November 25 - Pitelka - The Rise of Modern Japan

[clay dube]

To respond to Walter Banta's query, there are many volumes of woodblock prints available, some quite inexpensive (try Edward R. Hamilton, Bookseller, I've not ordered from them recently, but used to quite a lot -- shipping was $3 regardless of the size of the order). These prints have long fascinated Westerners. As Prof. Pitelka likely told you, the architect Frank Lloyd Wright was an avid collector. The LA County Museum of Art featured his prints in an exhibition a few years ago. James Michener, the popular writer, produced one book about them.

On the web, ukiyo-e collections are plentiful. One especially rich site is Ukiyo-e Gallery: Fine Japanese Prints: http://www.ukiyoe-gallery.com/. It's a commercial site, but offers a lot of info on prints and would be a good source for those building presentations for class.

A great site for teachers and students is the Library of Congress's The Floating World of Ukiyo-e: Shadows, Dreams, and Substance: http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/ukiyo-e/.

Perhaps someone would like to write reviews of these sites for the "web resources" thread of the Asia in My Classroom forum?

http://uschinaforum.usc.edu/showpost.aspx?PostID=390&PageIndex=42

[Anonymous]

Mr. Dube,

Thank you for the sources of Ukiyo-e photographs. Following your suggestions, I had a look at two of the three you referenced(the Library of Congress link would not operate), and I did a brief review of my findings and their use for my anticipated application. Your sources seem to be much better than anything else I could scratch out on the web.
Walt Banta

[clay dube]

Hi Walt (if I may, please call me Clay),

Thanks for the reviews you've posted to the Web Resources thread in the forum. Others can read them by clicking: http://uschinaforum.usc.edu/showpost.aspx?PostID=390&PageIndex=42

[Anonymous]

Clay,

You are very gracious. I did go back and find a way to view the Library of Congress web address that you referred me to, so I edited the post to include the site. Actually, it was the best one of the three for what I was considering.

Thanks again for the "heads-up."

Walt Banta

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the link Miranda. I think this site (the Black Ships) is a student friendly site and could easily be used for opening instruction. I enjoyed this presentation because it was chronolgical in delivery. It's easy to follow especially when you don't have any background on the topic. I was about to take great notes because of the 'user friendly' presenation.

Question: Did I hear that we were going to get a CD of some of the power points we have seen?

[Anonymous]

One of many interesting pieces of information i gained from this presentation was the portion of their income that many warlords spent on travel expenses. This can be very troublesome if you have to spend part of each year in the capital.
I also found it very interesting when Prof. Pitelk compared the status system in Japan to the Caste System in India. You could also compare the status system to social hierarchies of other civilizations that students study in 7th grade such as Rome, W. Africa, Medieval Europe, etc.. Japan was one of the few civilizations, as far as i know, where merchants and artisans fall below farmers on the social scale.

[Anonymous]

What a great website! I must say I disagree with the 'philosophy' of Zen calligraphy that "True creation arises from mushin, or the state of ‘no-mind’, which lies beyond thoughts, emotions and expectations." This may be true of calligraphy, but as an (indifferent) artist, I know a lot of thought and planning goes into some representational art--sketches, studies, maquettes, etc.

I agree with Becca...this is a wonderful website and, (sorry!) but I totally agree with the Zen philosophy that goes with calligraphy. 😉 Maybe because I was a Daoist, eh? hahaha

Actually, such a concept (but not as a rule) will be introduced into both my creative writing aspects (poetry units for 10th graders) and the Modern Literature class I teach for 12th graders. I incorporate Modern Art (impressionism, expressionism, dada, and all the other "-isms") and music into the lesson, and this will be an interesting addition, especially when discussing art and literature through "the mind's eye" as Picasso, Dali, and Kafka did.

As for the museum website itself, what an invaluable resource! I love also that I can assign the website to my students to peruse and then have them comment on what they get out of the experience, or any connections it may have to what we study.

[Anonymous]

As I say again and again, I often struggle to figure out how I will use historical references and incidents in my English class, but as I read John Dower's essay, I immediately began to think of a novel my AP students read: Barbara Kingsolver's Poisonwood Bible. Now that novel takes place in the Congo, but there are so many similarities in the influx of Westerners, and the difference between what the natives want or live with and what the white Europeans decree to be acceptable or necessary for survival. The whaling aspects will also be relevant to today's environmental issues as there are still battles being fought over who can take what from the oceans, and the impact.

[Anonymous]

I also especially loved the portion of this lecture on the "Black Ships". What I find especially interesting is the interpretation and representation of Westerners in Japan at this time. The idea of "Barbarians" and darknees and "blackness" as representing westerners is really fascinating. So often in our text books and classrooms, there is a euro-centric representation of history. This period was certainly represented differently to me when I was in school and not until I went to college did I see and different approach to teaching history. I appreciate this piece of history being included in our seminar.

[Anonymous]

I found this second session by Prof. Pitelka to be as interesting as the first session with him on women in East Asian history. I enjoyed learning the meaning of several Japanese words (e.g., "bakufu", "han", "hinin", and "eta") and phrases (e.g., "shi no ko sho", "son no joi" and "fukoku kyohei"). Also, I really appreciate the links to museum websites that contain artifacts that help students better understand East Asian countries, societies and cultures.

I was surprised to learn than Western imperialism that was directed against Japan began with the Dutch in 1817. I had never peceived Holland to be imperialistic.

I was not surprised to learn that the British seemed to escalate imperialistic efforts directed against the Japanese and that the United States accomplished establishment of foreign footholds in Japan against Japanese wishes through superior naval technology of the day (i.e., steamboats and iron ships).

I think Western imperialism aimed at Japan has been a double-edged sword. We achieved our goals periodically, but we seem to have inspired the Japanese to take the same approach toward its neighbors (as reflected in Japanese-Chinese military conflicts fought on Korean soil) and toward the West (as reflected in Japan's economic dominance of key manufacturing industries in recent centuries). Also, the West seems to have inspired periodic internal conflict in Japan between those who believe strongly in a shogunate, emperor-centric Japan and those who wanted some other form of government.[Edit by="cmayfield on Jan 2, 5:08:24 PM"][/Edit]

[Anonymous]

It would be interesting to compare accounts of the Ainu in Japan with Native Americans. Both of these marginalized groups have been mistreated by the dominant culture, and both trace their roots

[Anonymous]

I thought that the Japanese getting their idea for phonetic language from Sanskrit is fascinating, especially considering this was around 900 A.D. This is one of those interesting facts to point out the cultural blending going on in the pre-modern world. When we talk about the “Silk Road” and the trade connections in the East this would be a great example to have students develop and research. They could research and map out the trade route between India and Japan, and could answer some great critical thinking questions. What geographic obstacles would someone face traveling from South Asia to East Asia? What technology would be necessary for knowledge of Sanskrit to reach Japan - why?

[Anonymous]

I really liked learning about the origin of the Daimyo. Many of our textbooks mention the Daimyo but do not explain how they gained power and land. These “large men” were military men who made names for themselves and, thus, were granted land and built castles on hills in the 1500’s. This was during a time of decentralization and contributed to the fractured nature of Japan.

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