notehelfer session

[clay dube]

Hi Folks,
Fred Notehelfer is speaking about the rise of modern Japan. Population patterns first came to the attention of American scholars through this book:

Thomas Smith, Nakahara: Family Farming and Population in a Japanese Village, 1717-1830 (1977).

It details that ordinary Japanese were controlling the timing and gender of their children.

[Anonymous]

What a treat to listen to Prof. Notehelfer!

Japan went through a rollercoaster ride regarding the keepers of power: in just today’s discussion they went from feudal government to the people having power to a government system that put the people in desperation and dire situations. It seems to be a cycle that all counties must go through. There are the high periods when everything is just peachy: the people are wealthy, education is booming, most are living comfortably. But then, just as quickly as the great time came, it falls apart and the country goes into a recession and then a depression. This all seems very familiar. Perhaps we can learn from this. Is it possible, rather than spending so much when times are high (and starving and losing homes and land when times are down), to spend moderately, advance society, and actually learn from the past, instead of just repeating it? (Who knew yesterday’s lunch conversation would connect to today’s lecture?)

I also find it interesting that, even though the Japanese were adopting Western dress and mannerisms, they did not lose their culture. The artists who created the images on the slides we saw today were very clever in their presentation. The juxtaposition of Western dress and traditional landscapes and clothing at first seems jarring and unnatural, but when one looks closely, these images depict the embrace of modernity and the weaving of it into the old culture. Perhaps this will allow the culture to continue to grow and morph, rather than be reinvented, and thereby be able to stay at the forefront of development.

[Anonymous]

What I enjoyed from today was seeing how Japan developed on its own, without outside influences, especially the close plains that existed between Japan and the west during the 1600’s. Quite often we get into the mindset that we brought modern advancement, that we brought technological advancement, that we showed the rest of the world how to generate economic growth and from that growth, wealth. It is great to have reality put in your face, to be knocked off of the high horse we have not the right to be on in the first place.

It was very interesting to see how the Tokugawa regime, in an attempt to prevent the feudal lords from prospering, in essence enable the creating of a system that equated economic growth for everyone else, especially those who initially had nothing. It was remarkable to see how, almost naturally, in an answer to the problems presented, capitalism was formed. It was very inconvenient for the lords to travel with their rice loads, so a banking system or operation was formed. In order for this system to work and for all involved to benefit, jobs were created that involved domestic trade, and brokers, and business management. Capitalism at its finest seemed to have simply evolved in order for all other things to work out right, or run smoothly. How could anyone say that capitalism isn’t natural, or that things should be run any differently?

Professor Notehelfer was very informative. I really enjoyed his style of lecturing, for it didn't feel like a lecture at all. It felt like a journey. I felt like I had a personal guide who was giving me a detailed tour through the country. Today was very enjoyable. [Edit by="ppeterson on Sep 10, 12:20:13 AM"][/Edit]

[Anonymous]

Tuesday 8/5 Fred Notehelfer
While listening to the lecture this morning I was thinking how would you do that today? Just come up with a new form of government that just takes power away from one group of people and give it to another. Say, okay you get taxes paid to you (in rice) and we are moving your family so you only see them every other year, and you have to not only pay to come see them put you have to bring all your workers and fellow warriors along, oh and pay for the trip.
Does revolution, rioting, and in general non-compliance come to mind? We can’t even get people to follow the rules we do have today.
I understand the social history, and the ties to the next generation, but did these men whose families were in Edo, have a second family at home, and did the wife and children visit home? I understand that Edo was a wonderfully active and social city, but wouldn’t they have miss home? And how about her family, father, mother and siblings? I understand this did not happen over night, it still is hard to believe that anyone would just give into this.

I left this session with a lot more questions then understanding so I know I will be doing some research.

[Anonymous]

This was a highly informative and interesting lecture today. I was not aware that the Japanese took Portuguese guns and recreated them themselves during the time period mentioned. This was an amazing feat. Also, the fact that approximately 40 percent of the population was literate by the time Perry arrived is quite amazing. I'm not sure what the USA's literacy was at that time, but I would not be surprised if it was less. He did mention that the literacy was on the same level as that of England though.

[Anonymous]

As Professor Notehelfer indicated that at Tokugawa period the social class were ranked into four classes: Elite, farmer, artisan, and merchants, so that the merchants were ranked at the bottom. I think if we rank the classes again in modern days, the merchants probably will be ranked as top level. Even within an organization, the marketing and finance department probably is considered as one of the most important sector of the organization.

It is very brilliant how Tokugawa skillfully transitioned the state of chaos period of Japan into the orderly unified reformed country, by creating a system that wore out the resources of the feudal war lords and stimulated local economy. Thus paved a way for the new Meiji's regime, which led to Japan's industrialization and modernization.

On the reading assignment, there were some articles touched upon the psychology of Japan's invasion toward its neighbor countries. I just wonder whether the surplus and wealth Japan created during this period time was one of the main motives of Japan conquering its neighbor countries during WWII era.

[Anonymous]

I was also intrigued by the Portuguese introducing guns to the Japanse, who in turn used them to manufacture their own. Of course the bigger student draw for this time period are the samurai warriors. I did not know that many of them were so hard up for work that they became teachers. I shall tell my students that I am simply an out-of-work samurai.
Here's a video on the samurai from NOVA.

[Anonymous]

To find out that merchants had a shift in status and wealth in Japan was surprising for me. I thought throughout trade merchants were pretty wealthy or held a kind of status. It was interesting to find out that they couldn't even have a family name. The shift of wealth went from Samurai fuedal lord to the merchants. Also, the way commericalism opened up in Japan was another shift in who became wealthy, who was incharge of selling the surplus of the village, and the drive to become competative in selling off that surplus.
Jizo Bosatsu has been worshiped since the Heian period.The Jizo figurines crowd hillside cemeteries, coastal promontories, and city temples. The Jizo cult, which borrows heavily from medieval Japanese folk practices and Shinto beliefs. A large covered statue of the bodhisattva surrounded by a battalion of small Jizo figures, some of them decorated with traditional red capes or bibs, a few even accompanied by toys. A message board stands next to the bodhisattva, allowing parents to leave signed apologies and prayers. The Jizo figurines (which cost about $80), fresh flowers, and other gifts can be purchased at the main temple. The statues remain in place for some time, after which a formal offering is made for the soul of the aborted child. At the site, a short, printed explanation of the plight of "returned" souls-known as mizuko, or water children-suggests that they will remain in limbo if parents neglect their religious obligations.
Buddhist scholars, too, are uncomfortable with the Jizo phenomenon, but have not blocked the cult. Temple priests understand that this grassroots movement plays an essential role in Japanese culture, filling the moral vacuum that organized religion has left untouched. In an article by Joan Frowley Desmond, "Apologizing to the Babies," she states the following:
Japan has been called "abortion heaven." The Ministry of Health and Welfare reported 364,350 abortions in 1994, though that figure does not include abortions by the private physicians whose lucrative business has reportedly blocked distribution of the birth control pill. In a 1982 survey conducted by the Kyodo News Service, about 60 percent of women in their forties with college degrees and executive-level husbands admitted having had one or more abortions.
As mothers of the deceased young souls, women seem to have been the principle shapers and creators of the Jizo cult, and it flourishes in Japan today. The deity's childlike image encourages the parent to see him alternately as an innocent child and a gentle saviour figure. Small crude statues of Jizo, with red bibs and sometimes staffs topped with rings, are placed on temple grounds and public roads in memory of young souls.

http://leaderu.com/ftissues/ft9610/opinion/desmond.html

Its funny when people get power or become wealthy; they forget where they come from and that they left people who are still in a bad way in the same spot. It was interesting to here this phrase today: "We the people.....(We the wealthy elite) and what we want for our benefit." Leaving despair is easy to do and turn your back on others who still are trying to climb their way out of the whole is the attitude of the village elite. They didn't even want to stay in the village anymore, they even became absentee landlords because agriculture was no longer thrieving. Villages became stagnet and never regained their dynamic status.

[Anonymous]

I do not believe that all historians would consider the Tokugawa period in Japan to be the origin of Japan like Professor Notehelfer stated – but this premise is very interesting. The situation that was arising during this period where there was a surplus of cash crops would not be considered a pure capitalist system but it seems to be the beginning of a free market type of system. What was going on economically in China, Korea at this same time?

Towards the end of Professor Notehelfer’s session he started talking about Japan's economy. He was talking about how WWII did not completely transform the Japanese economy, rather the position of the 1930s economy is linked to post-war Japan. I would like to study more about how Japan’s 1930s economy affected the post-war economy.

[Anonymous]

What a shame that the samurai lost the honor to engage in one-on-one sword fighting to establish supremacy. Think how many resources could be saved if we just handed world leaders and their advisors each a sword.

The Machiavellian wisdom behind requiring feudal lords to flaunt their wealth by maintaining households and retainers in the capital city and biannually traveling with extravagant retinues across the country is frighteningly brilliant. People, even at the peak of the social hierarchy, are so easily controlled and manipulated. I wistfully enjoy, however, how the rustic commoners initially benefit from all this pageantry as they cater to the refined tastes of the lord and his entourage.

Obviously, however, those benefits are fleeting. Last night’s readings painted images of abject poverty. I understand that the samurai class spent all its wealth traveling between the capital and provincial households, that the heirs lost contact with their lands and its tenants, that the emperors first printed money and caused inflation, then recalled money and caused deflation – wrecking havoc on the merchant and samurai classes. But what is most disturbing are the fates of the rural denizens who are starving to death during the Meiji restoration. How sad that the people who the aristocrats considered “the stupid people,” suffer so horribly in Japan’s struggle for modernization.

Japan’s militaristic leaders needed to learn a bit from their own culture about appreciating rustic beauty and living in the moment…but perhaps I should save the rest of this reflection for the next post on ceremony and ritual.

[Anonymous]

Rosanna, thanks for researching all that info about the Jinzo cult. I was struck by the professor's mention of these figures. What a creepy and sad sight to see.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/154/371533194_ecf3fff610.jpg%3Fv%3D0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:x01-gXkMvdR8BM:http://farm1.static.flickr.com/154/371533194_ecf3fff610.jpg%3Fv%3D0

I also really enjoyed the lecture. It reminded me of my undergrad study where we just listened to brilliant, charismatic guys just talk for hours with no PowerPoint and nothing on the white board or chalk board. It's so nice to see different styles of lecturing, side by side, as Prof. Hwang has a style similar to my own, with fancy slide transitions and embedded video clips. I can't imagine just talking off the top of my head like Prof. Notehelfer! I feel privileged to hear him talk, and this is one lecture where I easily would have given up my lunch to hear more about how the samurai split, and how the Tokugawa were defeated. I'm not a war person either, but I found myself wanting to know more about the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars, as well.

I guess the hallmark of a great lecturer is s/he leaves you wanting more, so I feel like my inquiries in all the awesomeness that are samurai has just begun.

And hey, does anyone know why it was an insult to call our film's protagonist "Sir Twilight"? Inquiring minds wanna know.

Oh, and Cassie, I'm going to tell my students the same. Maybe we can be retainers from the same clan? Deal.

[Anonymous]

I think it is really interesting to see that Japan before the 1850s was in a somewhat similar situation as Britain was in during the 1970s. Like Japan, Britain followed a strict Keynesian economic system after WWII and inflation increased greatly as a result. In the case of England, Margaret Thatcher was then elected to reverse Keynesian economics and create a more conservative economic system. In the classroom, both examples can be used to show Keynesian economics and how different societies around the world have found ways to correct inflation. I think this can be a great thing to compare and contrast in an economics class so we move away from always thinking this high level economic thinking is only a Western concept.
Professor Notehelfer allowed us to see Japan as not just the EAST, this unrelated entity in the world, but as similar to us in that they go through economic ups and downs, and follow economic systems similar to the west. The only difference is that the economic systems were not named and classified as we have done now.

[Anonymous]

The feudal lords were kept in a state of spending by having to have apartments for their wives and traveling to and from the capital. This honestly reminds me of America today. Many Americans work so hard to get more expensive material things. This happens to such an extent that they are working not to drive a car per say, but to drive an expensive car, for example.
Professor Notehelfer was truly inspiring in his talk. He knew his subject so well that he made it exciting for the rest of us. Who knew Japanese economics could be so...um, fun! I was also interested to learn that in the 1500's there were hundreds of feudal lords but a lack of national unity and a shift was occurring from having one samurai fight another to giving (for all intents and purposes) untrained young men a spear and putting them into a group of 100 or so when they fought. Professor Notehelfer also described the merchant class at the time as "parasitic" and "the dregs of society". I, for one, can see a clear connection with that merchant class and many in America today where people get paid handsomely for providing goods and in some cases just services (realtors for example) that we could easily provide for ourselves.

[Anonymous]

I found the reading in EWP most useful today. On page 425 it had the phrase" Education prepared citizens to serve the nation; it also provided opportunity for personal advancement". This statement parallels the points leading to success by the Qing dynasty from one of our other lectures. Specifically, ethnic/demographic realities, cultural considerations, political acceptance, and strong economy with opportunity. But more importantly, when we take the phrase above and apply it to current times, I think it succently summarizes our goal for education. It seems that modern authors tend to throw alot more wordage into the mix. As educators, isn't our goal to prepare our students to serve the nation ( contribute to society) and to give them the skills and mindset they need for success ( opportunity). I think I should keep this one short.

[Anonymous]

A comment on the article taken from Erwin von Baetz entitled "German Physician Teaching in Japan", 3/10/1892 diary entry.
A reference is made to the misery of the peasants in Japan during the late 1800's. The northern peasants in Japan are the population being observed. The entry states...."The peasants there wear rags, eat coarse cereals, and have many children. They are as black as their dirt walls and lead grubby,joyless lives that can be compared to those of insects that crawl along the ground and lick the dirt.They may walk upright, but their spirit crawls along the ground." Taking this part from context, we have a wonderful piece of writing that stands on it's own. ( It is something I will always remember from these 2 weeks.) The phrase can be used to teach in a history class. It can be used to teach about character, and the obvious--what a powerful piece to use in an English or writing class. All ages can relate to the wording. Here are some thoughts for teaching-
--description of rich, average, poor
--the picture the phrase paints in our minds
--the meaning and implications of rags, coarse cereal, many children
--living in dirt walls
--black used as a negative image
--using precise vocabulary ( 5/6 elem standard): grubby, lick, crawl
--insects as bottom of the pecking order
-- a person's spirit
--meaning and symbolism for "walk upright,but spirit crawls"
and let's add
--the arrogance of doctors
I am always amazed when a short piece of writing packages so much power!

[Author]

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