Author: Marius Johnson, USA
Translator: Liu Liyan
Publisher: Shanghai Sanlian Bookstore
Publication time: January 2020
The World View of Japan "was originally not an academic book, but rather a series of public speech scriptsTherefore, it did not adopt the format of academic articles, without annotations, difficult terminology, and lengthy citations. The target of these speeches is not his students of Japanese history, but ordinary Americans, so their contents are simple and clear, and American listeners feel that they are related to their history and times. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
This book explores the changes in Japanese worldview over the past two centuries.Johnson focuses on three historical figures: Sugida Genbai, Kumi Kunbu, and Matsumoto Shigeharu, analyzing how Japanese people re understood the world and positioned themselves during the mid Tokugawa period, the end of the shogunate, the early Meiji period, and the post-war Showa period What do you think about this?Using characters to tell stories to highlight the importance of history is a common technique in Johnson's historiography, and his classic research on Sun Yat sen and Ryoma Sakamoto is a model in this regard. Don't forget to share your experience!
Sugida Genbai was at a critical period in Japanese history when the worldview of the Japanese people shiftedThe popularization of Lanxue made Japanese intellectuals understand that Japan, China, and India (the traditional worldview of the "Three Kingdoms" discourse) are only a small part of the earth, and Japan's traditional knowledge is not a golden rule, far behind Western countries in medical and natural science knowledge. Don't forget to share your experience!After witnessing human anatomy with his own eyes, Sugida discovered that the knowledge of internal organs in Chinese medicine is not as reliable as that of Lan Yi Have you tried this before? Share your story!The Confucian tradition of distinguishing between Chinese and foreign cultures has been questioned, and the Japanese people's global perspective has expanded from their homeland and Asia to the whole world; Disgusting outdated thinking and showing great interest in new things. Don't forget to share your experience!
If the worldview shift in the middle of the Tokugawa period mainly occurred among intellectuals, by the end of the Edo period and the beginning of the Meiji period, it had developed into a nationwide ideological awakening. China is not only no longer a subject of learning, but has even become a negative example and other of modernization in Asia. Japan is striving to integrate with the international community, and batches of official and local missions learning from the West are reminiscent of the former envoys to Tang. What do you think about this?Kumi Bonmu was the secretary of the Iwakura Mission, who had been on a diplomatic mission to the West for the longest period of time. He personally witnessed the progress of the United States and Europe and left detailed records for the Meiji government's reform reference. Have you tried this before? Share your story!He placed the United States and Europe at the forefront of the international order and was also a model for Japan to emulate. He despises the backward China and feels ashamed to be associated with it. During the Meiji period, the whole country was united in seeking change, and through Western style reforms, Japan transformed into a new ally and model in Asia. What do you think about this?
Matsumoto Shigeharu is a witness and historian of Showa historyAfter World War II, Japan developed from a dilapidated city to an economic powerhouse and one of the successful models in Asia. Various Asian countries learned from Japan's experience, and even the West highly praised Japan's achievements. Japanese people have regained their confidence and national self-esteem, feeling that their long cherished dream of becoming a great nation has been realized. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Japan has become at the forefront of the world in terms of economy, trade, technology, and business management, no longer aiming to emulate advanced countries as it did in the past. Japan's achievements have stimulated new nationalism, and there is a great market for emphasizing how excellent and unique Japanese people are in the "Japanese theory". Don't forget to share your experience!
Japan's relationship with the United States and China has become complex, with the former seeming closer and the latter seeming farther and farther. Amidst the cheers and hidden worries, Japan has paid a heavy social cost for its economic miracle. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
The Challenge to Confucian Order in the 1870s
Anyone who wants to give a series of speeches on the topic of "Japan's 200th Anniversary" must first explain what they intend to commemorate. The 200th anniversary of the United States' National Day does not require such explanation, as the significance of 1776 is evident. What do you think about this?A few years ago, Japan was also busy celebrating its centenary, and the Meiji Restoration of 1868, which they commemorated, was clearly an event that went down in history. Have you tried this before? Share your story!For Japan in the 1870s, I cannot name such a distinct epoch-making event.What I am discussing here now is that the Japanese worldview began to undergo a decisive transformation in the 1870s. This transformation is usually not brought about by a single major event, but rather the result of a series of major events in the intellectual and publishing industries, clearing the way for a series of political events. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
I am not the only one who believed that the 1870s were important. A few years ago,Donald KeaneDonald KeeneprofessorIn works about the Japanese people of this era, I've found that it's pointed out that "they have entered a new era, which is modern Japan. They have discovered... a new spirit - a new spirit full of vigor, curiosity, and the ability to accept new things." More recently, Let me know your thoughts in the comments!Professor Tetsuya Fanga, a historian at the University of TokyoIn the mid-1870s, the Japanese people underwent profound changes in their consciousness, thinking methods, and understandingThe result of this change includes the publication of a work on electrical engineering and a work that recognizes Western physics achievements as superior to traditional Sinological interpretations Let me know your thoughts in the comments!.
The most symbolic of this transformation is the famous statement made by Dr. Sugida Genbai in 1771 after witnessing the autopsy of a executed prisoner's body. Don't forget to share your experience!
The visceral structure of the 'Green Tea Lady' proves that a Dutch anatomical theory is correct but a Chinese medical book is incorrect. The latter's statement about the structural differences between the Huayi people and the internal organ translocation caused by corpse stiffness is not correct. Sugida and his companions decided to translate the anatomy book on their way home. He later wrote that we are determined to seek facts through experiments. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!In 1774, they published a Japanese translation of this book, ushering in the era of Western book translations entering JapanThe following year, Sugida excitedly challenged the entire Chinese cultural tradition in a collection of essays titled "Words of Crazy Doctors". Don't forget to share your experience!
This event has profound implications for Japan's worldview. These actions not only symbolize the overthrow of traditional worldviews, but also serve as a driving force. Don't forget to share your experience!
The first volume and illustrations of "New Book of Disintegration" were translated into a four volume Chinese book by Sugida and others over a period of four years, with accompanying charts. It is now housed in the National Diet Library of Japan What do you think about this?
To explain the reasons for this situation and the results of the changes involved,We must first discuss the traditional worldview, especially the factors that have long made Japan dependent on China.
1 China's Great Shadow
2 China in Tokugawa Thought
3 Eliminate 'China'
4 The emergence of the Western model
The second emphasis is on knowledge in the world
1 Late Tokugawa period
2 Travelers of the 1870s
3 New Japanism
Lesson Three: Seeking World Status in the 20th Century
1 Between the two major wars
2 The Decision of War
3 Japan's revival
4 Determine the actual name