History 490/590 Professor Andrew Goble

Japan to 1336

 Office Hours
CRN:13215/13216 Time/Location:
09:30-10:50 UH / 248 GER

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course covers two major eras of Japanese history, the medieval (Muromachi or Ashikaga period, 1336-1570s; Sengoku or Warring States period 1467-1570s; Azuchi-Momoyama, 1470s-1600) and the early-modern (the Tokugawa or Edo period, 1600-1868). The medieval era was an age charac­ter­ized by war­fare, decen­traliza­tion, enormous flux, and active overseas contacts. The early modern era is particularly noted for rule by the warrior class, the abolition of warfare, stabili­ty, and the emer­gence of a vibrant urban culture centered on the city of Edo (modern Tokyo). The emphasis of the course is on some broader politi­cal, economic and social themes and their relation­ships within a chronologi­cal framework.

COURSE POLICIES

One mid-term (25% of course grade), one final (35% of course grade), one 3000 word essay, worth 40% of the course grade, on a topic to be chosen in consul­tation with instruc­tor. The essay is due no later than March 02 (late submis­sion without good reason and/or prior arrange­ment may be penalised). Graduate students are also to submit a 5-page book report, title to be chosen in consultation with instruc­tor.

REQUIRED TEXTS

Readings: Since lecture topics will be known in advance, it is expected that the relevant readings will be consulted in timely fashion in order to keep up with and benefit most from the lectures. Wider reading, particularly when choosing topics for the book review and the term paper (REMEMBER it counts for 40% of the course grade), is strongly encouraged.

Totman, Early Modern Japan

Varley, Japanese Culture, A Short History

Hall, Japan: From Prehistory to Modern Times

Students who have not taken a Japanese history course previously will get some useful overall background by reading through: Totman, Early Modern Japan, chapters 1-3;  the first four chapters of Varley's Japanese Culture, or the first six chapters of Hall's Japan From Prehistory to Modern Times.

COURSE SCHEDULE

PART ONE: THE MEDIEVAL AGE

Varley, 83-146; Hall, 75-159;

PART TWO: THE TOKUGAWA AGE

Varley, 147-202; Hall, 160-242

Totman: read the chapters intelligently in conjunction with the sched­uled lectures; note however that the lectures will not deal very much with the subject matter of chapters 9, 16, 17; Part Five is beyond the time-frame of the course.

LECTURE SCHEDULE

1/05 Course Introduction; Background

 

PART I: THE MEDIEVAL AGE (for us, 1336-1600)

1/07 Lecture: The Kenmu Revolution and the 14th Century

1/12 Lecture: The Ænin War (1467-77) and Its Consequences

1/14 Lecture: The Sixteenth Century Reunification

1/19 Lecture: Cities and Commercial Change

1/21 Lecture: Muromachi Foreign Contacts: Trade & Piracy

1/26  ** SLIDE Lecture: Zen and Medieval Culture

1/28 Lecture: 16th Century Cultures

2/02  ** SLIDE Lecture: Illnesses, Afflictions and Community

2/04    ** FILM: The Coming of the Barbarians (VT 2499; in IMC)

2/09 MID-TERM EXAM

 

PART II: THE TOKUGAWA AGE (for us, 1600-1800)   

2/11 Lecture: The Tokugawa Settlement

2/16 Lecture: Urbanization - Castle Towns, Edo, Osaka

2/18    **SLIDE Lecture: Rhythms of Urban Life

2/23 Lecture: Urban Popular Culture - Kabuki, Sumo, Food

2/25 Lecture: Lust and Sexuality

3/02 Lecture: Disease, Illness and Medicines in Daily Life

3/04  ** SLIDE Lecture: Edo Bodies

3/09  ** SLIDE Lecture: Edo Travel and Movement

3/11 Lecture: Summary and Conclusion

3/16 - 3/20 FINAL EXAMS PERIOD

General Bibliographical Note

The readiest source of bibliographical information will be found in the textbooks. For Totman, the information contained in his notes is particularly useful.

Otherwise, a useful starting place for bibliographical assistance is John Dower, Japanese History: Seven Bibliographies, which is particularly useful once he reaches the Tokugawa period. The Bibliography in Cultural Atlas of Japan (copies held in the Map Library) is also well worth consult­ing. For the late six­teenth century, Bardwell Smith's bibliographical essay in War­lords, Artists and Commoners is extensive for publications through 1980. Another good guide is the "Works Cited" section of The Cambridge History of Japan, Volume 4, Early Modern Japan. You may also wish to explore such journals as Monumenta Nipponica, Journal of Japanese Studies, Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, and Journal of Asian Studies, complete sets of which are held in the Knight Library; recent numbers are to be located in the current periodicals section of Knight. Monumenta Nipponica, volume 40 (1985), has a most useful classified index of volumes 1-40; Journal of Japanese Studies volume 11 (1985) has an index of volumes 1-10. The Harvard Journal generally has an index for relevant volumes every 5 years or so.

Suggestions A guide to some works in some areas, not exhaustive in any way, but perhaps they might give you some ideas.

Bernstein, G. Recreating Japanese Women, 1600-1945

Berry, M. E. The Culture of Civil War In Kyoto

----------- Hideyoshi

Suggestions (continued)

Bolitho, H. Treasures Among Men

Boxer, C. Japan's Christian Century

Brandon, Malm & Shively Studies in Kabuki

Cooper, M. They Came to Japan

Elison & Smith Warlords, Artists and Commoners

Gerstle, A. 18th Century Japan

Hall, Nagahara, and Yamamura Japan Before Tokugawa

Hall & Toyoda Japan in the Muromachi Age

Hall & Jansen Studies in the Institutional History of Early Modern Japan Hanley & Yamamura Economic and Demographic Change in Pre-Industrial Japan

Hibbett, H. The Floating World in Japanese Fiction

Jannetta, A. Epidemics and Mortality in Early Modern Japan

Leupp, G. Male Colors

---------             Servants, Shophands and Laborers

Massarella, D.        A World Elsewhere

McClain, J.                 Kanazawa

McClain, J. & Merriman, J. Edo and Paris

Najita, T.                     Visions of Virtue in Tokugawa Japan

Nakane & Oishi            Tokugawa Japan

Seigle, C.                   Yoshiwara

Smith, T.                     The Agrarian Origins of Modern Japan

Toby, R.                      State and Diplomacy in Early Modern Japan

Totman, C.                 The Lumber Industry in Tokugawa Japan

Vaporis, C.                Breaking Barriers

Walthall, A.            Peasant Protest in the Tokugawa Period