Session 4 - March 28 (dube- classical and warrior japan)

[cgao]

Hi Everyone, We ask that you watch the videos embedded here. These abbreviated lectures will introduce some key ideas. Please also check out some of the readings and web resources included here. On Saturday, March 28, we'll have an online video discussion about classical and feudal Japan. Please post your comments and questions here. As always, please focus on what might be useful for the classes and students you teach. How might you adapt these materials or introduce these ideas in your classes? Take care and we'll see you very soon.  -- Clay

For our 3/7 session, you read "histories" of Japan that rulers produced in the early 8th century to help legitimate their rule. For this session, please begin by reading the Constitution of Prince Shotoku (late 6th/early 7th century). As you read, please make a list of principles or values that are emphasized in the document. Why would Japan's rules emphasize these?

Court culture:
For the excerpts from the Diary of Sei Shônagon (ca. 1002), please identify some things she seemed to have liked and those she found distasteful.

Please browse the Metropolitan Museum of Art's online exhibition of the Tale of Genji (ca. 1000): https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2019/tale-of-genji

Please be sure to see the earliest surviving copy of the novel (13th century): https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2019/tale-of-genji

Skim the Yugao chapter (attached). Please look at this image from the Yugao (Evening Faces) chapter: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/815476

Background for the chapter (AFE Columbia):

In this selection, Lady Murasaki describes the seventeen-year-old Genji in the midst of his first real passion, for a woman named Yûgao. Lady Yûgao is so far beneath Genji in court rank that he must visit her in the rather crude disguise of a hunter accompanied by one lone servant. The poverty of her home and the frailty of Yûgao herself awaken Genji's love and pity.

Although normally a prince would not have taken an interest in a woman of Yûgao's position in society, Genji is intrigued by her. (The Heian court was strictly divided into social ranks from the highest officials on down.) In an earlier chapter, Genji and his friends discussed the charms of the different ranks of women. His closest friend, Tô no Chûjô, hinted that he himself once discovered a gentle lady hidden away in an alley. Genji has therefore already imagined Yûgao long before their meeting. Their love affair retains this dream-like mood right up to Yûgao's mysterious death.

In general, courting in the Heian period took place freely among men and women of equal rank. The man would send a poem to a lady he had heard about and wait for a reply. If the reply was favorable and, more important, artistic, then he might call upon the lady. She would remain hidden behind a screen, surrounded by her ladies-in-waiting. Poems would then be passed back and forth through the screen. If the man was to gain admission behind the screen he would be acknowledged as her lover. Until this moment, however, the two would not meet face to face. Note that Yûgao and Genji do not look on one another until after they have become lovers .

Murasaki Shikibu is especially praised for her psychological insights into the feelings of men and women. As you read, note the comments she makes about Genji. She says, for example, that Genji had grown tired of his earlier lover: "he had surmounted so many obstacles in his courtship of her that to give her up the moment he had won her seemed absurd. Yet he could not deny that the blind intoxicating passion which possessed him while she was still unattainable, had almost disappeared. ..." What does this tell you about Genji? Does Yûgao's mysterious background make her more desirable to him? The ghostly presence who appears before Yûgao's bed is thought by many readers to be Genji's earlier lover, Rokujô. What is Murasaki Shikibu suggesting by this ghostly presence? Does the jealous spirit of Rokujô kill Yûgao? Or does Genji imagine this ghost due to his own guilty feelings toward the lady Rokujô?

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Please read the Warrior Codes from DeBary, Sources of Japanese Tradition (attached). As with the Shotoku constitution, identify the behavior and values that are celebrated. Please also read the educator guide (attached) prepared by Nashville's Frist Museum for their exhibition of samurai armor, weaponry and other items (e.g., folding chairs): https://fristartmuseum.org/calendar/detail/samurai-the-way-of-the-warrior

To the left is a mask and helmet from the Muromachi period (1336-1573). It was included in an exhibition at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts (https://www.mfa.org/exhibitions/samurai)

Attachments:

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[stubing]

 

In this video lecture, there is a place where you are asked to pause the video and to spend 2-3 minutes reading and thinking about the excerpts from the 17 Article Constitution that are on the screen. Please do that and then resume the video. Thanks.

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[Meghann Seril]

Some connections I noted between the 17 Article Constitution and Confucianism: 1. The desire for harmony in hierarchical relationships (father and son, lord and subject), 2. Emphasis on ritual as a way to maintain order, 3. Leadership as a moral model for followers.

One big idea I can incorporate in my social studies instruction is to have the students think critically about the sources they are using. I like the question "How do we know what we know?" as a way to activate students' critical thinking skills when reading from different sources. I would also like to use the aerial photos of different shrines and tombs as real world examples of the use of symmetry. I could have the students design their own spaces using this concept of symmetry as a math extension activity.

[Meghann Seril]

Although inspired by Confucian ideas, I found myself connecting many of the articles of the Warrior Code to Legalism. I connected the importance of the expectations with the need for laws. There was also an emphasis in both cultures of the need for consistent enforcement and harsh punishment when necessary.

My classroom connection is using the shrine example as a way to introduce the concept of comparing and contrasting while using a stimulus that is culturally relevant for many of my students who have Japanese and Chinese heritage. I would be interested to connect the idea of Warrior Codes to creating our own "class code of conduct" as a way to engage students who would enjoy this aspect of Japanese culture.

[Betsy Ures]

I would like to apply the activity of comparing and contrasting the 17 Article Constitutuion principals with the ideas from China. Building upon the prior knowledge to the knew knowledge is an effective practice. Students can identify the unique principles for each ideology as well as identify the commonalities. 

[clay dube]

Are there Buddhist elements that come through in the Constitution as well as Confucian ones?

[Esther Dupree]

I feel like this could be someone's current instagram account.  They love nature and beauty, but after using Tinder, they have some definite opinions about how to be treated after sleeping with a guy.  Sei Shonagon was a lady in waiting to the Empress Teishi, who was only 13 when she got married, had three kids and died at 24.  I wonder how the short life spans and early marrying ages affected the maturity of people back then, especially privileged people who are insulated from a lot of the daily wear and tear of living.  I definitely wouldn't share this piece with a class before college age.  I don't feel high schoolers are mature enough to read about a cavelier attitude towards promiscuity and understand that her life may not be the way that all women are or want to be.  High school students are still trying to discern fact from fiction when it comes to life outcomes.  I remember too many boys in my high school acting like Beavis and Butthead because they were not mature enough to realize it was sattire.  I think it is an excellent piece for a psychology class in college, but too much for high schoolers, let along middle schoolers.

[Esther Dupree]

This is parallel to the way China runs its government today--do not question, trust your leaders...

It would be a great acctivity to have students use this to analyze different Chinese actions, for better or for worse, during the COVID 19 outbreak.  How does this excerpt apply to these different actions and how are other countries responding differently?  What are the differences in philosophies today vs the ones outlined in this exerpt?  What are the differences between different countries and how do values affect the government practices today?

[Esther Dupree]

It is interesting to see when reading the warrior codes the manifestation of China's need to have ethical and legal codes.  Just about every civilization develops codes of conduct and legal codes for people to live by.  We could show our students this really relates to how organizations today are putting a major emphasis on creating mission statements.  What do we stand for and why?  If the students could use these codes to create a mission statement based on these codes, that would be an excellent classroom activity.  Then have them make their own codes, just as Meghann suggested and use those to create a mission statement.

[clay dube]

I agree with Esther's points not just about Sei, but also Murasaki. These were adults (by the standards of the age) talking about adult romances (though in Murasaki there's even an episode that strikes our modern sensibility as a sort of child abuse, where the central character raises a girl to be his perfect mate). At one point, Genji is chastised for being too cavalier in his behavior and he is advised to never embarass a woman or be indiscreet. You're not going to teach the questionable stuff, but there are other aspects of the age that might be appropriate: beauty in the small gesture, the elegant handwriting, as opposed to the ostentatious or flashy, love of careful expression... For the warrior age, we might encourage the discipline (appreciation for hard work, practice), the loyalty, and the value of reflection, seeking balance.

[Esther Dupree]

First, I think you will get a kick out of this.  I showed the Samurai outfit to my husband who said he wants it to protect himself from COVID -19.  

In all seriousness, this design and intricacy is manifested in Japanese culture outright.  The attention to detail and the patience in create beauty along with functional pieces is incredible.  My sister said the Denny's in Japan was so fun because every single dish would come out looking exactly like the picture on the menu.  And if even a cherry fell over to the side, they would take it back to the kitchen and make a new one.  The Samurai warrior outfit has dozens of techniques and materials incorporated in such a strong, yet magnificently beautiful product.  The Japanese paintings on display at the MET for the Tale of Genji include a video showing the painting technique.  It requires so many subtle and detailed levels of skill to complete this type of art work.  I really appreciate seeing the value placed on doing things well and being detailed in their completion.  I can't tell you how many times I have said to my students, good enough!  Because we don't have time to keep working on it.  

Working on this level of attention and detail could be taught in a way where we teach students a small task that requires many little steps.  I have attempted origami with my students and have had to reteach them the steps many times because they have a difficult time grasping the precision needed to make it right.  I think this could easily be used to teach them about the meticulous nature of Japanese art and culture.

[Sandra Flores]

I find it interesting how civilizations all over the world shared similar beliefs.  These historical source is what we currently have to interpret the culture and this is what we use to teach about other cultures.  We also study similar for each culture, beliefs, arts, architecture, lifestyle and death.  I would have my students compare this to another ancient culture.  

I would also use the shinto shrines in my class.  Why is it that these shrines are still visited today? Why do people still visit these shrines? Do we have something similar in the United States.  

Another assignment that I would create would be for the students to create something similar to the 17 Article Constitution.  What would it look like in today's society.  

[Sandra Flores]

I would like to have my students read about Buddhism and also read the novel Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse in Spanish.  Students will use the novel to learn about the culture and religion.  After reading the novel, we could take a field trip to the Japanese Garden in Huntington Library.  Here they will be able to experience the tea ceremony and breathe nature. As an assignment I would have students take a picture of something that reminded them of Siddhartha and add a caption.  They would do this through Schoology and we would create an album of Siddhartha and Japanese culture.  

[Cynthia Stults]

I thought that Article 10 definitely hit on some Buddhist ideals- it brings up the idea of who can really decide and say what is right or wrong, and implies that all of us have the good and evil side within. It also brings in the idea that there are few people who are enlightened enough to be considered leaders or sages, which is why the final article seems to suggest that the best way is to consult and learn from others

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