History of Japan

History 157

Trajectory of Lectures & Readings (subject to deviations)

Go to Week:
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NOTE: To view and print the Electronic Readings (ER) and lecture outlines (click lecture title for outline) your computer needs to have
Acrobat Reader installed. All campus computers should already be all right.

 

Unit 1: Early Formations of Japanese Civilization to the 8th Century

Week 1 (8/23-25): Defining "Japan" and Its History
topics:
 W. Orientations
F. Japan's prehistorical past
readings:
 W. Topics, Introduction
F. Topics, Chapter One; ER: "Accounts of the Eastern Barbarians" & Kojiki
task:
 Begin Engaging Visions #1:
"Mythical Visions: Tour of Ise Shrine"

 

Week 2 (8/28-9/1): The Formation of Early Japanese Civilization
topics:
 M. "Indigenous" foundations & continental impact
W. The Faces of Nara; Faces of Nara Slideshow (2.8MB PDF)
F. DISCUSSION of EV#1 & EA#1
readings:

M. Topics, Chapter Two; ER: "Eternal Change at the Grand Shrine of Ise"
W. ER: The Ten Thousand Leaves
task:
 Continue EV #1 and ponder questions in Engaging Acts #1

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Unit 2: Aristocrats in Style, 8th to 12th Centuries

Week 3 (9/4-8): The Rise and Fall of Direct Imperial Rule, Nara to Heian Japan
topics:
 M. MAP QUIZ; discuss The Ten Thousand Leaves
W. Politics and Society in Heian Japan
F. Politics and Society in Heian Japan
readings:
 WF. Topics, Chapter Three (sections 1-4)
task:
 M. Study for MAP QUIZ

 

Week 4 (9/11-9/15): The Art of Life & Love in Heian Court Society
topics:
 M. Enter the Shining Prince (Intro to The Tale of Genji)
W. VIDEO: The Illustrated Handscroll of Genji
F. NO CLASS (I'll be at a conference)
readings:
 M. Genji & Heike, 21-83 (Chapters 1-3)
W. Genji & Heike, 84-159
task:

For Monday make a "family tree" of relationships among the principals in The Tale of Genji, chapters 1-3.
Begin Engaging Visions and Engaging Acts #2:
"Aristocratic Visions: The World of the Shining Prince"

 

Week 5 (9/18-22): The Art of Life & Love in Heian Court Society
topics:
 M.The Aesthetics of Social Relationships
W. DISCUSSION: Interpreting Genji in Word & Image
F. Buddhism as Moral System and Fashion Statement
readings:
 M. Topics, Chapter Three ("Literature and Buddhism"); Genji & Heike, 160-242
F. Topics, Chapter Four ("The Buddha" and "The Dharma");
ER: Miraculous Stories from the Japanese Buddhist Tradition
task:
 Engaging Acts #2, Due Wednesday (9/20)

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Unit 3: Warrior Rule & Medieval Mentalities, 12th to 16th Centuries

Week 6 (9/25-29): Buddhist Heavens & Hells
topics:
 M. Popularizing Buddhism
W. The Six Courses
F. Civil War: the Taira & the Minamoto
readings:
 MW. Topics, Chapter Four (the rest); Genji & Heike, 245-277
F. Topics, Chapter Five ("The End of the Heian Period"); Genji & Heike, 305-343
task:
 Begin Engaging Visions and Engaging Acts #3:
"Medieval Visions: Warriors & Buddhists"

 

Week 7 (10/2-6): Warrior Life & Death
topics:
 M. The Establishment of the Kamakura Bakufu
W. Samurai Family Values
F. Divine Winds and Nostalgic Emperors
readings:
 M. Topics, Chapter Five ("The Kamakura Period"); Genji & Heike, 344-369
W. Genji & Heike, 370-445
task:
 Engaging Acts #3, Due Friday (10/6)

 

Week 8 (10/9-13): Art & Zen
topics:
 M. MIDTERM
W. The Ashikaga and the Arts
F. Everything Zen
readings:
 W. Topics, Chapter Five (the rest) ;ER: "Seami and the Art of the Nô," "Atsumori"
F. ER: "Rational Zen"
task:
 Nô Thing

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Unit 4: The Tokugawa Peace and Commoner Culture, 17th to 19th Centuries

Week 9 (10/16-20): Warring States & Reunification
topics:

M. FALL BREAK (NO CLASS)
W. Warring States and the Road to Reunification I
F. The Road to Reunification II

readings:


film:
 W. Topics, Chapter Six (sections 1-2); Japanese Inn, chapters 1-4
F. Japanese Inn, chapters 6; ER: Hideyoshi's Letters & Edicts
Kagemusha (time & place TBA)
task:
 Begin Engaging Visions and Engaging Acts #4:
"Commoner Visions: A Trip to Edo"

 

Week 10 (10/23-27): Chônin Vitality
topics:
 M. Control, Class, and Status under the Tokugawa
W. Ukiyo As Art & Lifestyle
F. Play & Pleasure in Edo
readings:

M. Japanese Inn, chapter 10
W. Topics, Chapter Seven; Japanese Inn, chapter 11
F. Japanese Inn, chapter 7
ER: "The Tale of Gengobei, The Mountain of Love" & "The Eternal Storhouse of Japan" ; "The King of Farts"
task:
 Continue Engaging Acts #4

 

Week 11 (10/30-11/3): Transformation of the Old Order
topics:
 M. Domestic Crisis & External Threats
W. Domestic Crisis & External Threats
F. DISCUSSION: The Last Samurai & The Twilight Samurai

readings:

 

 M. Topics, Chapter Six ("Fall of the Bakufu");
The Last Samurai, Chapters 1-2
W. The Last Samurai, Chapter 4 and pp. 151-159
F. The Last Samurai, Chapter 5 (from p. 159)
film:
 The Twilight Samurai (Wednesday, 6-8:30PM, 206 Buttrick Hall)

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Unit 5: The Promise and Pains of Modernity, 19th to 20th Centuries

Week 12 (11/6-10): Modernization & Empire
topics:
 M. Plotting the Meiji "Restoration"
W. The Shaping of the Meiji State
F. Founding a Modern Imperial State
readings:
 M. The Last Samurai, Chapter 6
W. Topics, Chapter Nine; ER: "Establishment of the Meiji Government"; "Imperial Rescript on Education"
F. ER: "On De-Asianization" by Fukuzawa Yukichi
task:
 Engaging Acts #4, Due Monday (11/6)

 

Week 13 (11/13-17): Cosmopolitanism & "Democracy"
topics:
 M. Testing and Contesting Democracy
W. Testing and Contesting Democracy
F. The Roaring Twenties
readings:

M. Topics, Chapter Ten (sections 1-5); ER: "Peace Preservation Law"
F. Toshié, Preface and Chapter One

task:
 Decide on choice of The Last Samurai/Toshié paper topic

 

Week 14 (11/27-12/1): War & Occupation
topics:
 M. The Stormy Thirties
W. The Asia-Pacific War
F. Occupied Japan
readings:
 M. Toshié, Chapter Two
W. Topics, Chapter Ten (sections 6-7);Toshié, Chapter Three; ER: "The China War" & "The Bombing of Japan"
F. Toshié, Chapter Four; ER: "The American School"
film:
 MacArthur's Children (time & place TBA)

 

Week 15 (12/4-6): Peace & Affluence
topics:
 M. VIDEO: Reinventing Japan
W. Wrap-up & DISCUSSION: Toshié & MacArthur's Children
readings:
 M. Topics, Chapter Ten (sections 8-9); Toshié, Chapter Five
task:
 The Last Samurai/Toshié Paper Due Wednesday 12/6
Study for Endterm Exam

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