History 371 syllabus

History 371

Medieval and Early Modern Japan

Fall 2007

revised December 1, 2007

Time: Tuesday and Thursday 1:00-2:15

Place: Candler 114

Instructor: Mark Ravina

The great actor Ichikawa Ebizo IV as portrayed by Sharaku c. 1795

Office hrs:

http://www.emory.edu/HISTORY/RAVINA/

Tuesday 2:30-3:30 and Wednesday 11:00 to 12:00

115 Bowden Hall

727-4025

mark.ravina@emory.edu

Overview:

This course will examine Japan from prehistory through the early 1800s. This was the era in which much of "traditional" Japanese culture was developed: samurai, geisha, sushi, ninja, Zen meditation, etc. Our focus will be on the production, dissemination, and reproduction of these cultural and political practices. This course spans over two millenia, so we will cover some issues in a cursory fashion. An advantage of this approach, however, is that we can examine both how events were experienced and recalled: in other words, we can explore how events become history.

Grading:

Grades will be based on an in-class midterm (October 23) (15%), a take-home midterm (November 1 through November 6) (20%), a take-home final (December 6 through December 11) (25%) and an in-class final exam (Tuesday, December 18 from 4:30 P.M. - 7:00 P.M) (25%) and class-participation (15%). Both take-home exams should be roughly five double-spaced typed pages. For the grading of the take-home exams see http://www.emory.edu/HISTORY/RAVINA/grades.html . The in-class exams must be written in a bluebook. I assume no responsibility for exams written on loose-leaf paper, lunch bags, or anything other than bluebooks. I do not take attendance except to confirm the class roll. I do, however, ask qustions of students in class. Good answers are better than bad answers, which are, in turn, substantially better than no answer because you slept in. Pleasant dreams.

There is a supplemental web page to this class at http://www.emory.edu/HISTORY/RAVINA/PROJECT/Index.html. Please refer to the relevant pages.

Please be aware that I cannot give extensions with authorization from the dean's office. Even if I believe your excuse, the computer will score INC as an F without a dean's signature.

Pronunciation:

Vowels in Japanese are pronounced as in Italian. Hence uomo, pasta, prego and bambino should get you through most words. Alternately,

a as in father

e as in et cetera

i as in beet

o as in note

u as in boot

Vowels with macrons are lengthened, but otherwise remain unchanged. This is an important distinction: shojo means "virgin’" while shoojo (shöjo) means "little girl’" and shoojoo (shöjö) means, depending on context, the symptoms of a disease or an orangutan. Also important is the distinction between adviser (komon) and rectum (kömon).

Japanese family names come first. Thus, Itö Hirobumi is Mr. Itö, not Mr. Hirobumi.

Romanized Japanese follows standard capitalization rules. Capitalize only proper nouns. Do not arbitrarily capitalize "Samurai," or "Emperor."

Readings:

Some of the readings are availalbe as PDF files and there are links to most of these texts. Readings marked with "+" are more advanced and should be read after the primary readings.

The following books are available at the bookstore.

REQUIRED:
Walthall, Japan: A Cultural, Social, and Political History
Lu, Japan: A Documentary History

De Bary et. al., Sources of Japanese Tradition, Volume I

Donald Keene, trans. Chüshingura: The Treasury of Loyal Retainers
Hall, Japan from Prehistory to Modern Times

SCHEDULE

Introduction 8/30

Jömon, Yayoi and Kofun (9/4)

Walthall, Japan: A Cultural, Social, and Political History, 1-23

Hall, Japan from Prehistory to Modern Times, pp. 1-47

Lu, Japan: A Documentary History, pp. 3-20.

especially Kojiki, pp. 5-11; Wei chih, pp. 11-14; Engishiki, pp. 17-20.

De Bary, et. al., Sources of Japanese Tradition, I: 3-39

especially Wei chih, pp. 4-8; Kojiki, pp. 15-16, 21-23, 25-27; Nihongi (or Nihon shoki), pp. 13-15, 20-21, 24-25, 28-29; and Izumo no kuni fudoki, pp. 29-20.

Web outlines of Paleolithic, Jömon, and Yayoi

FOR CLASS DISCUSSION PREPARE: Kojiki and Wei chih

Asuka and Nara (9/11 and 9/16)

De Bary, et. al., Sources of Japanese Tradition, I: 40-124

especially Shötoku constitution, pp. 50-55; Taika reform edict, 77-84; Sütra of Golden Light, 107-108; Proclamation of Emperor Shömu, 114-115

Lu, Japan: A Documentary History, pp. 21-40

especially Shötoku constitution, pp. 23-26; Taika reform edict, pp. 26-29; Taihö code, pp. 29-36.

Walthall, Japan: A Cultural, Social, and Political History, 24-29

Hall, Japan from Prehistory to Modern Times, pp. 48-61.

Web outlines of Tomb Period, Asuka and early Nara period

FOR CLASS DISCUSSION PREPARE: Shötoku constitution, Taika reform edict, Sütra of Golden Light, Proclamation of Emperor Shömu

NO CLASS ON 9/13 -- Rosh Hashanah

Heian Politics ( 9/18 and 9/20)

Lu, Japan: A Documentary History, pp. 81-106.

especially land edicts, 86-92

Walthall, Japan: A Cultural, Social, and Political History, 30-45

Hall, Japan from Prehistory to Modern Times, pp. 61-74

*Ivan Morris, Sugawara no Michizane

FOR CLASS DISCUSSION PREPARE: edicts from Lu and Morris

HEIAN JAPAN

Heian Culture (9/25)

De Bary, et. al., Sources of Japanese Tradition, I: 153-196, 211-237

"Ten Stages of Religious Consciousness," 169-170; "Essentials of Salvation," 218-222; Shinran, 227-228

Lu, Japan: A Documentary History, pp. 40-79

especially Lotus sutra, pp. 54-56

FOR CLASS DISCUSSION PREPARE:

"Ten Stages of Religious Consciousness," 169-170; "Essentials of Salvation," 217-222; Shinran, 227-228 from De Bary

Yugao section of Genji (Keene, 106-36)

HEIAN RELIGION

NO CLASS ON 10/9 -- FALL BREAK

Kamakura ( 9/27, 10/2 and 10/4)

De Bary, et. al., Sources of Japanese Tradition, 306-335