Literature and Language of Japan and China

KATOU, IIKURA, IZUHARA, ASAMI, TAKAHASHI, GOYAMA, KINUHATA, OKAJIMA, KINSUI, SHIMIZU, KITAMURA, HASHIMOTO (School of Letters)

Objective
   The purpose of this course is to help students understand the outlines of Japanese literature and language. In addition, during the course students will acquire knowledge of ancient Chinese culture, which made a great impact on Japan. The course will be divided into four parts. In the first part (Lectures 2-4), we will discuss the history of Japanese literature in a broad sense. In the second part (Lectures 5-7), we will give lectures on ancient Chinese literature, society and Japanese literature written in Classical Chinese. In the third part (Lectures 8-10), we will discuss Japanese characters, grammar, styles of writing and stereotypes. The last part (Lectures 11-13) will be devoted to discussing Japanese literature from a comparative perspective.

Course Schedule
   1, 10/7
   Introduction, Yorimitsu HASHIMOTO
   2, 10/14
   Characteristics of ancient Japanese Literature, Yousuke KATOU
   3, 10/21
   Books and Publication in the Edo Period, Youichi IIKURA
   4, 10/28
   A Survey of Modern Japanese Literature. Takatoshi IZUHARA
   5, 11/4
   Chinese Poetry in the Tang and Song Dynasty, Yoji ASAMI
   6, 11/11
   Society and Art of Ancient China, Bunji TAKAHASHI
   7, 11/18
   Pre-modern and Early-modern Japanese Literature Written in Classical Chinese, Rintaro GOYAMA
   8, 11/25
   When Grammar and Sound Meet Characters: Cases of Japanese and Ryukyuan, Tomohide KINUHATA
   9, 12/2
   Language described by the Occidentals, Akihiro OKAJIMA
   10, 12/9
   Japanese, Asians, Westerners and Their Languages Represented in Manga and Anime, Satoshi KINSUI
   11, 12/16
   A Survey of Modern Japanese Literature, II, Yasutsugu SHIMIZU
   12, 1/13
   Creativity of Japanese Reception of Western Literature: Akutagawa Ryu^nosuke and Murakami Haruki, Takashi KITAMURA
   13, 1/20
   Japonisme and the Yellow Peril, Yorimitsu HASHIMOTO
   14, 1/27
   Review, Yorimitsu HASHIMOTO
   15, 2/3
   Summary

Textbooks
   No particular books will be used.

Readings
   Ian Littlewood, The Idea of Japan: Western Images, Western Myths (Chicago, Ill. : Ivan R. Dee, 1996)
   Masayoshi Shibatani (1990) The Languages of Japan (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990)
   John K. Walton, (ed.), Histories of Tourism: Representation, Identity and Conflict (Clevedon: Channel View Publications, 2005)
   Note: this syllabus and readings are tentative and subject to change.

Grading
   Class participation 40%
   Two term papers to be submitted at the end of the course 60%
   (Each term paper should be connected to one of the 12 themes of the course (2-13)