Sekigahara - 200K Samurai (1600)

edo period aka tokugawa period

• named after capital city

• early modern period

• development of printing & wood block printing ↳ commoners are now involved; literacy rate increase

• money economy & assembly lines

• celebrity culture ukiyo-the floating world ↳ Urban consumerism sank in Kota i-alternate attendance

• half time spent @capital

• Family left in Edo

• baku-han system-

• Shino KO Sho system (hereditary)

• Shi-samurai

• no-Farmers

• ko- craftsmen

• Sho-merchants

• hinin-' 'non people", criminals, prostitutes, etc.

• x eta/Obara Kumin_ "full of filth'', butchers, executioners, etc.

• bunbu - swordsmen & literate

• Kiri suite go men-the right to cut down a commoner at any time for any offense (& justify it early)

• Sakoku-closed country

• ryo - small gold piece

• licensed quarters-brothels allowed by govt. → fantasy land

  courtesans- geisha prostitutes; entertainment,-refined

• usually bought from parents at a young age

• can be bought by a wealthy customer; "ransom med" Ihara Sai Kaku - commoner author of "life of a sensuous man"

• money made from poetry

  ukiyo zoShi-books of the floating world

• mass-market paperback

• parody of tale of genji

• moral that has nothing to do with story

bunraku- puppet theater hingyo-joruri - chanting + puppet theater biwa replaced by shamisen -3 Strings, louder, upbeat, portable Chi Komatsu Monza em on - "japan's Shakespeare"; author of love suicide

• samurai family

• sewamono-realistic/relatable characters

• shinju-love suicide; major edo period theme

• giri us. ninjo-duty us. emotion

• Hai Kai-linked verse w expanded topics & vocab

  ^ favored by commoners

• hokku-first verse of Hai Kai session

• 

Matsuo basho- came from samurai household

• hai Kai master; travelling teacher

• elevated in Meiji

  ga us. zoku-high/elegant vs low/Vulgar

  neo-confucianism-everyone behaves morally → everything's good

  5 cardinal relationships

• lord ← subject

• parent-child

• husband ← wife

• elder sibling ← younger sibling

• elder friend ← younger friend

  filial piety-

  mandate of heaven-leaders divinely chosen terokoiya-temple school; education for commoners

  Ukio-é - pictures of the floating world;multicolored prints

  hokusai-the big wave; landscapes- Mt. Fuji hiroshige-stations on tokkaido road; light & dark

kabuki- 2nd half of Edo period

• actors = celebrities but considered non-people

• Originally preformed by prostitutes but female p reformers were banned

• same w. boys on nagata-female impersonators hana michi-entrance & exit through the audience Mie-dramatic poses

• show drama/emotional intensity

• Often woodblock prints wa goto-gentle acting style; Kyoto arago to-rough acting style ↳ characters often commoners; resistance against Sammurai

• edokko-child of Edo; tough & brash; commoners took on Sammurai values

Tsu- being cool in the quarters; having rizz; romantic ideals; knowledgeable about pleasure quarters

Sammurai were like virtuous & wise → so actual Sammurai were not upholding the Sammurai values

fixing finances

kansei reforms

igaku no kin-prohibition on heterodoxy tempo reform-censored books, Outlawed kabuki & bunga Ku, only Confucian texts allowed

monetary debasement - reforging coins with less valuable metal; caused inflation

compulsory debt forgiveness-merchants forced to forget Sammurai debts

land reclamation-open up new land to cultivation/agriculture

ikki- peasant uprising

• always crushed but sometimes successful

• Usually against a specific corrupt daimyo ranga KU-rangaku- western learning

• Only Dutch allowed

• art + ideas (esp. scientific advancements)

Kiyoshi -yellow cover picture books

• written almost entirely in hiragana

• not for kids but stated that it's for kids Santo kyoden- comedy genius of late Edo period ugachi-hole digging; poking holes in ; satirical mode; pointing out contradictions SAKOKU-closed country (gate keep & girl boss moment

• never absolute; ideas still got in Commodore Matthew Perry-showed up w a small fleet of black ships

• wanted japan to reopen borders black ships-modern warships w cannons & Stuff Shishi-Sam Murai; members of outside domain

• rebelled against daimyo Choshu domain-defeated entire army of bakfcl → end of bakfu Satsuma domain-