The book analyzes the manuscript on the Dutch language attributed to the Japanese scholar of Dutch Shizuki Tadao (1760 – 1806). It is often argued that the Japanese scholars’ knowledge of Dutch was... Show moreThe book analyzes the manuscript on the Dutch language attributed to the Japanese scholar of Dutch Shizuki Tadao (1760 – 1806). It is often argued that the Japanese scholars’ knowledge of Dutch was not particularly advanced, as they were mostly limited by their broken understanding of the contents of Dutch grammatical handbooks and dictionaries. The present book questions and investigates this claim with the goal of understanding the actual role played by Dutch sources in the learning of Dutch grammar.Shizuki can be considered as the first Japanese who studied the European theory of grammar. His representation of it is highly relevant within the history of linguistic thought. In the analysis of Shizuki’s manuscripts, this book concentrates on the representation of the categories of the parts of speech and of morphosyntactic phenomena related to verbs. While describing Dutch grammar, Shizuki often mentions other Japanese authors, like Ogyū Sorai and Motoori Norinaga. This book analyzes their works in relation to Shizuki’s manuscripts and his Dutch sources, contextualizing Shizuki’s theories and demonstrating their relationship to his sources. The book argues in favor of a new positioning of Shizuki and the other rangakusha within the scholarly environment of Early Modern Japan. Show less
Surimono reflect cultural and social facets of urban life in late Edo period Japan. Thus far, most surimono research was focused on the art historic qualities of the material, regularly also taking... Show moreSurimono reflect cultural and social facets of urban life in late Edo period Japan. Thus far, most surimono research was focused on the art historic qualities of the material, regularly also taking the interplay between poetry and image into account. The research presented here places surimono in a greater perspective by including the literary antecedents of the content, the cultural background of the kyōka world and the social networks of poets.Fundamental to the aim of this research is to expose how kyōka provided spheres where people with a cultural interest could join in a literary pursuit that allowed them to fully incorporate their appreciation for and knowledge of the classics. I argue that surimono and kyōka books are deeply rooted in a literary tradition and aimed at an audience of amateur poets who enjoyed honing their wit and culture, creating a world of their own with self-imposed regulations. Despite the initial mocking stance towards the classics seen in early stages of the renewed kyōka popularity in Edo, I contend that surimono, well as other kyōka related materials, show a specific rediscovery and reception of a literary past, which coincides with a period of cultural self-identification in Edo society. Show less
