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OUSDNews. “Why Is Biliteracy Important?” YouTube, 23 May 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXBIEAVhE2c.

In Clement's A Cultural History of Translation in Early Modern Japan, the historical and literary importance of Japanese kundoku is discussed in significant detail. Clements argues that biliteracy and Sino-Japanese prose helped to act as a bridge between academic and cultural usages of language, noting "the attempt to blend the grammar and vocabulary of kundoku with local, vernacular usages in Sino-Japanese mixed prose mirrors fifteenth-century attempts to bring English and Latin Closer together. In both, there is a similar desire to 'blend vernacular intimacy with Latinate [or Chinese] authority and sophistication, to heal the separation between spoken and textual, local and universal'" (Clements 109). Similarly, in "Why is Biliteracy Important?," Daniella notes that her fluency in both Spanish and English acts as a bridge between the US Government and its structures, such as the social work and educational sectors, and to her immigrant, Spanish-speaking family. I found it fascinating that biliteracy has played such an important role in connecting communities for thousands of years.

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Konoe, N., & Hasegawa, S. (Early 17th century). Anthology of Japanese and Chinese Poems (Wakan rōeishū) with underpainting of arrowroot vines [Six-panel folding screen]. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY.

"Ryōun shinshū" is one of three Sino-Japanese anthologies that were sponsored by Emperor Saga during the early 9th century. This collection was born during the height of Sinitic influence on Japanese literature, which is evident in the works' subject matters, including palace banquets and nature. For instance, the corresponding analysis of "Ryōun shinshū" notes, "Saga was both a powerful ruler and an ardent promoter of Sinitic institutions and literature...The majority of [his poems] are octaves, in the 'new style,' which Saga’s patronage helped establish. In his poetry Saga sometimes expresses a whimsical Daoist yearning for the tranquil, effortless life-style of the hermit or priest, placing himself into their habitat as a visitor or reaching out in friendship from a distance" (143). Similarly, in "Anthology of Japanese and Chinese Poems (Wakan rōeishū) with Underpainting of Arrowroot Vines," another Sino-Japanese anthology, "Wakan rōeishū," is represented as arrowroot vines, which entangle Sinitic and Japanese literature as well as visually represent the themes of nature that exist with the adoption of Sinitic traditions.

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伝近衛信尋書・伝長谷川宗也絵　葛下絵色紙貼付　『和漢朗詠集』　屏風

Title: Anthology of Japanese and Chinese Poems (Wakan rōeishū) with Underpainting of Arrowroot Vines

Calligrapher: Konoe Nobuhiro (Japanese, 1599-1649)

Artist: Underpainting attributed to Hasegawa Sōya (Japanese, born 1590)

Period: Edo period (1615-1868)

Date: early 17th century

Medium: Six-panel folding screen; ink and color on gilt paper

Dimensions: Image: 65 3/4 in. × 12 ft. 4 in. (167 × 375.9 cm)

Classification: Paintings

Credit Line: Purchase, several members of The Chairman's Council Gifts, 2001

Accession Number: 2001.423

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Konoe Nobuhiro | Anthology of Japanese and Chinese Poems (Wakan rōeishū) with Underpainting of Arrowroot Vines | Japan | Edo period (1615-1868) | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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伝近衛信尋書・伝長谷川宗也絵　葛下絵色紙貼付　『和漢朗詠集』　屏風 Title: Anthology of Japanese and Chinese Poems (Wakan rōeishū) with Underpainting of Arrowroot Vines Calligrapher: Konoe Nobuhiro (Japanese, 1599-1649) Artist: Underpainting attributed to Hasegawa Sōya (Japanese, born 1590) Period: Edo period (1615-1868) Date: early 17th century Medium: Six-panel folding screen; ink and color on gilt paper Dimensions: Image: 65 3/4 in.

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Feminist Frequency. (2016, March 23). Behind the Scenes: How Murasaki Shikibu Wrote the First Novel. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d63hq5aftWM

"Behind the Scenes: How Murasaki Shikibu Wrote the First Novel" highlights Murasaki Shikibu's boldness in writing the first novel after eavesdropping in on her brother's Chinese lessons, even though women at the time were not permitted to learn the language. Murasaki Shikibu was truly ahead of her time, which is highlighted in Satoko Naito's passage, "Genji Monogatari and its Reception." Naito notes, "This insistence on a felicitous origin to Genji was in response to a prevailing notion, especially popular during the medieval period, that Genji in particular and monogatari in general were a violation of the Buddhist precept forbidding fictitious speech and ornate language (kyo ̄gen kigo). In another legend that appeared as early as the twelfth century, Murasaki Shikibu is said to have fallen to hell for her sins of writing the tale" (137). I wonder how Murasaki Shikibu's positionality and courage in defying social norms may have influenced her writing choices.

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Behind the Scenes: How Murasaki Shikibu Wrote the First Novel

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (18th century). Book Cabinet (Shodansu) for a set of "The Chronicle of Great Peace" (Taiheiki) [Lacquered wood with gold togidashimaki-e, hiramaki-e, and silver inlay]. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY.

Book Cabinet (Shodansu) for a set of "The Chronicle of Great Peace" (Taiheiki) is an exemplification of beauty and artistry, decorated with flowers, dewdrops of silver, and fall grasses. The cabinet, meant to hold the 42-volume Taiheiki, a great war epic comparable to that of Homer's The Odyssey, speaks to the reverence of nature and divine forces that is so prevalent in premodern Japanese works. In the introduction to the Taiheiki chronicles, McCullough notes, 'like the Homeric epics, the war tales deal with historical events and personages, not denying a role to supernatural forces, but assigning great importance to gods, dreams, curses, and omens" (xv).

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Planning to visit The Met Fifth Avenue or The Met Cloisters? Same-day tickets can be purchased in person during regular hours. Both locations are closed on Wednesdays.

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Soga, Shōhaku. (ca. 1762–66). Eight Views of Ōmi (Ōmi hakkei) [Six-panel folding screen]. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY.

In the "Eight Views of Ōmi (Ōmi hakkei)," painter Soga Shōhaku depicts four of the Ōmi hakkei's eight views corresponding with a different depiction of the famous Lake Biwa. On the right of the screen, Soga Shōhaku has painted the temple in which the Tale of Genji's author allegedly relocated to write the work. In this way, Shōhaku blends literature with landscape, an homage to the Ōmi hakkei itself. For instance, in Scene 2 (Dusk Glowing at Seta) of Riley Soles' translation of the Ōmi hakkei poems in the Beinecke Scroll, it's written "Passing Mount Moru where all around a thick dew drips fresh from autumn showers, the setting sun makes its way across the long bridge at Seta."

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Soga Shōhaku | Eight Views of Ōmi (Ōmi hakkei) | Japan | Edo period (1615–1868) | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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Noh Theatre Explained. "An Introduction to Noh Masks." YouTube, 15 Nov. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgbgVOznDCo.

In the introduction to "China Reinterpreted: Staging the Other in Muromachi Noh Theater," author Leo Shingchi Yip argues that by "examining the images of China presented in these noh plays, one can identify how medieval Japanese playwrights, patrons, and audiences of noh might have viewed China — a cultural other." Much can be gleaned from the depictions of the other in premodern noh, not just in the Sinitic-Japanese sense, but through noh's characterization of the roles of the elderly, women, demons, and other spiritual figures. In "An Introduction to Noh Masks," publisher Noh Theatre Explained highlights the physical representation of masks' purpose in shaping the audience's perception of characters, which allows historians to gather truths about the expectations premodern Japanese society imposed on different social strata.

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Laskow, S. (2017, June 14). Found: The earliest-known kids’ book adapting a classic of Japanese literature. Atlas Obscura. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/tales-of-ise-kids-books-japanese-literature-1766

In the "Tales of Ise," the life of a Japanese court noble is depicted in detail. Through various scenes of waka poetry that highlight the natural world, the themes of ephemerality and the vastness of nature are emphasized: ideas central to Japanese spiritual traditions (Buddhism, Taoist ideals, etc.). For instance, the author writes, "There in Shinano / smoke from Mount Asama / rise to the sky: / a towering spectacle / no one near or far could miss" (31). In describing Mount Asama as a "towering spectacle" with smoke rising "to the sky," the author uses descriptive language to draw attention to the significance of Mount Asama's size. In the 18th century picture book adaptation of the "Tales of Ise," this ornate nature imagery is highlighted as well, with flowers and trees filling the page's white space.

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Found: The Earliest-Known Kids’ Book Adapting a Classic of Japanese Literature

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This 1766 picture book of the Tales of Ise was hiding in the British Library.

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東京都 Tokyo Metropolitan Government. "A Smash Hit for the Local Book Trade (的中地本問屋 Atariyashita Jihon Doiya)." YouTube video, 3:07. Published February 22, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWkHW3IksaE.

In Ihara Saikaku's and "Books of the Floating World," intricate, woodcut pictures are interspersed throughout his text, which was an Edo period reflection of Japan's evolving urban class. For example, the text mentions, "In the 1660s, a national network of transportation and communication was formed, and the economy in the Kyoto-Osaka area grew quickly. At the same time, a new type of merchant, who made his fortune in the new currency-based capitalist economy in which capital was invested and circulated, came to the fore, replacing those who had made their fortunes earlier in the century through monopolistic privileges and special connections to domain lords" (132). This message is highlighted by the visual depictions of the Japanese economy through woodblock prints. Similarly, in Atariyashita, a title that reflects the success of the book, wood block depictions of Ikku's compilation of his manuscript highlight the ironic, humorous nature of the kibyoshi. Clearly, woodblock visuals were incorporated into Edo texts to add humor, highlight important narrative themes, and provide context in premodern Japanese works.

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"A Smash Hit for the Local Book Trade" (的中地本問屋 Atariyashita Jihon Doiya)

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Japan Foundation国際交流基金. "Bunraku: Storytelling, Music & Puppetry." YouTube video. Published June 18, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F-xtbiTtjQ.

In "Backstage at Bunraku," Adachi highlights the intricate web of individuals who bring Bunraku puppetry to life, from the head puppeteer, to his assistants, to the manipulators. Through this collaboration, a puppet's emotion may be communicated to the Bunraku performance's audience, as Adachi notes, "the puppet used for Matsuomaru must let disguised emotions show through; he displays recognition, grief masked by stern resolution, and the joy of loyalty maintained at great personal cost. The puppet head chosen suggests certain traits, but the puppet must be operated to show the character's motivation and feelings" (56). In "Bunraku: Storytelling, Music & Puppetry," the audio of the shamisen music highlights the emotional tone of the recitation. This further demonstrates the meticulous, thoughtful ways in which Bunraku shows are planned in order to appeal to the viewer's every emotion, bringing the performance to life.

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Japan Calendar. “Following the Path of Basho: Yamadera.” YouTube video, 10:00. March 10, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZkSvHjB5ME.

In chapter 5, "The narrow Road to the Deep North Oku no hosomichi," Basho encapsulates the profound beauty of the natural landscape he is bearing witness to through his poetry. For example, he writes, "Mount Yudono: / on the path of treading coins, / with tears falling." Here, Basho conveys the depth of the emotions he experiences upon his immersion in the natural landscape of Japan by implementing enjambment, making "Mount Yudono" and "with tears falling" their own lines. Japan's serenity is further highlighted in the beautiful scenes of the video, "Following The Path of Basho: Yamadera," where the narrator highlights that "winter offers a breathtaking landscape with clusters of volcanic rocks and a miniature Buddhist sculpture scattered on your path."