AUTHOR: blackmer
TITLE: Ebert on Rashomon
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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DATE: 09/13/2004 07:00:30 AM
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Take a look at Roger Ebert's 2002 <a href="http://home.wlu.edu/~blackmerh/anth230/ebertrashomon.html">summary review of <b>Rashomon</b></a>. What do <i>you</i> think about Kurosawa's statement that "Human beings are unable to be honest with themselves about themselves. They cannot talk about themselves without embellishing." ? 
<b>Make a Comment to this posting</b> with your response!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael Caspani
EMAIL: caspanim@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.7
URL: 
DATE: 09/14/2004 05:19:50 PM
I think the accuracy of Kurasawa's statement was certainly made apparent in RASHOMON, as each storyteller embellished themselves to try and make themselves seem stronger than the other parties involved in the samurai's murder.  Ironically, these attempts at self exultation simply showed how weak all the characters truly were.
Applying Kurasawa's statement to real life, I think it is true to an extent.  Everyone has, at one time or another, reminisced on a particular event in their life and stretched the truth to make it more exciting, or to make themself seem more interesting or heroic, if you will.  However, while I think this statement carries some truth at times, I do not think humans are inherently dishonest.  Some people are, some are not; everyone is different.  And besides, everyone likes to make things interesting...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Leah
EMAIL: heronl@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.18.2
URL: 
DATE: 09/14/2004 05:21:26 PM
It's been my experience that people tend to stretch the truth, but rarely on purpose. It usually depends on the different points of view and assessments of the situation. When a group of friends get together to tell a story about themselves to an outsider, random group memebers tend to add random things into the story to make sure that they're included. The funny thing is that the rest of the group goes along with these embellishments. People tend to want to make themselves appear to be the biggest victim or the biggest hero so that they won't be forgotten. If that's even the real reason. 
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Arielle
EMAIL: grimmcnallya@wlu.edu
IP: 24.51.107.242
URL: 
DATE: 09/14/2004 05:25:22 PM
In a psychology course, I learned that humans have the physiological ability to create and exaggerate memories of an event.  We are incapable of storing all memories of everything that has happened to us, and although this seems to apply only to memories of events in the distant past, this could also follow events that are so intense, they seem to blur together and, thus, lose some specifics.
It is possible that these conflicting stories of how the event transpired may be a result of the "filling in" of lost specifics by those involved.  It may not be a conscious or controllable ability that we "are unable to be honest with" ourselves, it may be that we, as fallible beings, allow our emotions to create what we perceived the event to be.  
The three who told their stories may have imagined, because of the blame they place upon themselves, that they were at fault for the final, ultimate act of murder.  They each see themselves as having wronged, and no matter what they truthfully did, they take that emotion of guilt and "embellish" the memory, stating they were the cause of the murder.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ben Morris
EMAIL: morrisd@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.123
URL: 
DATE: 09/14/2004 05:33:55 PM
I think that Kurosawa’s statement that “Human beings are unable to be honest with themselves about themselves” is false. I believe that humans are able to be honest with themselves about themselves.  
Every human is privy to information in their own mind that unless verbalized, is accessible to only one’s self. Assuming that a human is capable of being honest, which I think most people are, then who better to make an honest statement about a person than oneself. The problem then arises whether or not the person will verbally tell the truth. Each character in the movie verbally conveyed his story to the court or to other characters. In one’s mind the story may have been the truth from that individual’s perspective, but verbally there is always the chance of misrepresentation, or being misunderstood.    
In regards to the statement that humans “cannot talk about themselves without embellishing,” I believe that too is false.  I think that everyone is capable of talking about themselves without embellishing, but as there is an exception to every rule, I feel that there are few people who have never embellished a statement at one time or another.

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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ben Morris
EMAIL: morrisd@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.123
URL: 
DATE: 09/14/2004 05:40:49 PM
P.S. Sorry about that other posting on the main page, I think I must have commented in the wrong spot the first time around. -Ben
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dan McMenamin
EMAIL: mcmenamind@wlu.edu
IP: 67.23.156.15
URL: 
DATE: 09/14/2004 06:01:01 PM
One of the main problems with being a conscious being, and one with some sort of memory, is that as soon as an event has happened, we can immediately think of a way to improve that event, or the way that we acted during that event.  In the movie Rashomon, this event was a murder/rape, where all three of the actors seemed to be disappointed with the way they handled the situation.  After being summoned for questioning, the memory of that situation is immediately brought to the surface, along with the shortcomings of each actor.  To better present themselves to the police, and perhaps more importantly to erase these shortcomings they have acknowledged, they change the story.  By embellishing the truth to a more satisfying version, the event itself might become less of a horror.  It is certain that humans do not like living in pain, and if lying can prevent this pain, then it seems like a reasonable choice.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kathleen
EMAIL: stoecklek@wlu.edu
IP: 24.51.107.133
URL: 
DATE: 09/14/2004 06:21:52 PM
I find Kirosawa's statement to be extremely appropriate, in memories of even common every day occurances, though it is a particularly apt statment in reference to Roshomon.  I know for fact, that I have embellished things or changed them around in my head, whether consciously or unconsciously, and I think everyone has had the experience of thinking that a dream they have had was real.  I think this is the same sort of thing, you convince yourself that a certain thing has happened, or has happened a certain way and it becomes truth in your mind.  As with Roshomon, guilt only exaggerates this, because people are more compelled to think that the blame lies with them, and so unconsciously change events to suit this idea, remembering something as happening one way instead of another.  Furthermore, when stressful things occur, most people can't take in all the details so their mind invents them, such as in bank robberies, there are varying accounts from witnesses about what the robber looked like or how things played out.  In Roshomon, the same thing happened, however, even with the widely varying accounts there are some elements that remain the same.  I suppose that it is in these common elements where the least amount of embellishment lies.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tim Blair
EMAIL: blairt@wlu.edu
IP: 67.76.91.37
URL: 
DATE: 09/14/2004 06:24:04 PM
This movie is a clear image of how humans react to events that occur in their lives.  Once an event happens it is lodged into our memory.  Over time, details and events within this memory don't necessarily disappear, but they become distorted in some way.  This distortion could be in regards to the events that took place, the people involved or the emotions felt while that event took place.  It seems as if these distortions usually involve the storyteller's role in the specific event.  More specifically, the storyteller seems to garnish his/her own role in the events that took place.  It seems as if this occurs more on the subconscious level as an instinct of human nature.  In RASHOMON I do not belive that the various storytellers garnished their stories consciously, but merely subconsciously and thus explains why there are conflicting stories about the subsequent murder/rape.    
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Alex White
EMAIL: whiteab@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.18.124
URL: 
DATE: 09/14/2004 06:28:06 PM
I like the theme that Dan McMenamin brought up about being a conscious being. I think that this movie shows alot of what anthropology seeks to teach as a discipline: that we see everything through our own lens. Like Dan said, when an event occurs, we see the reality of that event, but once the memory of the event enters our mind, we form opinions on it based on our own personal interests, values, beliefs, emotions, etc. This is where the theme of selfishness comes into play, because once we have a chance to alter our interpretation of events within our minds, we display our seemingly innate responsibility to ourselves. Each of the characters' accounts shows this phenomenon, and each of the characters seeks to absolve his or herself from guilt. Since this phenomenon happens within our own minds, it is hard to fight, which is why Kurasawa's statement is so poignant. It is hard to fight our minds' reactions and be completely honest with ourselves, because our minds are constantly interpretating actions and events in what seem to selfish ways. Since we are in an anthropology class, I will say that the "selfishness" that the men at Rashomon speak of seems to be survivalistic, because it would be difficult to live with our guilt, shame, and sin if our minds didnt automatically help us by making us think that we are doing the right thing in a situation, whether victim or perpetrator. i think that human beings may be able to be honest with themselves, because if someone does something wrong, they know that they are doing it at the time. It is just naturally so difficult to admit flat-out wrongdoing without some sort of embellishment, to make things more comfortable.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Julianne Shelley
EMAIL: shelleyj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.68.132
URL: 
DATE: 09/14/2004 06:56:52 PM
  I agree with Kurosawa’s statement.  People cannot be honest with themselves.  People with a healthy self-image do this unconsciously.  You are the only person that knows your true thoughts and feelings. You are your best self-advocate, and have an innate tendency to act with your best interest in mind.  People constantly seek self approval and the approval of others.  This is part of how you adapt to the values instituted within your culture.  Because of this you naturally believe that you are a better person than you truly are. In addition and as previously noted, I believe this self dishonesty has evolved as a survival instinct to increase one’s ability to cope with adversity in life.  People cannot easily talk about themselves without embellishing.  If people have a distorted image of who they truly are, then it is nearly impossible to talk about themselves without embellishment.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Carlos Spaht
EMAIL: spahtc@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.7
URL: 
DATE: 09/14/2004 07:13:26 PM
I agree with Kurosawa's comment.  Everyone exaggerates when talking about themselves and everyone expects this to happen.  I'm not sure this is a bad thing.  I once read somewhere that the reason people feel uncomfortable when they say their own names is because no one wants to believe that everything they think they are can be summed up in two words.  That's what I thought about when I read Kurosawa's quote.  Along these same lines, people tend to exaggerate themselves in their own heads.  I'd argue that it's natural and necessary to do so, and because everyone does it, everyone could relate to the characters in the film.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristin collins
EMAIL: collinsa@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.125
URL: 
DATE: 09/14/2004 07:32:56 PM
I disagree with Kurosawa's statement that "Human beings are unable to be honest with themselves about themselves." Although individuals experience reality in a taken for granted way (as objective and immutable), it is often the result of an elaborate creative process. "Rashomon" merely emphasizes this socially created nature of reality. Each and every person experiences reality differently: the events an individual chooses to remember regarding a particular incident will inevitably vary. Every individual is an individual, loaded with beliefs and ideas specific to their personal reality. Therefore, human beings cannot possibly experience identical realities, as Kurosawa contends; each rendition of an event or what was real will be different.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Robert Bitterman
EMAIL: bittermanr@wlu.edu
IP: 67.23.157.112
URL: 
DATE: 09/14/2004 07:52:57 PM
The rain imagery in RASHOMON led me to believe that the downpour represented more than an imaginary barrier between the past and future.  My overall impression of the rain was that it represented a spiritual element, possibly "faith in man," and had the power to wash away the sins of humanity in a time of chaos.  In the beginning of the film, the Woodcutter stressed that "year after year nothing but disaster[s]," and the appearance of the ramshackle ruins where the story is told reflects this environment.  The rain only begins to let up after the onlooker thinks his faith in men may have been restored by the generosity  and hospitality of the Woodcutter.  I noticed that the rain does not totally let up as if to say, "there is still work to be done, though this is a step in the right direction -- further cleansing or baptism is imminent."  This film attempts to tackle the true nature of man and ends ambiguously as only we could expect.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Emily
EMAIL: sbernae@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.20.148
URL: 
DATE: 09/14/2004 08:09:00 PM
Kurosawa'a statement that "human beings are unable to be honest with themselves about themselves... cannot talk about themselves without embellishing" has both true and false aspects which can relate possibly to a specific culture.  Western culture has this stress that people need to be the best and strive constantly to get there.  In these situations it would probably be common for one to 'embellish' to make themselves appear better, even if the truth is that they're not.  But Eastern culture has focusized strongly on honor.  I feel as though falsely embelleshing oneself would not be considered an honorable act in this culture and therefore people would be taught to steer away.  But regardless of culture, we are human (as emphasized in the movie).  And humans are imperfect and often feel the need to make up for that fact by being dishonest.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Pierce Owings
EMAIL: owingsj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.164.4
URL: 
DATE: 09/14/2004 08:17:25 PM
As evident by everyone else's comments, humans can easily identify with these characters in their desire to be the star of such an event.  The irony lies in their desire to attain the role of the guilty one charged with murder.  Perhaps Kurosawa is using these characters to personify that the human desire for attention outweighs the human desire for acquittal.  He poses the idea that we'd rather be remembered for committing a terrible crime than not remembered at all.  I also learned in a psychology class that kids naturally think of the world as revolving around them.  While I believe everyone grows out of this, some of it remains in our self-centered storytelling.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: John Baker
EMAIL: bakerj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.12
URL: 
DATE: 09/14/2004 08:22:56 PM
I agree with Kurosawa's statement.  Individuals often stretcth the truth in their stories so that the listener will continue to pay attention to their story. I believeve that this is a flaw in human nature that is acceptable as long as the individual is able to understand the difference between reality and the fantasy that they have created.  This is usually not a problem but occassionally an individual stretching the truth completely blocks out what happened and only remembers what they think happened.  I agree with Carlos in that usually the exaggeration occurs when an individual wants to make himself seem bigger.  In an instance such as portrayed in RASHOMON I do not think the exaggeration is acceptable and hope that in this instance an individual would be able to put aside his ego and bring out the truth.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Megan
EMAIL: brooksm@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.114.139
URL: 
DATE: 09/14/2004 08:34:13 PM
I think that Kurosawa's statement is not entirely true.  It is probably not the case in every situation where a person talks about him or herself, however I bet it is something that does happen quite often for almost everyone.  In most cases I doubt that people mean to be dishonest but it is difficult to talk about yourself in an unbiased way.  Perception is also a key factor because everyone perceives things in a different way.  Without meaning to be dishonest, a person might speak inaccurately about themselfsimply due to their own unique perspective.  However, it seems unrealistic to me that anyone could honestly perceive themself as having killing another person when they had not.  I think that they situation in Roshomon is set up the way it is in order to get across the ideas about human honesty, not necessarily to be realistic.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ted Archer
EMAIL: archert@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.15.125
URL: 
DATE: 09/14/2004 08:46:08 PM
Kurusawa's statement about human beings' inability to be honest with themselves is a very interesting yet true statement.  In every situation a human being is prone to bring along with him/her unique biases that cause their perceptions to be different. Although it is clear in this movie scenario that each of the characters are emebellishing, it is unclear why.  This is why the 3 characters discussing the murder are so perplexed. I think this is precisely what Kurosawa is trying to convey, that all humans have this inability welps whether it helps their situation or not.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Shari
EMAIL: boyces@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.15.125
URL: 
DATE: 09/14/2004 08:59:09 PM
I agree with Kurosawa's statement that human beings cannot talk about themselves without embellishing.  When people are forced to retell a story or an event that involves themselves they tend to stretch the truth.  And similar to Rashoman, one's version of the truth is different from someone elses. In Rashomon the bandit, the wife, and the Samurai embellished their characters and told stories that ended with themselves being the murderers.  In my opinion, they wanted the council and possibly the audience/viewers to pity them.  They wanted themselves to appear as the victim even if they were the murderer. 
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Letisha
EMAIL: kearneylm@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.41.20
URL: 
DATE: 09/15/2004 12:08:12 AM
I completely agree with the message of Kurosawa's film.  No two people react to the world in the same way and so their own ideas and misconceptions are often reflected in the way they see the world.  A thief is much more likely to be suspicious of others than an honest man because he will see other men in the same context that he thinks of himself.  In Rashomon, the bandit probably saw himself as a dashing romantic thief with his own code of rebellious honor, and perhaps wanted to believe that with his own desire he could force the woman that he desired to desire him back.  Also, the horror and disgust the woman saw in her husband's eyes was probably, regardless of its truth, at least somewhat a reflection of what she felt for herself and what she feared from him and society at large.  The man, even in death, could not accept his own failure to protect his wife and thus vilifies her to salvage his own pride.  The nature of first person view is that it forces, if unintentionally, the story to revolve around one character.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Joe Cooch
EMAIL: coochj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.11
URL: 
DATE: 09/15/2004 12:17:04 PM
Director Kurosawa's statement "Human beings are unable to be honest with themselves about themselves. They cannot talk about themselves without embellishing" is certainly a statement that challenges anyone who hears it said. Kurosawa raises a high level of doubt about the nature of man.  Regardless i tend to agree with this statement to a certain extent.  I think  Kurosawa means that humans are not actively lying to and about themselves for personal gain, rather that every experience is subjective.  I do not read this statement and see Kurosawa claiming that all humans lie.  I believe that two people cannot experience something in the same way because there is somthing innately subjective to any experience.  The "embellishment" that humans make when talking about themselves arises from the fact that two people cant see something the same way.
    Joe
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ted
EMAIL: archert@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.64.25
URL: 
DATE: 09/27/2004 11:12:03 AM
My sympathies are with the woman in the story. The story of Rashoman is set in a time and place where women were subordinate to men and had to rely on men to survive. The woman in the story is depicted as the property and possession of men throughout the story. She is riding on a horse led by her husband through the woods until her incompetent husband follows the bandit Tajomaru to find some valuable "swords". Although it is important to note that every story was different and there is no clear-cut truth, in every version told, the woman had been raped. I contend that the woman in the movie only acted within the limits of the society that she lives in. Despite the fact that she was at the mercy of first an incompetent husband, then second, a bandit who raped her, in the woodcutters story, she used her reasoning to turn the two men against each other, rather than allow them to shame her in a society that places high value on honor and proper conduct etc. The woman did what she had to do to survive, and succeeded, despite the hand she was dealt. In every version of the story this is true. 

Ted
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AUTHOR: blackmer
TITLE: flickr, an image trove
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 09/17/2004 01:56:05 PM
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I've been exploring the riches of <a href="www.flickr.com">Flickr</a>, an image-based social software app. Turns out you can search by the <b>tags</b> people have attached to uploaded images, like
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/tokyo">Tokyo</a> (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/tokyo)
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/japan">Japan</a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/china">China</a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/korea">Korea</a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/sarawak">Sarawak</a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/shanghai">Shanghai</a>
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tim Blair
EMAIL: blairt@wlu.edu
IP: 69.34.211.171
URL: 
DATE: 09/21/2004 06:39:10 PM
While reading the webnotes on Economics that Prof. Blackmer posted, I began thinking about the Tsukiji Fish Market and its relation to the world economy.  I found an intersting article that I posted on the webnotes that addresses the role that Mexico has in providing tuna to the Tsukiji Fish Market.  Mexico is hoping that new free trade agreements will boost the exports of bluefin tuna to Japan.  Mexico had been the second largest exporter to Japan, behind Spain.  The process has become so efficient, that it only takes 70 hours to get the fish from Mexico to Tsukiji.  I am just wondering if anyone found any more information regarding other exporters to the Tsukiji Fish Market?

Tim
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: John Baker
EMAIL: Bakerj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.12
URL: 
DATE: 09/22/2004 12:07:22 PM
I found the "Let a Thousand Reactors Bloom" link to be very interesting.  It is amazing to learn that what I understand to be such a dangerous source of energy is actually meltdown free today.  While I assume that most reactors due not have the capabilities of the ones being built in China, I am interested to see how this scientific advancement changes the world.  It was also amazing that the new reactors are less expensive and can last 1 million years.  This sort of technological advance is always good to see and will hopefully end the massive pollution that China is currently putting out.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Carlos Spaht
EMAIL: spahtc@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.124
URL: 
DATE: 09/22/2004 01:25:17 PM
The article John posted on the history webnotes page about Pearl Harbor got me interested in doing further searches on the subject.  I have always been interested in this time period and my grandfather fought in the Pacific in WWII.  He always told me that he believed that FDR knew about the attack on Pearl Harbor long before it happened, and while I never put much stock into this conspiracy theory before today, I figured this would be a good chance to learn more.  On the page I linked a website that I found very enlightening.  It offers a great deal of evidence that supports my grandfather's (and apparently others') opinion, suggesting that FDR and Congress' political motivations had them interested in entering the war and that they knew that an attack such as Pearl Harbor would get the American public on their side.  As evidence, the article lists countless hints that FDR received long before the attack from such reliable sources as the NSA and the CIA.  If nothing else the website offers a different perspective on someone who is widely considered one of the best Presidents in our history.  I found it fascinating and if you have any interest in the subject I'm sure you will too.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dan McMenamin
EMAIL: mcmenamind@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.63.16
URL: 
DATE: 09/22/2004 03:47:52 PM
While I agree with Mr. Baker about the new nuclear technology, I also found information that suggests it is NOT foolproof as the Chinese have said and probably wish to believe.  Searching for "Pebble Bed Reactors" on a9.com, I found an entry several items down that talked about the inherent dangers in these types of reactors.  In fact, a pebble bed plant in Germany has already had an "accident".  While no energy source is always going to be reliable, safe, and cheap, it is foolish to promise 300 gigawatt production and massive expansion projects without letting the public know about possible problems.  
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ben Morris
EMAIL: morrisd@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.114.7
URL: 
DATE: 09/22/2004 08:27:37 PM
I was amazed at the information provided in the link that Carlos attached. While I'm not sure that it proves beyond a doubt that FDR and his administration knew of the exact plans of Japanese attack, a great deal of the info provides evidence that supports that statement. After my initial reading, almost all the arguments made sense, but I was unsure of the reliability of the source. I checked the web for other sources to make sure that this was not an isolated incident, and on Amazon.com found 15 other books that supported the same argument. It would be interesting to read an entire book on the subject to get a real feel for whether or not this is a conspiracy theory or something closer to the truth.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Shari
EMAIL: boyces@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.15.125
URL: 
DATE: 09/23/2004 07:13:05 AM
I found the two different views of China's economic development written in New York Review of Books very interesting.  After reading Gilley and Kristoff's letters, the title "China's Mosaic" seems to be a good description for the overall outcome of China's economic development.  According to Gilley, only few are feeling the positive affects of this development while one in ten are still living in poverty.  Kristoff responds with an example of a small village that made improvements in every aspect of their lifestyles due to this econimic development.  Although they have different opinions, Gilley and Kristoff provide many examples that may lead one to believe that the lifestyles of the Chinese people vary....creating a Mosaic. I am looking foward to learning more about China and the affect that their economic development not only has on other Asian countries, but also the rest of the world. 
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AUTHOR: joe
TITLE: Aesthetics- Architecture
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 09/22/2004 01:46:54 PM
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After looking at the link to Beijing architecture in the aesthetics webnotes, i did a google search for more east asian architecture.  You can check out some tokyo architecture to compare it to<a href="http://www.parkcity.ne.jp/~markb/photography/Tkyarch"> here</a>, a cool collection of photos from tokyo.  The architecture in tokyo seems to be even more dramatic than that of Beijing.  East Asian architects in general seem to be competing to build the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Skyscrapercompare1.PNG">tallest buildings in the world</a>, as two of the tallest 4 buildings are in taipei, taiwan and malaysia
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Dan McMenamin
EMAIL: mcmenamind@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.63.16
URL: 
DATE: 09/22/2004 03:56:04 PM
Yes but as soon as New York can get its act and finances together, it will again reclaim sole possession of first place with its planned Freedom Tower.  This Tower will stand 1,776 feet tall (surprise) and it has a unique design in which it will twist and turn as it rises, causing an almost spiral-like effect. Check it out
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Megan Brooks
EMAIL: brooksm@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.114.136
URL: 
DATE: 09/22/2004 05:58:31 PM
If you look at the comments people have made about Beijing architecture on the page that Hugh put up on the in the aesthetics webnotes ... most of the comments are negative.  Perhaps I have no taste, but I thought the buildings were really neat.  At the very least they are different and interesting.  
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Pierce Owings
EMAIL: owingsj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.164.123
URL: 
DATE: 09/22/2004 08:03:21 PM
The buildings reflect a modern type of architecture that isn't particularly appealing to my eyes because of its rigidity and sharpness.  The cool red brick against the smooth white columns on our campus present an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere.  I've noticed, though, that these architectural feats reflect a Japanese mentality.  I'll admit to being a nerd in high school and having watched plenty of Japanese anime-for those of you who'll join my confession, you too have noticed the same type of rigidity in their cartoons and video games.  Everything is fast and cuts quickly to the next scene.
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AUTHOR: emily
TITLE: MXC
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 09/22/2004 08:02:46 PM
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I read Julianne's posting about Takeshi's Castle, or what every knows as MXC.  I always knew that it was an actual Japanese TV show, which was a little hard to believe based on the extremely stupid stunts that all the people do. But obviously that it was makes it so hilarious. That and the commentators.  Does anyone else ever wonder what they're really saying?  I guess it doesn't really matter because some guy running around in a shark suit, being interviewed by Guy LeDouche will always be amusing.  Hopefully there is some sort of prize money or something at the end; or at least a little motivation for doing all those things.  
- Emily
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AUTHOR: Pierce Owings
EMAIL: owingsj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.164.123
URL: 
DATE: 09/22/2004 08:08:59 PM
I love this show.  My friends and I watch it all the time.  It reminds me a lot of Mystery Science 3000, which was on the Science Fiction channel in the late 90s.  Three 'guys' would go into a movie theatre and insert hilarious quips for whatever the actors were saying in the Japanese movies.  This show seems like a cross between that and Wild and Crazy Kids (another show from our generation that was on Nickelodeon).  MXC definitely stereotypes the Japanese contestants and announcers, but I think there is something that can be squeezed out for anthropological education.
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AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bittermanr@wlu.edu
IP: 67.23.157.112
URL: 
DATE: 09/27/2004 02:14:47 PM
I find MXC to be extremely funny, however the voice over editing is on the brink of being vulgar.  I guess this is why it is funny, but it always leaves me wondering how different it is from the Japanese version.  I feel guilty watching the show sometimes because of how easy it is to see the complete mockery of these people but I'm also sure that they know what they are getting into when they go on the show.

--Bob
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AUTHOR: John Baker
EMAIL: bakerj@wlu.edu
IP: 24.51.107.4
URL: 
DATE: 09/27/2004 07:40:26 PM
Takeshi's Castle is an incredibly entertaining show but I also wonder how funny it would be without the voice overs.  I guess it would be funny because it is very similar to America's Funniest Home Videos where the whole point of the show is that people do stupid things.  I cannot imagine why anyone would want to be on this show; they are clearly going to be made to look hilarious.  At the same time, I find it very interesting that this show has become so popular and is now broadcasted all over the world.  The voice over is done by a English man, the same one who does Robot Wars.  I would be interested to learn exactly where this show can be seen and how long it has been aired.  I often find myself watching it, laughing, and wondering why the contestants participate on the show but i guess they probably ask these questions about us.  I also would like to know just how many East Asian shows are aired with voice overs throughout the United States.  I know that Iron Chef is from that area and has in fact sparked an American version that has been airing for a few months.
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AUTHOR: Michael Caspani
EMAIL: caspanim@wlu.edu
IP: 67.23.157.139
URL: 
DATE: 09/27/2004 09:49:50 PM
MXC combines ingenious humour with razor sharp wit.  The obliviousness of the contestants to their absurd actions can make anyone laugh.  In short, I love this show and I find the act of watching it a rollercoaster of hilarity every time.  
However, while part of me thoroughly enjoys this guilty indulgence, another part of me feels a slight bit of nausea when I think of how these people are being exploited.  The words that flow out of the commentators' mouths are, yes, hysterical, but more importantly borderline risque most of the time.  Granted, Japanese viewers find pleasure in watching the competition in the show, but they must still have a good bit of pride for their show, their culture.  What we have done is to simply make a mockery of the Japanese tradition of healthy, good hearted fun and competition.   
That being said, I will now go watch MXC.  
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AUTHOR: julianne
TITLE: Japanese Children's Books
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DATE: 09/22/2004 09:03:54 PM
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I went to the Japanese Children's books site and found it pretty interesting, though the article was a bit depressing...But I read the introduction about the magazine and what the purpose of the images were.  I found the magazine to be a very unique idea, some of the images were cool.  I especially like the <a href="http://www.kodomo.go.jp/gallery/digi/KODOMO_WEB/gallery/g_e019.html">The Insects' Orchestra</a>, but the  <a href="http://www.kodomo.go.jp/gallery/digi/KODOMO_WEB/gallery/g_e004.html">Santa Gets Ready to Go</a> image is a little scary..
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AUTHOR: Pierce
EMAIL: owingsj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.164.9
URL: 
DATE: 09/23/2004 07:46:40 PM
I looked at these pictures and noticed the recurring theme of the importance of seasons that I learned a lot about when taking Japanese literature in translation.  I especially noticed the plum blossoms (red blob trees) in the background of several of the pictures.  Japanese poetry, similar to ours, much of the time revolves around the changing of the seasons.  However, I've noticed, with the exception of writers like Thoreau, a recent transience of nature in American poetry. Is it possible that the Japanese value nature more than we do?  
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AUTHOR: arielle
TITLE: Questions
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DATE: 09/23/2004 12:46:23 AM
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I have more questions regarding Eastern cultures than I do information - and although I am quite aware I can search the internet and read articles regarding these societies, I do not believe that I will find true a true understanding of these cultures.  What I would like to do is read ethnographies of the different cultures, read about a person who actually placed themselves into the position of living in the culture I am learning about.  It is quite easy to learn about different aspects of a culture - what they do, what they eat, etc - but I want to hear or read about those aspects from someone who did what they do, ate what they eat.  I've done some searching, but have yet to find a reliable source that convinces me the person was actually experiencing the culture rather than simply relaying the information.  

From there, I have some questions that I guess I will need to look for the answers in a different area (or continue looking on the internet):
   I understand cultures differ from each other, but how far back do we need to go to understand why (and when) cultures diverge from each other, to the point of being almost completely different?  I would imagine it would be a look into the very distant past.
   I want to know more about the apparent tranquility of certain Eastern cultures.  I want to know which cultures these are.  I want to know why we, as Americans, cannot take on the same mentality and act as peaceful, calm, loving individuals - not a culture that always seems to be on the run.
   I want to know more about gender roles in these societies.  Western society has made great strides in gender equality, but we also went through the steps of gender inequality.  There are connections between the type of society (highly industrial, pre-industrial, agrarian, etc) and the severity of gender inequality; I want to apply this knowledge to Eastern cultures, and learn more from there.

Although I did investigate what was posted on Webnotes, I felt as though I should post questions here that would involve more than just searching the internet.

- Arielle
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AUTHOR: kristin
EMAIL: collinsa@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.9
URL: 
DATE: 09/26/2004 06:22:54 PM
I read the posting on the new translation of Sei Shonagon's "Pillow Talk." Translation is an art form in itself. Not everyone who studies a language is a target for a translator. It is not automatic, but rather a window or a lamp, a view into another culture. There is no perfect translation: each translator merely echos what he or she sees in any given selection. Translation, as I've heard described before, can be thought of as the opposite side of a tapestry; while you can still make out the picture, its not quite as vivid as the original. I know of a Japanese tanka poem about a frog leaping into water that has thousands of translations. How can one determine which translation is better or more accurate than another? 

Additionally, it seems poetry in ancient Japan was not wild and free expression, but kept within form. All poetry was politically comissioned; therefore, those that did not fit the mold were not acknowledged. Written in such a controlled environment, poetry and prose alike were subsequently biased. They were rituatlist and formalist in style and composed by the aristocracy (tied to social rank). Furthermore, the poems were about a shared body of knowledge and themes. What makes one poem better or more renown than another? In other words, why are some considered famous or thought provoking while others are ignored. If poetry is an expression of emotion, who or what defines which expressions are best? 

Lastly, it seems poets from Ancient Japan talk about the world, especially nature, from a priveledged seat. Were they really in contact with everything they discussed? I know that people in ancient Japan rarely ventured far from the capital. 

-Kristin

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AUTHOR: kristin
EMAIL: collinsa@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.9
URL: 
DATE: 09/26/2004 06:23:15 PM
I read the posting on the new translation of Sei Shonagon's "Pillow Talk." Translation is an art form in itself. Not everyone who studies a language is a target for a translator. It is not automatic, but rather a window or a lamp, a view into another culture. There is no perfect translation: each translator merely echos what he or she sees in any given selection. Translation, as I've heard described before, can be thought of as the opposite side of a tapestry; while you can still make out the picture, its not quite as vivid as the original. I know of a Japanese tanka poem about a frog leaping into water that has thousands of translations. How can one determine which translation is better or more accurate than another? 

Additionally, it seems poetry in ancient Japan was not wild and free expression, but kept within form. All poetry was politically comissioned; therefore, those that did not fit the mold were not acknowledged. Written in such a controlled environment, poetry and prose alike were subsequently biased. They were rituatlist and formalist in style and composed by the aristocracy (tied to social rank). Furthermore, the poems were about a shared body of knowledge and themes. What makes one poem better or more renown than another? In other words, why are some considered famous or thought provoking while others are ignored. If poetry is an expression of emotion, who or what defines which expressions are best? 

Lastly, it seems poets from Ancient Japan talk about the world, especially nature, from a priveledged seat. Were they really in contact with everything they discussed? I know that people in ancient Japan rarely ventured far from the capital. 

-Kristin

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AUTHOR: kathleen
TITLE: Aesthetics
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DATE: 09/25/2004 04:22:34 AM
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My first association of the dress styles of the kids from Harajuku was to think of anime, and the styles of those cartoon figures in japanese animations.  While I suppose this might just be because it is something else I associate with the Japanese, however considering that this is a culture in which animated games (using full motion video sequences, etc, or in this case movies based off games) are being used in marketing for things such as cell phones, <a href="http://www.adventchildren.net/ff7ac/media/screens/screens-p900iv.htm">this for example</a>.  If they view that as a good way to market those cell phones which by all means should be unrelated, it has to be some what important to the culture and most likely focused on a younger crowd, such as the teens that frequent Harajuku.  Thus it doesn't seem to farfetched to detect a similarity between the characters depicted in types of japanese anime, and the modes in which the kids of Harajuku dress.  I at least think it would be a fascinating thing to look into.

I was also very interested in the Japanese children's book illustrations.  I was very suprised by the style in which they were drawn.  While they did have Japanese elements to them such as dress or food or other cultural images, they also showed a western influence both with the characters drawn and some of their activities, or at least I would guess so.  The thing that struck me most however was the similarities between this style of drawing and fairly modern children movies such as James and the Giant Peach and Nightmare Before Christmas.  To me the images have the same sort of quality to them, it would be interesting to see if the filmmakers were somehow influenced by these Japanese artists, or if there was some artistic crosscultural trend that existed.
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AUTHOR: joe
EMAIL: coochj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.78.39
URL: 
DATE: 09/26/2004 08:54:42 PM
Kathleens demonstration of how popular films and cartoons are used to market electronics is no suprise, especially because japan seems to be on the cutting edge of both technology and entertainment.  This fusion of technology and entertainment is not dissimilar from American culture, however.  New cutting edge products are often displayed in the newest films-cell phones and cars in James Bond films, for example.
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AUTHOR: letisha
TITLE: Kimono
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 09/26/2004 12:07:36 PM
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After reading Kristen's Webnotes post on Samurai dress I decided to do some searching on Japanese Kimono.  I found that a lot of people really enjoy making/buying and wear kimono.  Also, I found that like many other aspects of traditional Japanese culture it has been eleveted to an art form.  However, it is pretty obvious why when you look at some of the pictures for them.  http://www.civilization.ca/cultur/kimonos/kimo3eng.html  Itchiku Kubota designs are based on traditional works, but with, of course a modern twist.  A tremendous about of work goes into making just one kimono, and they really seem more like something to display than wear.  

This site is also pretty cool http://web.mit.edu/jpnet/kimono/  You can click the different images and see how different kimono looked in different time periods.
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AUTHOR: alex
TITLE: Cambodia
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DATE: 09/26/2004 03:31:41 PM
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I found something really interesting about the southeast asian country of Cambodia, a country that houses many different cultures from traditional Khmer, to French (from protectorate influence), to Vietnamese, to Chinese. I looked this country up because i don't think anyone else did. Since I am in the political blog group i tried to focus some on the politics of this country, and I found something intriguing about their legal proceedings. Im sure everyone is familiar with the oath sworn by witnesses in court. If we perjure ourselves in court, the punishment can be as harsh as jailtime in a federal prison. Cambodian's, however, swear their honesty under <a href="http://www.parish-without-borders.net/cditt/cambodia/culture/2003/legaloath.htm">penalties much greater than ours!</a>
(if anyone finds out anything else, like more technical aspects of their legal system, make a comment)

Also, looking for something to contribute about sociology, I came across the "Take a Walk" site about Cambodia's culture. My favorite part is the link that describes the <a href="http://cambodia.worldvision.org.nz/tw_cambodia_culture_sayings.asp">norms and sayings </a>in Cambodian culture.

The Khmer's respect for the head is very strong. I'm sure <a href="http://www.parish-without-borders.net/cditt/cambodia/culture/khculture2002.htm#head">this story will seem shocking</a>, but it's from the memoirs of a man who studied Cambodia culture from 2000 to 2004.
~Alex White
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AUTHOR: Tim Blair
EMAIL: blairt@wlu.edu
IP: 65.166.9.176
URL: 
DATE: 09/26/2004 05:53:41 PM
This site gives guidelines and outlines the legal system in Cambodia.  It shows the laws for every aspect of life in Cambodia, from Public Law to Civil and Business Law to Sectoral Law.  These laws are listed under the link "Laws and Regulations of Cambodia.  Cambodia is a Kingdom with the King as the leader.  The position of the King is for life.  Check out this site and explore the legal restrictions in Cambodia.  
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AUTHOR: Dan
EMAIL: mcmenamind@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.120
URL: 
DATE: 09/26/2004 07:07:24 PM
It also might be interesting to check out the history of Cambodian genocide while we are talking about their legal system.  While their internal legal system might be complicated, the external trials of their old leaders involve so much red tape and semantics that nothing will be resolved in a case involving the deaths of over 1.5 million people.  While not nearly as atrocious as the Holocaust or the Death Camps of Stalinist Russia, it involved the same techniques.  Check out these sites:
Death Tolls in Wars, Genocides,etc.
Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot  
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AUTHOR: megan
TITLE: Literature
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 09/26/2004 04:15:24 PM
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On Thusday in class we talked about possible ways to develop an understanding East Asian culture.  Hugh mentioned literature as one way of gaining a better understanding.  As an English major, I agree.  There is a really wonderful novel (historical fiction) by Amitav Gosh called "The Glass Palace" that is a great read.  It is kind of long but well worth the effort if you are interested.  Helpful sites: <a href="http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/08/11/stories/2003081101030100.htm">Gosh</a>
And <a href="http://traveltonorthafrica.com/0375758771.html">Book Summary</a>
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AUTHOR: michael
EMAIL: caspanim@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.12
URL: 
DATE: 09/26/2004 05:24:42 PM
I found the article from the Asia Times in the ecology section very interesting.  I was unaware of the extremely dismal conditions of southwestern China to begin with, but I was utterly baffled at the fact that citizens in the most urban parts there would consider themselves lucky to make just around $1000 annually!  
I found the idea of the highway's modernity, as well as the industrialized appearance of the worldwide food giant McDonald's and its competitor "Disco Chicken," masking the destitution of the region's poverty stricken counties very intriguing.
The fact that families split up (parents working away from home for extended periods of time) is reminiscent of Latin American families sending family members to the United States to earn money working menial jobs and send that money back to their families.
Furthermore, the importance of kinship in Chinese culture is characterized by Zhou Pinfang's (and his wife's) willingness to work, separated, in order to provide for his children's expensive educations with the hopes of their acquiring lucrative jobs in the city.  
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AUTHOR: valery
TITLE: Ancient East Asia
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DATE: 09/26/2004 05:18:08 PM
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Since last time in class we started talking about the history and geography of East Asia, particularly China, I found an interesting site that contains a lot of archaeological facts, pictures, and historical information about ancient times in China, Japan and Korea. It is more of an archaeological site which gives a lot of insight to the ancient culture of these countries. It also offers a variety of links to other sites about East Asia. This is the address:
http://www.ancienteastasia.org/
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AUTHOR: Carlos
EMAIL: spahtc@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.2
URL: 
DATE: 09/26/2004 09:13:56 PM
After browsing through that site, I find it very interesting that the Chinese clearly valued palaces, tombs, and temples, but there is very little evidence that they built defense structures like those in ancient Europe.  I'm thinking mainly about castles.  Of course there is the Great Wall, but other than that there is very little in the way of defense stuctures.  Is there any explanation for this that anyone knows about?
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AUTHOR: Emily
EMAIL: sbernae@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.20.148
URL: 
DATE: 09/26/2004 11:49:56 PM
I remember reading an article awhile back in National Geographic (I think) that showed the Chinese to be very similar to ancient Egyptians in that they were equally concerned with the after-life. The Chinese also had grand burial tombs for their emperors which were often filled with enough life-sized terra-cotta warriors to make an army to protect the emperor in his next life. What was amazing to me was that these statues were actually as individual looking as true people.  So in a way they actually had defense structures, just not in the typical sense. The Egyptians also buried with their pharaoh's certain objects that were meant to protect them later on.  And if I remember correctly, the entrances to the tombs were rather modest compared to the pyramids of Egypt.
Here is a site that has more detailed information about the terra-cotta warriors: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/xian/terracotta.htm
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AUTHOR: Julianne
EMAIL: shelley@wlu.edu
IP: 65.166.9.81
URL: 
DATE: 09/26/2004 11:57:44 PM
The articles on the archaeology scandal were interesting. They demonstrate how difficult and trying archaeology can be, as it has forced some archaeologists to resort to fraud.  What I found odd was that the archaeologist would try to plant evidence. Though I can believe the stresses Fujimara may have felt and that may have caused him act as he did, I do not understand how planting evidence would help.  I would imagine anything significant found, as were the lithic artifacts that the sites, would be quickly challenged and disproved by archaeologists, as in fact happened.  But I suppose this scandal is similar to most other crimes and scandals.  The Keally article gives good insight to the problems in archaeology in Asian schools.
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 69.69.225.157
URL: 
DATE: 09/28/2004 09:30:33 PM
About the Great Wall: in fact there were many defensive walls built between the States before China was unified by the first Chin emperor (ca. 200BC), and there have been multiple Great Walls to define agricultural China's boundary with nomads. And every city of any size had very substantial walls surrounding it, though the purpose was probably not primarily defensive.
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AUTHOR: caspanim
TITLE: Poverty in Rural Southwest China
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DATE: 09/26/2004 05:47:27 PM
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Sorry-  I posted this in the wrong place so here it is again.  I hope it's in the right place this time:

I found the article from the Asia Times in the ecology section very interesting. I was unaware of the extremely dismal conditions of southwestern China to begin with, but I was utterly baffled at the fact that citizens in the most urban parts there would consider themselves lucky to make just around $1000 annually! 
I found the idea of the highway's modernity, as well as the industrialized appearance of the worldwide food giant McDonald's and its competitor "Disco Chicken," masking the destitution of the region's poverty stricken counties very intriguing.
The fact that families split up (parents working away from home for extended periods of time) is reminiscent of Latin American families sending family members to the United States to earn money working menial jobs and send that money back to their families.
Furthermore, the importance of kinship in Chinese culture is characterized by Zhou Pinfang's (and his wife's) willingness to work, separated, in order to provide for his children's expensive educations with the hopes of their acquiring lucrative jobs in the city. 

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AUTHOR: dan
TITLE: Foreign Investment in Socialist China
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DATE: 09/26/2004 06:36:35 PM
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With so many blogs on foreign investment and construction in Asia, I investigated this huge, new phenomenon, especially since it applies to so many blog topics: economics, aethetics, the environent, and culture.  Of these projects, the Three Gorges Dam is the most awesome.  Costing near $29 billion, and expected to form a resevoir 412 miles long, it will displace something like 1.2 million people from archaeological important sites.  While the dam has already been partially constructed, it still remains to be seen how the Chinese government has weighed the significant costs of the dam (both in money and social unrest) against its potential power--18,000 megawatts, equivalent to the output of 7 nuclear plants.  In several articles I read, from the Washington Post to environmental pages, the issue being raised the most has been the considerable foreign investment in this project.  Merrill Lynch alone has bought  up $225 million in bonds, even while worldwide banks, like the World Bank and the U.S. import-export bank, have moved away from the project due to environmental concerns.  The question then is, with so much potential to be gained in the East, and so few barriers to this investment, how will U.S. and other foreign companies develop a system to investigate the effects of these projects?  China, dealing with so much internal strife over this project in particular, finds it easy to put responsibility on the hands of external companies.  With this in mind, and with China's propensity to modernize just hitting its peak, who will be held accountable for any damage done now, or in the future?  Check out these links to see what you think:
<a href="http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/article165.html">http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/article165.html</a>
<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/yangtze/yangtze.htm">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/yangtze/yangtze.htm</a>
<a href="http://www.chinaonline.com/refer/ministry_profiles/threegorgesdam.asp">http://www.chinaonline.com/refer/ministry_profiles/threegorgesdam.asp</a>
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AUTHOR: john
TITLE: Nuclear Power
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DATE: 09/26/2004 08:13:58 PM
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I found the "Let a Thousand Reactors Bloom" article to be very interesting.  It is amazing to see how quickly technology changes and how these changes have such a large impact on the world.  I also read Dan's posting that challenges the idea this new form of Nuclear Energy is 100% safe and this troubles me.  Before reading this, the new reactors seemed to be exactly what China needed but I realize that it also has its flaws.  I am still amazed that these reactors last for 1 million years.  Surely if this becomes safer, this will end any energy crisis that will ever emerge.  
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AUTHOR: carlos
TITLE: Pearl Harbor
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DATE: 09/26/2004 08:51:29 PM
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Last week John posted a link to an article about Pearl Harbor on the history webnotes page.  I have always been interested in the subject so I decided to do a search myself, and I posted a link on the history page to a fascinating site that I found.  It seemed particularly relevant to anthropology because we have spent so much time talking about ways to understand a people or culture, and the article presents a very different take on the events of Pearl Harbor.  Most people think of Pearl Harbor as an avoidable tragedy and laud FDR for entering the US into the European conflict and protecting our country.  My grandfather, who fought in the Pacific during WWII, always believed that FDR had information about the attack before it happened.  The site offers a considerable amount of evidence to support my grandfather's position, from sources as reliable as the NSA and CIA.  I'm not sure how credible the site is, but it offers a very atypical assessment of the attack and if nothing else gives a new, enlightening perspective.  It certainly proves that in analyzing a large group of people (in this case Americans), there is much more depth to popular beliefs (like that FDR is one of the greatest presidents in our history) than many recognize.  
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AUTHOR: tim
TITLE: The Huang He (Yellow) River
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DATE: 09/26/2004 10:44:49 PM
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<a href="http://www.cis.umassd.edu/~gleung/">This site</a> provides a great deal of information about the Huang He (also known as the Yellow) River. As we discussed in class, this river has played a vital role in the lives of Chinese citizens in the area.  While it has provided nourishment throughout much of Chinese history, it has also created disastrous conditions that have decimated scores of natives.  The reason for the nickname the Yellow River is due to the deposits (loess) that it carries suspended in its flow.  The river is usually thought of as three separate parts, with the middle section being the most heavily saturated with loess.  The final portion of the river is where, as discussed in class, the river has risen so much over the years due to sediment deposits that walls have to be constructed in order to contain the river.  This section is located across the North China plain.  This river is very interesting in the sense that it provides nourishment to so many people, but also has caused so much devastation.  It has also played a role in the culture of China, dating all the way back to Yu around 2000 B.C.  It is believed that Yu cleared the river without the use of dykes like his father.  Anyway, check out this site to discover more about the Yellow River...
-Tim
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AUTHOR: Ted
EMAIL: archert@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.15.127
URL: 
DATE: 09/27/2004 12:43:44 AM
I think its interesting that Chinese culture can be traced back to this river. Unfortunately though, little is known about the early inhabitants of this river valley because there isn't much archaeological evidence left. http://www.wsu.edu:8001/~dee/ANCCHINA/YELLOW.HTM
   
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AUTHOR: Ben
EMAIL: morrisd@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.68.19
URL: 
DATE: 09/27/2004 08:42:31 AM
I enjoyed exploring the site that Tim provided with his original comments, and I found another site that deals with the ways in which the lower course of the Yellow River has gradually changed over time. The large amounts of silt carried by the yellow river combined with a slower current by the sea in turn redeposite, building up the river bed and forcing the wate to change course. Here is the site.

Changing course site
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: kristin
EMAIL: collinsa@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.62.129
URL: 
DATE: 09/27/2004 05:31:20 PM
I thought Tim's site on the Yellow River was particularly interesting. I visited China a few summers ago, but only saw the Yangtze River. Seemingly, they have taken drastic, but necessary measures (with the sometimes yearly flooding) by building the Three Gorges Dam (see  http://www.chinaonline.com/refer/ministry_profiles/threegorgesdam.asp). While its construction caused some intense debates, it was eventually decided that its benefits would outweigh the downsides. It was a very costly endeavor and would require substantial resettlement; however, the ability to control future floods and utilize the dam to generate power proved more important. The Yellow River floods cause not only  ecological/environmental damage, but also substantial physical destruction (of homes, buildings, and other imperative structures). Why would they not consider building something similar to the Three Gorges Dam on the Yellow River? Is it too costly? Or are they worried about subsequent environmental damage? It seems that with a hydro-electric dam system, the residents could utilize the powerful floods to their advantage. 
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 69.69.225.157
URL: 
DATE: 09/28/2004 09:25:16 PM
The BIG problem with any dam is that it eventually becomes silted up --the silt carried by the energy of moving water is deposited when the water slows (just as Kuan Chung said to Duke Huan). Thus, dams have half-lives... and the silt in the Huang is in such a concentration that it would be an even greater problem, even sooner. And of course tehre's also the issue that you need an existing valley that CAN be dammed, and there isn't one for the Huang.
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AUTHOR: ted
TITLE: China and Taiwan
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DATE: 09/27/2004 12:31:09 AM
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This is my posted blog that was supposed to be done by Thursday 9 am.  I'm in the webnotes for politics group and I am really interested in the Taiwanese independence issue.  Here is the address to an article I found about the US.'s stance on Taiwanese independence.  Bush took a stance against it in 2003.  Trade with the Chinese could have something to do with that.  Anyways, here is the site http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/12/09/bush.china.ap/.  I'll figure out the link thing soon.

--Ted
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AUTHOR: Ted
EMAIL: archert@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.15.127
URL: 
DATE: 09/27/2004 12:52:31 AM
It might be weird that I'm commenting on my own blog but this issue really grabs my attention.  I had a Taiwanese friend in high school who made a concerted effort to make sure people never mistook him for a Chinese student. There were other Asian students at my school who were Chinese and Korean and so on, but my friend always made it clear that he was Taiwanese. I would joke around with his at times and say "I know you're Chinese at heart." He would laugh, but of course he and I knew that the issue was very serious. I think its a shame that Taiwan has to be bullied by it mother country China. 
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AUTHOR: arielle
TITLE: Gender Roles in Japan
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DATE: 09/27/2004 12:36:36 AM
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I expressed interest in my last entry regarding gender roles (and although I know we were to respond to an entry, I thought I could respond to my own question).

Gender, in every society, carries so much more than simply being male or female.  In our society, for example, woman, historically, have been established as the homemaker; men, the breadwinner.  In other cultures, men are regarded as so superior to women, infanticide (of female children) is not an unusual occurrence.

I found a website discussing the <a href="http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2294/is_2002_Nov/ai_97728458">gender roles</a> of Japanese society.  Although it is a lengthy article, and contains some technical, boring talk, it points out the idea of masculinity and femininity in Japanese society - and just like Western culture, Japan is experiencing a gender role evolution. 
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AUTHOR: shari
TITLE: China's Mosaic
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DATE: 09/27/2004 01:44:08 AM
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After reading China's Mosaic and the different views on China's economic development, I googled Nicholas D. Kristof and found an interesting article at Foreign Affairs, titled "China Under Deng: A Great Leap Forward?.  Ross Terrill comments on Kristof's other book, China Wakes, and also China's economy and political environment.  Terrill also talks about how Kristof spent 5 years in Beijing, China reporting for the New York Times.  He and his wife won a Pulitzer prize for journalism for their coverage on the Tiananmen crisis.  When I began reading the article, I thought about Arielle's comment on how she wanted to read about a person who actually lived within the culture and experienced it. Kristof is a perfect example of this.  I am assuming that his books, "A Little Leap Forward" and "China Wakes", are good resources on learning about China's society, culture, politics, economics, etc. 

If you would like to read Terrill's article, the website is http://www.foreignaffairs.org/19940901fareviewessay5144/ross-terrill/china-under-deng-a-great-leap-forward.html

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AUTHOR: blackmer
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 65.40.126.171
URL: 
DATE: 09/27/2004 06:28:31 AM
Kristof's Op-Ed pieces from the New York Times are blogged and archived
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AUTHOR: blackmer
TITLE: tarted up mooncakes
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DATE: 09/27/2004 09:04:38 AM
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An interesting and timely story in today's Asia Times: <a href="http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/FI28Ad06.html">Tarted-up mooncakes sell like hotcakes</a>: 
"Mooncakes, the traditional delicacy of the Mid-Autumn Festival, were once regarded as symbols of family reunion and represented the round harvest moon. But in recent years, as Chinese palates have become more jaded and customers have grown richer, the cakes have morphed into an ostentatious show of wealth... Mooncakes even have been called by some, and rightly so, an urbane form of bribery. A presentable box of mooncakes these days may come with a bottle of French red wine, a top-quality root of ginseng - or even a diamond ring. 
The festival, which this year falls on Tuesday, also celebrates the love story of moon beauty Chang E and her archer husband Hou Yi. And so jewelers have cashed in on the legend, transforming it into a sort of Chinese Valentine's Day - pairing heart-shaped mooncakes with heart-shaped diamonds. " (continues --well worth reading as a glimpse into contemporary China)

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AUTHOR: Leah
EMAIL: heronl@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.18.2
URL: 
DATE: 09/28/2004 05:28:42 PM
This is one aspect of Asian culture that is very close to our own. Bribery by food and exploitation of stories for benefit. I find it highly amusing,however, that mooncakes are used to bribe officials and actually succeed at doing so, but also that there are people getting angry with the improper use of mooncakes. I don't think that people should be angry because the mooncakes are used to bribe others, but that there are idiots out there willing to be bribed by mooncakes. I'd take money over mooncakes any day, but to each their own. 
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AUTHOR: robert
TITLE: Japanese Rock Gardens
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DATE: 09/27/2004 02:07:37 PM
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Of all the art forms in East Asia, I believe that the rock garden is one of the most pleasing to the eyes.  After doing an A9 search I even found a photographers website <a href="http://phototravels.net/japan/photo-gallery/japanese-rock-gardens.html">Japanese rock garden pictures</a> which explains his approach to photographing rock gardens thereby making his own art from the art of others.  In the same A9 search I came across a website <a href="http://www.helpfulgardener.com/japanese/2003/garden.html">the Helpful Gardener</a> that explains some of the rules of creating a Japanese rock garden.  I was completely unaware of some of the standards that go along with rock gardens.  In this site it says, "the most visited garden in Japan, the Ryoan-ji, is entirely comprised of stone; the only living thing in the garden is the moss that has sprung up between the set stones. This is the epitome of stone in the Japanese garden."  The Helpful Gardener also explains the 3 different groupings for garden stones.  There is the Mida Buhtsu, which is the "Buddha stone" and the male stone.  Then there is the Kwannon, which is the "goddess stone" or the female stone.  And lastly there is the Seishi or the child stone.  These are the fixtures of the rock garden and as you probably have gathered, there is a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to rock gardens.  I would seriously suggest checking out the photographer's website and to learn more about the Japanese rock garden from the Helpful Gardener.

-Bob
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AUTHOR: Megan
EMAIL: brooksm@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.114.120
URL: 
DATE: 09/27/2004 05:22:45 PM
That is really neat.  I had no idea that there were rules for rock gardens.  Watching the Karate Kid is about the most I knew about rock gardens before! I wonder if most people have these kind of gardens or if they are a special thing. 
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AUTHOR: clint
EMAIL: irvinj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.31.11
URL: 
DATE: 09/27/2004 07:31:12 PM
The japanese garden has many different appeals to it.  Not only do they focus on the sets of three rocks, some of the placements have influences on the meditating mind.  One of the more famous rock gardens has only 13 rocks.  No matter where you stand you can only spot 12 because 13 is the number of enlightenment in Zen Buddhism.  Some of the gravel shapes in the sand represent famous sites in Japan.  Large gravel mounds represent Mnt. Fuji while the waves in the gravel represent some of the more famous Japanese coastlines. 
-clint
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AUTHOR: Tim Blair
EMAIL: blairt@wlu.edu
IP: 65.166.9.176
URL: 
DATE: 09/28/2004 10:29:07 PM
What I found most interesting about these rock gardens was how they created almost a "sandy" look.  The contrast of the white rocks with the green grass and various flowers really provides this unique contrast.  The more I researched about rock gardens, I discovered that the gardens are grouped into three broad categories.  They are: Tsukiyama Gardens (hill gardens), Karesansui Gardens (dry gardens) and Chaniwa Gardens (tea gardens).  The Tsukiyama Gardens usually are used to create a reproduction of a famous landscape in Japanese nature.  Karesansui Gardens have the same purpose to re-create landscapes in nature, although to create these images they use more abstract techniques.  The use of moss to create many of these features is a prominent feature of these gardens.  Chaniwa Gardens contain a tea house where the tea ceremony is held.  The purpose of the stone arrangements is to provide a ceremonial ground for the tea ceremony.  The stones usually create stepping stones up to the tea house.  Check out this site for more information on the different types of rock gardens.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2099.html
-Tim
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AUTHOR: clint
TITLE: Western Influence in japan
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DATE: 09/27/2004 07:27:48 PM
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I think its interesting that Japan, a country which prides itself on uniquness in such things as their gardens, seasons, and culture, are so admant about becoming like the United States.  When I was there the McDonalds are always full and everyone was wearing shirts with English on them.  I spent the whole time looking for a shirt with Japanese on it, and I could only find one.  Not only the fashion and food industry are trying to be American though.  The entertainment business is to.  In Tokyo Disneyland, Disney actually hires english actors to play the parts of their cartoon characters which i thought was extremely weird.  Slowly as other countries cling to their culture, Japan is more than willing to be an exact duplicate of the United States.

-clint-

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AUTHOR: Kathleen
EMAIL: stoecklek@wlu.edu
IP: 24.51.107.133
URL: 
DATE: 09/27/2004 10:10:26 PM
I agree, just looking at the children's books and the images of Santa Claus, not exactly a traditionally Japanese image, it is clear that american culture has has an effect... however considering the market for japanese technology, and the influence through games.  I think it is inherent with globalization and internet that some of this cultural exchange goes both ways. 
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AUTHOR: Valery
EMAIL: yankovv@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.20.126
URL: 
DATE: 09/28/2004 02:24:41 AM
It is not really that surprising that Japan has been "americanized." Look at so many different countries around the world and you will see the same thing. Clearly the US is the world leader in so many ways. All the american movies, music, and so many other forms of entertainment are being absorbed by the entire world. The US has been fighting most of the wars in the past five decades even though nobody has actually been in war with the US. Not Korea, not Vietnam, not Serbia, not even Iraq have invaded or bombed the US. The american stock market structure has been exemplary and the american standard of business relationships and management have become the goal for many foreign countries and business people. It is quite clear that in the modern world most countries with ambitions of prospering and developing should follow the leader and even compete with him. It is this ambition that in many cases makes the new generations neglect their own background and traditions and strive to conformity with the american culture. As some people have recognized such tendencies in Japan, I have witnessed this whole process in my own country and in a very strong way I am a representative of one such generation.
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AUTHOR: Letisha
EMAIL: kearneylm@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.41.20
URL: 
DATE: 09/28/2004 08:01:42 AM
But you also have to remember that there are two sides to this.  How many American cartoons and video games these days are Japanese and if you go to a store how many shirts will you see that have Japanese?  Besides that the Japanese do still have their rock gardens and Buddhist temples etc.  Regardless of how many "American" attributes that Japan takes on it will never become an exact duplicate of the United States because it always picks up something of Japan culture in the crossover.  How many restaurants did you go to that served salads for breakfast or served squid on pizza?  How many restaurants in America do that?  Admittedly Japan is quite good at picking and choosing things from other cultures and integrating them into their own, but so far that hasn't prevented it from staying it's own unique country.
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AUTHOR: Carlos
EMAIL: spahtc@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.32.27
URL: 
DATE: 09/28/2004 11:02:54 PM
I agree with Letisha.  Certainly there is ample evidence to say that American culture has impacted Japan, but I think we are all a little guilty of Orientalism and this is a perfect example.  We, like much of the world, have been programmed to think that the West, and specifically America, is the way society should be.  And like Letisha, I think there are plenty of examples of Japanese influence on American culture.
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AUTHOR: owingsj
TITLE: Korean clothing
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DATE: 09/28/2004 05:07:44 PM
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When watching the first half of <i>Chunhyang</i>, I noticed that Chunhyang wore different fabrics and colors, while Mongryong wears the same black and white outfit everyday.  I found out from <a href="http://www.lifeinkorea.com/culture/clothes/clothes.cfm">this site</a>, that the white and black Hakch'angui symbolizes 'study,' and reflects a noble and sublime mind.  Further, I found out that the wide skirt tied just above the breasts (seen in the first marriage nights scene) is intended to hide the woman's shape and promote modesty.  I wonder, though, if there is any significance to the colors of the clothing on which Mongryong wrote and vowed his eternal love for Chunhyang.  
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AUTHOR: blackmer
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 67.76.90.228
URL: 
DATE: 09/28/2004 05:55:46 PM
For what it's worth, somebody has posted to an Amazon list the comment "In Korean culture, the color pink is associated with trust and stability."  Found via a search for 'color symbolism' AND Korean
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AUTHOR: leah
TITLE: The Subtle Differences
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DATE: 09/29/2004 01:01:04 PM
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First of all, is it just me, or did the guy singing in <i>Chunhyang</i> sound like Rafiki from <i>The Lion King</i>? Anyway, one thing that makes me wonder about the differences between Asian cultures is the way the women treat the men. Chunhyang was not nearly as submissive as I was lead to believe that women from Asian cultures/that time period would be. Even when it came to Mongryong, she seemed to control him. She made him pursue her, which would be unheard of considering her status as a courtesan's daughter. Her mother was also unconventional, especially when she gave the choice to marrry to Chunhyang. According to <a href="http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/opinion/200407/kt2004071616285354150.htm">this site </a>, women were considered to be nothing more than property during the Chosun period. So for the mother and Chunhyang to be so outspoken and independent is not typical of the time.
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AUTHOR: owingsj
TITLE: Vietnam
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DATE: 09/29/2004 05:10:32 PM
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We haven't talked about Vietnam at all yet, but I found a search engine type website that explores the country and its culture called <a href="http://www.vietgate.net/">"Viet Gate"</a> I tried a simple search of the word 'food' and found several websites, just like you would on an American search engine, with recipes, pictures, and more.  The country interests both because of its intriguing political background as well as its acclaimed geographical beauty.  A family friend of mine is a travel agent who is enjoying rampant success in this part of the world, specifically Vietnam.   
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AUTHOR: collinsa
TITLE: Chinese Delicacies
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DATE: 09/29/2004 06:50:28 PM
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After reading this article on Chinese delicacies, I felt like the typical Westerner: completely ignorant of other cultures. I have definitely heard many a story regarding Chinese people eating cat or dog or alligator; however, I never tuned in as to why. Seemingly, there is cultural significance placed on items of food we Americans would deem as off-limits. Just as we consider caviar, frog's legs, and pate delicacies, the Chinese consider beef tendons, bird's nest soup, and jellyfish a treat. Surely, the Chinese find some of our seemingly normal eating pattern bizarre. In fact, eating cat or dog is quite rare in their culture (like eating head cheese in the United States). Furthermore, much of what we would consider untypical food is actually used as medicine. This certainly puts things into perspective. 

check this out: http://www.maxent.org/ch/exotic_food.html

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AUTHOR: arielle
TITLE: Reaction to Chunhyang
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DATE: 09/29/2004 09:03:37 PM
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Though <i>Chunhyang</i> is not meant to affect someone of my national and ethnic background, I was able to identify certain things that explain to me the importance of the story to the Korean culture.  For example, the music had a distinctive sinuous wave of emotion (corresponding with high points of emotion in the movie) that is easily identifiable - allowing me to at least know that there is great emotion involved this story, even if I am unable relate to that emotion. 

As for the sexual aspect of the movie, I see it as an extension of the emotional message the story is imparting upon the audience.  Everything in the movie is quite intense, be it the sexual relations, the singing, etc and the sex scenes in the movie, in my opinion, are meant to graphically define the true meaning of sex, leaving no room for the audience to misunderstand that the two had an undeniable love for one another.  Chunhyang and Mongnyong were so in love, they defy socially rigid class lines to be with each other, and one of the ways the movie attempts to show this extreme love for one another is through these scenes.  One cannot help but notice these scenes, but we must understand that they are not meant to be vulgar, rather they are meant to illustrate love in a very apparent way.

In order to appreciate a different culture, a person has to remove all biases; he or she must forbid him or herself from judging or criticizing another culture's way of life - a very difficult thing to do.  As we watch <i>Chunhyang</i>, it may be difficult to remove our cultural influences by which we are all affected, but what is intellectually attainable is for us to simply acknowledge there is an important message within the film.

We may not be able to - and may never be able to, for that matter - fully understand the affects of the underlying message of <i>Chunhyang</i>, but we have the ability to recognize that the "moral of the story" creates those affects, and thus fills an important role for this culture.  In order to do so, it may be that we have to explore the technical aspects of the film (i.e. the intensity of the scenes, emotions, music, dialogue, etc) - rather than relying on the sociocultural messages inherently recognized by the Korean culture - to explain to ourselves what this film entails for this society.

On a personal note, prior to watching <i>Chunhyang</i>, I had spoken with my Korean friend, Helen, about the story because Dr. Blackmer had explained to us how renowned this story is to the Korean culture - and I wanted to see for myself just how well-known this story is. Within minutes, she had recited to me the entire story and what it meant to her, illustrating the significance of the story even to an American-born Korean.  

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AUTHOR: arielle
TITLE: Response to Clint
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DATE: 09/29/2004 10:54:05 PM
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 I wanted to respond to Clint's entry about Japan's move toward adapting to the American way of life...

It seems to me that America has established itself as the dominant world power so firmly that other cultures may view our ways of life as "correct".  It is quite feasible to believe that other societies are molding their culture to mimic ours - the English language is unofficially recognized as the universal language of the world, so it doesn't surprise me that other aspects of our culture are beginning to invade foreign societies.  If President Bush was able to state in response to the war on terrorism that those countries who do not side with us, are against us (a statement that implies that should you not side with us, you are not only against us but also that you are in the wrong), then why can't our society send messages to others that should they not mock our way of life, they are socioculturally in the wrong?

There are various motivating factors creating these changes, including the obvious economic dominance of our country.  Other countries recognize how affluent our society is (or at least appears to be), and attempt to follow suit by doing as we do.  It also may be that America recognizes other countries' willingness to follow our cultural lead and thus uses this to its economic advantage - for example, the popularity of McDonalds in Japan.

I don't think that Japan is the only country following this path.  American influence is so widespread that it is impossible for the rest of the world to ignore it, if not succumb to it.  Although I don't think societies will lose all of their unique features, we shouldn't be surprised when certain aspects of our culture appear in foreign societies.

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AUTHOR: ted
TITLE: Bell Metaphor
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DATE: 09/30/2004 12:11:55 AM
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During one of the intimate scenes in Chunhyang the governor's son likens his new wife to a "grand bell" and himself a "hammer" which will "hit the bell 28 times".  I thought this was very humorous line in the movie even knowing that there are considerable nuances in the culture and language that we simply lose through the translation.  I am curious to know the literal meaning of what was said.  I also would like to know if anyone else is as curious as I am.

--Ted
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AUTHOR: shari
TITLE: Korean Clothing - White vs. Color
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DATE: 09/30/2004 08:53:27 AM
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Like owingsj, I also noticed the different clothing styles and colors that were worn not only by the main characters but also by the village people or commoners.  I found the website that was suggested very interesting.  It mentioned that women of the upper classes wore bright colors to indicate their social status, while commoners wore white.  I would have expected members of the upper classes to wear white clothing being that the color white symbolizes elegance, grace, and purity; when a person wears white it suggests that he/she is neat, well-kept, and immaculate.  I wonder… since a commoner is considered “lowly”, why do they wear such a clean and delicate color? In the Korean culture, does “white” have a different meaning? And do certain colors represent the different occupations, social classes, and/or titles of nobility?
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AUTHOR: owingsj
TITLE: choose
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DATE: 09/30/2004 04:29:21 PM
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In <i>Chunhyang</i>, Which is the more powerful force: love or commitment?
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AUTHOR: john
TITLE: Chunhyang
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DATE: 09/30/2004 04:33:29 PM
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While watching Chunhyang I began to wonder how similar the government of Korea was to that throughout East Asia.  I guess I would like to know if situations portrayed in Chunhyang were possible throughout Asia or simply just Korea.  I understand that this circumstance was very rare or even nonexistant but what type of control did leaders in other countries in Asia had.
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AUTHOR: carlos
TITLE: Chunhyang and Old English
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DATE: 09/30/2004 04:35:52 PM
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While watching Chunhyang, I couldn't help but notice similarities between the style of storytelling used by the Koreans and that used to tell English epic poetry before Donne.  Both use a kind of rhythmic song that does more than simple storytelling can.  I wonder, though, if as much is lost in the translation of the Korean language as is lost in the translation of Old English.  Undoubtedly some of the metaphorical language is lost in translation, but how much?  Also like this epic poetry, Chunhyang tells a story that is intended to teach its listeners a lesson, in this case about love and commitment.  
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AUTHOR: leah
TITLE: Flogging for Entertainment
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DATE: 09/30/2004 04:57:20 PM
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The scene where Chunhyang is getting beaten is really disturbing. I half expected her to shout out "FREEDOM" like Mel Gibson in <i>Braveheart</i>.  The thing that caught my attention the most from this scene, however, was the guy beating her. Were all "executioners," for the lack of a better word, in that time period that theatrical or were his actions exaggerated for the purpose of the movie. I understand that the beatings serve as a form of entertainment for the governor, but the dancing around was a bit much.
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AUTHOR: robert
TITLE: Chunhyang Thoughts
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DATE: 09/30/2004 05:51:53 PM
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I wanted to comment on the state of Namwon before the governor left for Seoul.  The storyteller did a fantastic job of eliciting color from his words and through cinematography we could see this color and the connection it had to the land.  The pavilion was a thing of beauty to be absorbed by the people of Namwon.  The leaves were falling, a bird warbled in the distance and the happiness of young girls gleamed around the forrest swing.  This is all important to look at because things begin to change when the new governor comes into town and immediately makes his presence felt by condemning the man who interrupted his entrance to a flogging.

The most significant change I saw was the view of the pavilion.  At first, it is as if it is a shrine of some sort and carried some mystical qualities.  After the new governer comes, he has his birthday celebration there and completely defaces the mysticism of the structure, almost mocking it.  It was fitting that the kings men stormed the pavilion to reclaim it for spirituality and the good of Namwon.

Another thing I noticed was that it was a governor (her father) who brought Chunhyang to life, a governor's son who taught her to live and love, and a governor who tried to take all that away from her.  Just something to think about.

Also, anyone who has interest in cinematography and color use of a storyteller should go see the movie HERO with Jet Li.  It was made two years ago and was just introduced to the States.  The whole movie is in Chinese.

-- Bob
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AUTHOR: emily
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DATE: 09/30/2004 08:24:20 PM
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In response to Shari's comment on clothing, it is actually Chinese (and maybe all of Asia) tradition to wear red at a wedding.  Their thoughts on what colors symbolize are very different from ours (western society).  In the United States it would be completely unheard of for a woman to wear a red wedding dress, because to us red symbolizes lust and promiscuity.  While I am sure to them it is bizarre that 'westerners' wear white at a wedding.  But then also purple has always been a sign of royalty and if I remember correctly, I think at least one of the lords at the birthday feast was wearing a purple garb.  So I wouldn't be surprised if all the clothing the characters wore was in direct correlation to their status.  The style certainly was; everyone continued to think that Lee was a beggar due to the clothing he was wearing. 
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AUTHOR: Letisha
EMAIL: kearneylm@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.41.20
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DATE: 10/01/2004 09:45:04 AM
I think in Japan at least you usually wear white and everyone else wears black (as to not outshine the bride).  But I don't 100% remember.
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AUTHOR: collinsa
TITLE: Comment on movie
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DATE: 09/30/2004 10:25:43 PM
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I did a little research as to why Master Lee had to pass an exam administered in Chinese. Apparently, Chinese was a very scholarly language in ancient times and an expert in the language was regarded very highly. Therefore, to be an emissary, the ex-govener had to prove his intellect by being proficient in Chinese as well as Korean. 
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AUTHOR: kathleen
TITLE: Chunhyang: Gyunwoo and Jiknya
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DATE: 10/01/2004 12:46:17 AM
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I thought the Chunhyang director, Kwon-taek Im, made an absolutely excellent success of taking the fairy/folktale quality of the story of Chunhyang and putting it into film.  The storyteller's narrative helped this tremendously, and despite warnings that we might want to tear our hair out rather then listen to him anymore, I thought including these scenes really added to the overall nature of the film, though perhaps the shots of the audience were a bit much.  Mostly though, I found myself interested in some of the figures that the storyteller mentioned in the film.  Specifically those of Gyunwoo and Jiknyo.  The storyteller made references here and there to these people, but it is obviously something that you have to remain versed in Korean culture to receive the full impact, as the references were never fully explained.  So the past two days I have been searching Annie and the web trying to figure out who Gyunwoo and Jiknya were and how they related to Chunhyang, other then the fact that it was clearly another love story.  I almost gave up, as every search engine I tried came up with a blank, but I am most pleased to say that after doing a search for Korean search engines, and then looking for the names in there, I finally realized what the problem was.  This is a clear example fo the problems of translation, even when it comes to a person's name.  There was not a Jiknya anywhere, however, there was a story about a Jiknyo... and this led to me finding the other variation of the name Gyunwoo... Kyunwoo.  So finally doing searches for these names on the Korean websearch engine (though there was also at least a reference in google), I found out who these people were and how they relate.  Oddly enough, the only complete story I get is actually from a really strange animation that comes in two parts:

I thought the Chunhyang director, Kwon-taek Im, made an absolutely excellent success of taking the fairy/folktale quality of the story of Chunhyang and putting it into film.  The storyteller's narrative helped this tremendously, and despite warnings that we might want to tear our hair out rather then listen to him anymore, I thought including these scenes really added to the overall nature of the film, though perhaps the shots of the audience were a bit much.  Mostly though, I found myself interested in some of the figures that the storyteller mentioned in the film.  Specifically those of Gyunwoo and Jiknyo.  The storyteller made references here and there to these people, but it is obviously something that you have to remain versed in Korean culture to receive the full impact, as the references were never fully explained.  So the past two days I have been searching Annie and the web trying to figure out who Gyunwoo and Jiknya were and how they related to Chunhyang, other then the fact that it was clearly another love story.  I almost gave up, as every search engine I tried came up with a blank, but I am most pleased to say that after doing a search for Korean search engines, and then looking for the names in there, I finally realized what the problem was.  This is a clear example fo the problems of translation, even when it comes to a person's name.  There was not a Jiknya anywhere, however, there was a story about a Jiknyo... and this led to me finding the other variation of the name Gyunwoo... Kyunwoo.   Unfortunately, that is not the extent of the variations to there name. So finally doing searches for these names on the Korean websearch engine (though there was also at least a reference in google), I found out who these people were and how they relate.  The first complete story I get is actually from a really strange animation that comes in two parts: <a href="http://kidsdata.yahoo.co.kr/eng/fun/ver2/funstory01.swf">Gyunwoo and Jiknyo Part One</a>|<a href="http://kidsdata.yahoo.co.kr/eng/fun/ver2/funstory04.swf"> Part Two</a>.   I think it is clear how the two stories relate, so for now I won't spoil it for you and deprive you of the need to watch the weird little animations.  Though if you are not up for watching weird cartoons prance around for a couple of minutes, there is another variation, with yet more names and is a different variation on the tale and that is: <a herf="http://www.clickasia.co.kr/about/0707love.htm">Kyonu the Herder and Chiknyo the Weaver</a>

Both the variations on the story are fairly straight forward and it is also interesting to note that there is a festival in Korea called "Chiwol-chilsuk" that relates to this tale of Gyunwoo and Jiknya, the site doesn't tell all that much about the festival, but it explains a little at least...<a href= http://www.clickasia.co.kr/about/h0707.htm> click here</a>.  

And while I am throwing websites at you, here is another which discusses the bridge that is mentioned in the story and the real life bridge that was named after it.  It's even nice enough to throw in another variation of the name Jiknyo <a href="http://www.yongsan.seoul.kr/eng/guide/b1_body.asp">Bridge Link</a>.

Finally, I found a site that I found interesting because it mentions both Gyunwoo (Kyunwoo) and Jiknyo, but also Chunhyang and the staging of the plays using two women actresses to portray the lovers instead of a man and a woman, and the response it evoked.  <a href="http://kn.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2001/04/07/200104070031.asp">Korean Dramatic Arts</a> Interesting no?

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AUTHOR: valery
TITLE: The Oath
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DATE: 10/01/2004 01:18:49 AM
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What I was wondering was really how powerful and obliging was Master Lee's oath to Chunhyang. Was this a typical way of expressing and promising one's eternal love and faithfullness in Korean society? Would this be considered a legitimate wedding procedure and would it really give Chunhyang and her mom an incentive to trust Master Lee and to believe that he will come back?
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AUTHOR: julianne
TITLE: Audience in Chunhyang
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DATE: 10/01/2004 01:26:41 AM
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  While watching Chunhyang I found the shots of the audience helped to further connect the cultural relevance of the story.  Their reactions to the violence inflicted upon Chunhyang were interesting.  Many of the faces appeared very serious and solemn, and an older woman was even crying.  I was later surprised to see the enthusiasm with which they responded to the happier scenes, especially the man dancing in the front row!  
  This is helpful to see because it indicates how wrapped up in the story the audience was.  Though each of them may know it by heart, their expressions indicated how moving and special the story to them.  I would think for the audience to be so emotional during the story, regardless of age or generation, we should carefully examine the components of the story and how it is told to grasp a better understanding of Korean culture (specifically what they value and believe)... 
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AUTHOR: Letisha
EMAIL: kearneylm@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.41.20
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DATE: 10/01/2004 09:43:04 AM
Ya it was pretty interesting to see how into the story the audience was getting.  Honestly it sort of reminded me of some church services I've seen in TV and movies when a woman gets up and starts dancing around.  I guess that for some when they are really happy and emotionally involved in something important to them they have the urge to dance.  Though I can definatly understand the urge to cry when she was beaten.  I was pretty close to tears myself.
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AUTHOR: letisha
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DATE: 10/01/2004 09:38:10 AM
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One of the things that really irritated me about this classic love story is that a lot of times the prince charming tested his princess almost as much as everyone else did.  Chunhyung had every right to be upset that her lover took three years to show up and then did not reveal himself to her in private so that he could relieve some of her worry.  And even though he conveniently tossed out the fact that the king forbade him to reveal himself (and how could Chunhyung disagree with him after all the talk of loyalty to kings and husbands) that doesn't change the fact that the way he probed for information about her amongst the farmers in the field was to accuse her of sleeping with the governor.  If he doubted her loyalty after three years of no contact then he could have gone about it in a more respectful manner.  He also seemed pretty surprised when his planed grand heroic gesture of lifting her from the depths of fear to, what he hoped would be, ecstasy, didn’t go over so well. 
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AUTHOR: ben
TITLE: Definition of Pansori
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DATE: 10/01/2004 11:53:45 AM
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In the version of Chunhyang that we watched in class, the story was told using a pansori, but I was left wondering the exact meaning of pansori, because from what I could tell it was just a singer with a drum accompaniment. The following website provides a little more depth into the term pansori and pansorisong. 

http://www.parandeul.co.kr/pansorisong.htm

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AUTHOR: arielle
TITLE: Chunhyang
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DATE: 10/01/2004 12:28:56 PM
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There is a definite message in Chunhyang regarding the social class system and the unfair treatment from one human being to another because of the univeral acceptance of this society's rigid hierarchy.  However, I also see a message of the power of love between two people.  Chunhyang wasn't only striving to attain humane treatment, she was also respecting the sacred bond between husband and wife.  A message is sent out to women that they are to stay loyal to one man, the one to which she has vowed to do so.

Women aren't the only ones receving a message; men receive one of loyalty as well.  It may have taken Mongnyong a long time to return to his wife, but he still returned.  Men, too, are told they must devote themselves to their wives.

I had talked before about my Korean friend, Helen, who knew very well of this story, and I remember her mentioning this message of love as well.  However, she only talked about how it sends a message to women to respect the bond of marriage - which tells me, this movie speaks more toward women than men.
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AUTHOR: megan
TITLE: Color and Chunhyung
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DATE: 10/01/2004 12:32:49 PM
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One of the things that interested me about Chunhyung was the use of color in the costumes.  Peasants and palace workers were dressed in bland colors, usually whites and blacks, while important government officials and other well to do persons were attired in very colorful dress.  If definitely helped you to immediately recognize the class distinctions.  I think it probably makes sense as well, dyed fabrics were probably more expensive.  I think it is interesting that the couteseans wore perhaps the most colorful costumes of all.  They are the lowest social class, yet there dress seems more in line with that of the wealthy.  I think this mirrors their artistic accomplishments as well and makes them occupy a kind of abiguous social position.
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AUTHOR: tim
TITLE: Thoughts on Chunhyang
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DATE: 10/01/2004 12:50:53 PM
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One of the aspects that I thought Kwon-taek Im employed that made it easier to understand the various aspects of Korean society was the implementation of the Pansori.  One aspect that takes away from the effect of the Pansori is that we are unable to understand the words in Korean.  The sounds made by the drummer and the storyteller are harmonious and create at least somewhat of a feel for the Korean culture.  I believe that if we were able to understand the words spoken, the words would have a more profound effect.  The word Pansori is comprised of "pan" which is the place of performance and "sori" which means the sound.  The Pansori is usually a long and narrative account, as is the case with Chunhyang.  I also enjoyed getting a look into the Korean society, especially the rigidity of it.  We see the governor's son studying for months at a time in order to complete a test.  We also see the rigidity and almost cold relationship within families.  We do not see much interaction between the governor and the governor's son as we would in a typical American family.  Also, the governor's son has to sneak around in order to see his future wife, due to the fact that she is in a different class.  The rigidity of the class system was also very interesting to see first hand.  Overall,  the use of the Pansori and other elements sowed freat insight into traditional Korean life.

-Tim

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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.126
URL: 
DATE: 10/01/2004 03:17:11 PM
I happened upon a remarkable bit of pansori on the Guiness World Records site (a place I orinarily wouldn't admit to visiting...): a clip of a 12-year old performer ("youngest Pansori Singer" they say...). Amazing.
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.126
URL: 
DATE: 10/01/2004 03:20:48 PM
Another fragment: I listen to pansori and I can feel the han (prose-poem by Nina Sawyer, Harvard '01) --really distills something deeply significant
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AUTHOR: caspanim
TITLE: Chunhyang
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DATE: 10/02/2004 01:14:54 PM
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I found it very interesting that Chunhyang raised the perennial question, "Does the law outweigh morality?"  

In my previous Anthropology classes, I was trained to embrace and accept the differing cultures of various societies around the world.  In other words, things that other cultures do should not turn me off; I should not look down on other people's ways of life, but rather realize that those methods are what those people are used to, and they see them as proper and correct.  

In Chunhyang, one would think that Chunhyang would have succumbed to the governor's demand (her body), seeing as how that was the way their society worked.  However, she defied him, weighing her love for Master Lee above the law.  

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AUTHOR: Carlos
EMAIL: spahtc@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.120
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DATE: 10/04/2004 09:44:11 PM
In many ways though, Chunhyang's response embodies the ideal Korean society more than call it into question.  She is loyal to her husband as a subject should be to the state, and, ideally, the state would never ask a subject to do anything immoral because the state has heaven's approval and therefore can't do wrong.  
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AUTHOR: Shari
EMAIL: boyces@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.15.7
URL: 
DATE: 10/04/2004 11:49:23 PM
Not only did Chunhyang raise the question, "Does the law outweigh morality?", she also answers it.  Chunhyang certainly believed her love to be more significant than the law.  Being loyal to only her husband was her first priority.  Chunhyang was able to stand her ground, even though she was surrounded by people who expected her to give in to the governor's demand.  

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AUTHOR: joe
TITLE: Chunyang
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DATE: 10/02/2004 02:06:22 PM
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After watching Chunhyung, I was most impressed by the level of emphasis placed on achieving the highest education possible as a means of achieving the highest social status.  In fourteenth century europe, people were no gaining power due to their extensive knowledge, and were not attracting brides by this means either.  The amount of time young Lee spent on studying poetry was very impressive, and society clearly put a great value on this, shown through the national exam.  East Asian countries were the first to have a test of knowledge to determine rank, while in europe it was simply something born into.  At the end of the film, Lee's ability to baffle a crowd of the most powerful men in the province with a poem is quite showing of korean culture
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AUTHOR: Pierce
EMAIL: owingsj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.161.35
URL: 
DATE: 10/04/2004 07:17:09 PM
I thought it interesting that in both of the movies we watched the two lead female roles were subject to rape.  While the rapes had their differences, they shared the similarities that each was married and seemed to be give a choice of whether or not to fight or surrender.  The Japanese woman succumbed to the pressure of the rape while Chunhyang stood firm.  Does this say anything about the differences in the cultures, i.e. how women are treated . . . or am I stretching the comparison too far?
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AUTHOR: Carlos
EMAIL: spahtc@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.120
URL: 
DATE: 10/04/2004 09:41:10 PM
In response to Pierce, I'd say that it says more about the values of the culture itself than anything else.  It seems to me that the Korean society is more interested in promoting the values it wants its citizens to take to heart, while the Japanese were more concerned with contemplating human nature.  I don't think you can say that it says something about women necessarily because I can easily see the Korean state promoting the story of Chunhyang because the type of loyalty it promotes (husband to wife) is very similar to the loyalty a subject should show its state.  Older societies often considered the emperor or king's relationship with his people as similar to that of a parent to his or her child.
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AUTHOR: dan
TITLE: Korean marriage
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DATE: 10/03/2004 07:52:34 PM
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After viewing Chunhyang, I was intrigued by the marriage ceremony and wondered what a traditional Korean marriage was like.  After some searching, I found that it is actually a very solemn, specific ritual, with some very odd practices thrown in.  For example, after the marriage ritual, the groom would take his bride back to a prepared room to consummate the wedding.  To undress the woman, the groom follows a procedure that would probably never even cross my mind.  First, he removes her headpiece, then the strap on her coat, and then only one of her socks.  Finally, he puts out the candle with a stick, as blowing it out is frowned upon.  Even at this point, the couple is not alone.  Relatives were apt to poke holes in the paper walls and doors to the room in order to spy on the newlyweds.  While this never happens in Chunhyang, I think that marriage is a great way to explore a culture.  It looks at everything, from social status to food to dress to the ideals of married men and women.  
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: michael
EMAIL: caspanim@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.64.14
URL: 
DATE: 10/05/2004 09:34:25 AM
I, too, was amazed at the intricacies of a Korean marriage.  I found a website that explains various facets of the Korean marriage process:  
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/culture/marriage/marriage.cfm

Isn't that weird how relatives poke holes in the wall?  Oddly enough, they claim it is because they want to make sure the bride does not run away in fear/anxiety/nervousness.  Crazy.

Also, Dan, how exactly do you undress YOUR women?    Just jokes.
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AUTHOR: alex
TITLE: Pansori was cool
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DATE: 10/04/2004 06:23:51 PM
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I personally thought that the Pansori dramatic style was the coolest part of Chunhyang, besides the rated R parts. It seemed to me that the Korean's are the more rhythmically inclined Asian group (out of the ones i'm familiar with), which made it fun for me to listen to. Hugh was right, at first it was annoying and unexpected, but it grew to be very interesting to me and I wanted to know more about it. My search led me to <a href="http://www.mct.go.kr/english/K_heritage/pansori.html">this site</a> , and I learned that the art form was once in danger of disappearing. It's now considered national intangible property, which is a concept I'd never known about before. 
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AUTHOR: shari
TITLE: Chunhyang
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DATE: 10/04/2004 11:56:33 PM
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Although there is a conflict between personal and social responsibility, the Governor does say that Chunhyang did disgrace the law and commit treason.  I believe we talked about this statement in class...whether Chunhyang had committed an injustice.  In the eyes of the governor Chunhyang did commit an injustice; she did break the law if it is interpreted as always following the demands of the governor.  The movie raises conflicts on how the law should be interpreted and the meaning of injustice. Chunhyang finds loyalty in the law. Loyalty to one King is the same as loyalty to one husband. In her eyes succumbing to the Governor would be an injustice.  
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AUTHOR: matt
TITLE: Chonmin
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DATE: 10/06/2004 01:32:16 PM
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I found the relationship between the chonmin (lowest class in Korea, including the kisaeng) surprising in relation to the yangban (aristocrats).  <a href="http://www.emptybottle.org/glass/2002/02/folk_villages.php">This site</a> contains commentary on the status of the chonmin. During the Choson period (1392-1910) one out of three were privately or government owned slaves. They weren't granted surnames and some women weren't permitted forenames (which begs the question how were they referred to). Its interesting that some cultures completely isolate themselves from those deemed unworthy and yet in Korea they were given the same despicable status but were very often in direct contact with the upper crust of society.
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AUTHOR: collinsa
TITLE: Qin Terracotta Warriors
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/06/2004 08:23:08 PM
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I think the Qin Terracotta Warriors & Horses in Xi'an, China are particularly interesting. Discovered in 1974, this excavation proves one of the most eventful in the past century. This webpage boasts the methods conducted throughout the archeological dig as well as descriptions of the finds (warriors, horses, chariots, et cetera). Quite an exciting discovery!

Check out this site <a href="http://www.warriortours.com/cityguides/xian/terra_cotta_army/military_formation.htm">http://www.warriortours.com/cityguides/xian/terra_cotta_army/military_formation.htm</a>
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DATE: 10/06/2004 10:35:38 PM
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I think that this is proof that the Japanese are a little more, how do you say...sexually liberated then many Americans.  I found this article in the Mainichi Daily news, which I'm pretty sure is a respected news source <a href "http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/waiwai/0409/0918oldies.html">"Slap and Tickle Pumps New Life into Old Loins" </a>
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AUTHOR: emily
TITLE: Feng Shui
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DATE: 10/10/2004 03:12:27 PM
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Feng Shui is, in a nutshell, “the art of manipulating and arranging your surroundings to attract positive life energy, or chi, so that it flows smoothly, unblocking any obstructions in your body and environment.” (http://www.webterrace.com/fengshui/index.htm) It varies from the arrangement of furniture, to the choice of color in a certain room, to specific added elements.  Each area of a room corresponds to a certain aspect of one’s life, and the owner then decorates accordingly.  I've found that many factors determine positive Feng Shui other than simply color.  
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With more research, I have gained a better foundation of the ‘elementary’ aspects of Feng Shui, more specifically the Bagua.  By becoming comfortable with this information, I can now move on to more difficult topics that dive deeper than just matching color to parts of a room.  I found that one’s date of birth plays a vital role in discerning aspects about themselves.  On the site www.wofs.com, one can enter in the birth date and receive their KUA number or “auspicious compass directions.”  Direction and flow are key factors to having good Feng Shui, for it allows positive chi which in turns brings about the positive.  Your KUA number pertains to all areas of your life, be it your health or even possible difficulties conceiving.  Throughout all the websites, I am continually runing into the discussion of "bad arrows" and in the following weeks I plan on finding out exactly what that means and how one can prevent them.  In looking at the bagua, one sees that certain natural elements correspond to specified areas.  I would like to find out if there are also certain animals that bring positive chi.  I also know that the use of crystals and other reflecting objects is important, and I wish to learn more about the details. 
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 67.76.88.176
URL: 
DATE: 10/10/2004 05:00:35 PM
The big problem is surely to make sense of QI, to get beyond the mystifications and woowoo nonsense (e.g., Feng Shui for Cats...) to the Idea that lies behind. I think the way forward may be via a study of the theory and practise of geomancy, and one of the places I'd look is the Needham Science and Civilisation in China [DS721 .N39] --not sure which volume, but exploring would be a good idea anyhow. I have a couple of books on Chinese medicine that aren't in the library, but they're mostly concerned with bodily QI. Personally, I'm still looking for the source that will give me a sense that I have a clue what this realm is all about...
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 67.76.88.176
URL: 
DATE: 10/10/2004 05:05:48 PM
...and perhaps there's simply no reconciling with Western notions of the cosmos, but some of the google 'qi geomancy' sites might be useful.
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AUTHOR: arielle
TITLE: Project
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DATE: 10/10/2004 06:50:12 PM
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I had originally planned to do research on gender deviance in general within the Japanese culture.  I have decided to narrow that field down to homosexuality (leaving out lesbianism, transexuality, bisexuality, etc), with only a minor focus on gender deviance overall.  I had also planned to investigate a large period of time, but I have narrowed this down to mostly modern Japanese societal norms with some information on the past.  

There is much more information with this narrowed down field - partially because - like the focus on men in the heterosexual community - there is more information on homosexual men than other forms of sexual and gender deviance.
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AUTHOR: tim
TITLE: The Yakuza
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DATE: 10/10/2004 07:28:31 PM
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I plan on working with Alex on this project.  We will be doing our project on the Yakuza, which is basically considered to be the Japanese gang.  We have been exploring more detailed subjects within the Yakuza such as their role with prostitution, drug trafficking and their general role within Japanese society and with the law.  Right now, we have not narrowed down a specific topic, but it will most likely be in one of those subject areas.  At first, before I knew that Alex would be working with me, I planned on doing just a general project on the Yakuza.  After doing more detailed research, I discovered that this subject might be too general for this assignment.  Therefore, we will be exploring one of the previosly mentioned, more specific subjects within the Yakuza society. 
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     The main source of me narrowing down this project topic is books that I have found in Leyburn library.  The book entitled Yakuza: Japan's Criminal Underworld by David E. Kaplan and Alec Dubro has really provided a clear and concise vision of the Yakuza.  This book explores the history of and the various areas which the Yakuza are involved.  Another book entitled The Japanese mafia : yakuza, law, and the state by Peter B.E. Hill explores the role of the Yakuza and the law within Japan.  This book really explains how the Japanese government has dealt with the Yakuza over the years.  These discoveries have led to a more focused topic mainly in the area os the Yakuza and the law in Japan.

     This quote from http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/gang/yakuza/4.html?sect=25 gives an idea of the sort of different criminal enterprises that the Yakuza are involved in, "The yakuza's tentacles reach into many different areas, principally corporate extortion, gambling, smuggling, loan sharking, money laundering, narcotics, real-estate, sports, entertainment, stock manipulation, tourist scams, sex tours, prostitution, slavery, pornography, and gun running."  From the same website is this comment regarding the role of the Yakuza in regards to sex-related enterprises, "Sex-related enterprises are the yakuza's bread and butter, and they cater to the wild side of Japan's overworked, buttoned-down "salary men."  The yakuza smuggle truckloads of pornographic films and magazines into Japan from Europe and America.  They control prostitution rings throughout the country, commonly holding young women from other Asian countries captive as indentured servants and forcing them to work as "comfort workers.""

     Alex and I plan on exploring the various roles of the Yakuza in the previously mentioned areas and finding which areas are most interesting.  I think that we will definitely include the Yakuza's role in prostitution and what the government has done in Japan in reaction to the Yakuza.

--Tim 
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.126
URL: 
DATE: 10/11/2004 08:57:38 AM
One book you should BOTH be sure to look at is Ian Buruma's A Japanese mirror : heroes and villains of Japanese culture (Leyburn-Level 4   DS821 .B796 1984b)
It's 20 years old, but still one of the clearest introductions I know. It's also published as
Behind the Mask: On Sexual Demons, Sacred Mothers, Transvestites, Gangsters and Other Japanese Cultural Heroes
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.126
URL: 
DATE: 10/11/2004 09:34:12 AM
You may find that newspaper reports are helpful. I did a quick search in Asia Times and found a number that might be useful, like Human trafficking: Asia's persistent tragedy.
World News Connection may be a help...
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AUTHOR: clint
EMAIL: irvinj@wlu.edu
IP: 65.207.6.30
URL: 
DATE: 10/12/2004 01:51:39 PM
what you could look at is the Yakuza's role in Pachinko.  Pachinko is a japanese version of slots and though gambling for money is illegal...the patrons win prizes and take them in the alley to exchange for cash.  The Yakuza are the main ones who run the pachinko parlors and they are all over japan.  These parlors are probably the Yakuza's biggest source of income.
Clint
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AUTHOR: joe
TITLE: rock and roll
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DATE: 10/10/2004 08:26:58 PM
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My topic of investigating what American bands enjoy the most commercial success has evolved slightly since starting the research.  Initially, I had hoped to look directly at Japanese pop charts and see which American bands are enjoyed most, and from here try to see a trend in which American bands succeed in the far east and why.  I was originally more interested in this than Japanese music itself but this information is difficult to find.  

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Since my initial research, I have found more information on American and British influence on music produced in Japan than American bands themselves succeeding in Japan.  It is fascinating to see the high frequency of the English language in the rock music of Japan. Japanese artists would use English in their rock music because they saw English speaking countries as the birthplace of rock and roll, and thought it was appropriate to use the “language of rock”.  Since Elvis became popular in the United States, Japanese musicians have been copying American styles.  Country Western bands were wildly popular in Japan, as well as surf-music, the first of which was written by musicians that had never touched a surf board.  Rock in Japan evolved right alongside Western music, and it is interesting to see the development of rock into a very pop style, and then the trend away from this into “a new sound that derived more from Cream and Led Zeppelin than Gerry and the Pacemakers” (Schilling 205)
	Rock in Japan eventually developed its own sense of rebellion, and a set of groups strayed from the English language, and many Japanese bands gave a more purely Japanese identity in the rock and pop music of the time.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will continue reading more about rock music in Japan, focusing most directly on the influence of Western (British and American) bands on the music of Japan.  I will continue to try to assess the success of American bands in Japan in addition to trying to understand how Western music helped Japan to develop their own form of Rock and Roll.

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AUTHOR: John Baker
EMAIL: bakerj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.161.10
URL: 
DATE: 10/12/2004 04:49:01 PM
Joe, I enjoyed readin about the aim of your topic as well as seeing what you have found so far.  I am very interested in seeing how big of a role  Western music plays in the everyday lives of the people in Japan.  I looked at your link to Alaska Jim's site and was amazed at the amount of Western music on the Japanese album lists.  Jimmy Buffet and multiple blues musicians came up.  I am interested to see what genres of music are the most popular and if Western music dominates Japanese culture or is just a small contributer to Japanese society.
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 69.68.126.46
URL: 
DATE: 10/12/2004 06:41:58 PM
Are you familiar with Tom Waits' great song Big In Japan?
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AUTHOR: Matt
EMAIL: Kaufmannm@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.114.34
URL: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,10914032%255E2703,00.html
DATE: 10/12/2004 08:12:06 PM
Thought you might find that interesting. It's about Cindy Lauper playing the Great Wall. im not really sure what the implications of that are but its pretty damn weird.
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AUTHOR: john
TITLE: Samurai
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DATE: 10/10/2004 08:49:15 PM
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Carlos and I plan on doing our project on the Samurai "Bushido" as well as identifying the circumstances which led to the Samurai's demise.  We feel that these topics are related and researching one will allow us to better understand the other.  We also plan on using video to expand our research beyond our originial respective lists.  We think that narrowing our focus will allow us to provide in depth analysis of the cultural aspect of the Samurai. Fortunately our projects had very similar aims which has allowed us to come together and find a compromise that suits us both.

John and Carlos
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	Now that we have decided to work together, we have altered our individual plans so that we can collaborate.  We have discovered that we will have to narrow our focus, and this has led us to research the demise of the Samurai culture.  We decided that we had too much information and not enough direction before this collusion.  We began to look up Samurai demise and couldn’t find many resources on the internet or Annie other than the movie The Last Samurai. Our research has led us to believe that the demise of the Samurai was largely caused by the modernization of Japan as well as the need for industrialization.  We found some new resources on JSTOR, and, as Charles Sheldon states, we believe there is an inherent relationship between “the role of the merchant class and…the downfall of the…Shogunate.” (http://www.jstor.org/cgi-bin/jstor/printpage/0026749x/ap020019/02a00000/0.pdf?backcontext=page&dowhat=Acrobat&config=jstor&userID=8971a4b4@wlu.edu/01cce44035005014e62fb&0.pdf)  We still do not have ample information on the demise of the samurai but we feel that will be able to acquire an ample amount through the internet and JSTOR.  We have adequate information on the Bushido, and by combining our previous research, which was very different, we were able to expand what we had learned individually.  In this way, we have found working together to be beneficial. 
	Our question, and where we want to proceed, is learning more about the demise of the samurai so we can then tie it back into the concept of bushido.  If the samurai valued “loyalty and patriotism,” (http://mcel.pacificu.edu/as/students/bushido/bindex.html), then why would the Japanese state place such importance on the idea of commercialism and Westernization?  It seems to us like the Japanese government took the loyalty of the samurai for granted and were willing to replace it with Western ways.  In the next couple of weeks, we will need to learn more specifics about the attack the state waged on the samurai class (for example, was it violent? when exactly did it occur?), and also more about what sources will be useful.  We hoped to use some movies as sources but we are not yet sure of the accuracy of these films.  This is obviously something we need to delve into before we go any further.

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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.126
URL: 
DATE: 10/11/2004 10:33:34 AM
You'll BOTH want to spend some time in the area around DS820-DS882, where there are quite a few books that will ahve something bearing on the topic of what HAPPENED to the samurai during Meiji times. For instance, look at DS881.9 .P94 page 109, where somebody has underlined in GREEN (ugh! tsk!) the nub of the answer. I perscribe a couple of hours of searching through the indexes of books... See DS881.5 S2 for a nice surprise...
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.126
URL: 
DATE: 10/11/2004 03:27:41 PM
Here's a word I should have known: shizoku
Nicely explained, and worth using as a search term in JSTOR's Asian Studies journals...
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AUTHOR: caspanim
TITLE: Qin Terracotta Warrior Project
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DATE: 10/10/2004 09:30:46 PM
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Michael initially intended to study Ninjas; however, the information he sought was inconsistent and obscure.  Therefore, he decided to collaborate with Kristin in her search for information regarding the Qin Terracotta warriors.

Kristin began her project intending to study basic information about the Qin Terracotta Warrior soldiers, but after class on Friday it seemed her topic was too broad. After much discussion, we decided to create an interactive website geared for tourists seeking historical and/or archeological information.  The website will be a tourist’s guidebook to the Qin Terracotta warrior site in Xi’an, China, and will provide specific information on different areas within the site.

Kristin and Michael

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Since the creation of project1.html, we have found three additional websites.  While a multitude of sites exists, we are attempting to narrow down our sources to the sites most pertinent/informative to our objective.
One of the things we found out since project1.html is how the tomb was discovered.  “In 1974 a group of peasants digging a well discovered the greatest archaeological find of the 20th century,” the tomb of Qin Shi Huang (http://www.warriortours.com/cityguides/xian/terra_cotta_army/index.htm ).  We also found that “upon ascending the throne at the age of 13 (in 246 BC), Qin Shi Huang, later the first Emperor of all China, had work begun on his mausoleum. It took 11 years to finish” (http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/terra_cotta_army/).  Filled with life-size warriors and horses, Qin Shi Huang’s tomb is divided into three sections, spanning over 16,300 square meters (http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/terra_cotta_army/). 

Throughout the next few weeks, we are planning on furthering our research on the Qin Terracotta warriors by continuing to find/read websites, as well as journal articles and books.  Our goal is to end the term with a website that is a culmination of our research and will benefit those seeking information pertaining to the Qin Terracotta warriors.  If these “web surfers” who come across our site eventually see the tomb for themselves, we hope that the information on our website will enhance their experience.

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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.126
URL: 
DATE: 10/11/2004 09:21:48 AM
One of the most interesting aspects of this subject for MY money is that it seems to be less an archaeological discovery than a POLITICAL event. Take a look at Uses of the past: Archaeology in the Service of the State which has a section about halfway through on Qin. It's such a PR thing, so very National Geographic... 
Have you looked at 
Cotterell, Arthur.
The first emperor of China : the greatest archeological find of our time 
DS747.9.C47 C67 1981.

and

The First Emperor of China [videorecording] = Le Premier Empereur de Chine / National Film Board of Canada 
(video) DS747.9.C47 F57 1989.

and I think there's something in China Pictorial (LL1 in Leyburn) from 1981 or so
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AUTHOR: Carlos
EMAIL: spahtc@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.121
URL: 
DATE: 10/12/2004 04:44:21 PM
I'm in a Chinese history class right now and we've talked about the Terracotta Warriors a good bit.  I don't know how much you know about it, but in addition to the warriors, the emperor had his entire tomb built to be a microcosm of his state.  There are underground rivers (I think of mercury) and other things as well.  It might also be interesting to analyze why an emperor of the first Legalist empire left such an elaborate legacy whereas that left by the preceding Confucian empires lift little of this magnitude.  It seems like these are all things that tourists would like to know.
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AUTHOR: letisha
TITLE: 
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DATE: 10/10/2004 11:13:15 PM
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At this point, I believe I am going to focus on the problems faced by Japanese youth as shown in anime.  Primary this will deal with how different characters are represented (such as how they view themselves and the world around them).  I think to do this I will review anime I've already seen, and look around for other good examples.  I will search through a couple of good books I've found that will probably deal with, at least, concepts of humility and self-esteem.  
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Just as in America there are billions of different cartoons and comic books, and several different companies who produce them so to do a project simply on anime is obviously a little broad.  So I since I needed to narrow my topic down I did some looked over the sites I found before a little closer to see what I could find that was more specific.  Since I do what to have some sort of cultural statement in my project I am thinking that perhaps I will look into different types by genre (which are cut up into categories by not only topic but also sex) on wikipedia it said that anime directed at just men or just women are rare so it might be interesting to see what those anime are like.  However…that wasn’t really working out.  So I found a site that gave me some interesting ideas about religion and social awareness in anime.  A lot of the anime I’ve seen has had some religious context such as Neon Genesis Evangelion and this web site said, that apparently this isn’t too rare 

“Of course, Judeo-Christian elements are popular, even pervasive in anime. Indeed, some productions, such as Revolutionary Girl Utena and Neon Genesis Evangelion, are in terms of plot nothing but re-envisionings of Judeo-Christian myth. And to somebody brought up in the Judeo-Christian worldview, they seem really strange.

And I’ve heard that in general, while the Japanese do have a lot of religious ceremonies, on the whole they are not very religious so I think that may be an interesting route to take.  Also, I’ve noticed that there is a lot of questing for the concept of self or for inclusivness (like in the anime Naruto) with a particular group.

Survey results of students taken in 1983 indicated that Japanese students were generally less satisfied with themselves than American students. This attitude of lower self concept seems to be a common trait amongst characters”

I think that this may be the best road to take.

Quoted from:
Lee, Jeff.  Anime Project. http://www.umich.edu/~anime/history_youthattitude.html.

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AUTHOR: alex
TITLE: 
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DATE: 10/11/2004 12:17:15 AM
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I have recently decided to join forces with Tim Blair and do our project on the Yakuza. Our ideas have evolved through deciding what the most fun things to research would be out of the surplus of information we found. We also thought more about how we wanted to organize our findings into an effective project. We think that our project will definitely involve an in-depth look into the Yakuza and its practices and a focused look at one or two of the social problems they have caused and how they have affected Japanese society. The aspects of the Yakuza’s dealings (besides the dynamics of their own subculture) that lend themselves most readily to an anthropology project are, as we mentioned, their involvement in the government and economy through blackmail, force, and extortion, and their control of prostitution. <a href="http://bloggery.wlu.edu/anth230/archives/000078.html#more">Tim’s post </a>does a good job outlining our preliminary ideas, and I think that this project has a lot of potential to be fun.
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Since we have to spend such a huge amount of time on information collection (this post shows so of it), we are currently looking to narrow down our focus. He beat me to the blog posting, and to the library, so I decided to spend a lot of time on the internet looking for sites that could give us a good history of the Yakuza and their current actions. Google yielded over 300,000 sites that mentioned the Yakuza, but a lot of them are movie reviews, video game sites, and sites like the ones Hugh described on Thursday when we talked about ninja-geeks. I spent a lot of time weeding through the internet sources and found these five the most helpful so far:

This site provides a <a href="http://www.yakuza-japan.tk/">detailed history </a>of the Yakuza

This site has some pretty <a href="http://www3.tky.3web.ne.jp/~edjacob/crimeandconspiracies.htm ">interesting Yakuza info</a>. It provides accounts of Yakuza actions in the past (including recent things). This site will be helpful to us when we want to talk about Yakuza current info, especially and article that describes how they Yakuza have “changed more in the last ten years than they did in the entire post-war period.” The rumour that the Yakuza were declining is actually a myth, this article reports. The members have simply “deep, deep, deep under-cover. They're doing their best to blend in with the local population and your average yakuza today probably looks more like a salariman or freeter than a character from a Beat Takeshi movie, they are finding new sources of income, gangs are restructuring, and they are operating in a legal and economic environment that is radically different from that of ten years ago.” 

<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/720419.stm">bob the builder</a>
This article shows how prevalent the Yakuza are in Japanese society. The children’s television show Bob the Builder was to be altered before being shown in Japan because his animated character was given a fifth finger. In Yakuza tradition, members have their pinky fingers chopped down/off when they commit an offense or a disappointment toward the gang. Japan did not want their children thinking that their TV idol, Bob the Builder, was a member of the dangerous Yakuza gang.

From the Article: 
“Television favourite Bob the Builder is to have his fingers doctored for the Japanese market - because he looks like a gangster. 
In Japan the country's most feared mafia - the Yakuza - cut off their little fingers as a sign they can be trusted and have strength of character. “

Further on <a href="http://www3.tky.3web.ne.jp/~edjacob/saq.html#Yakuza%20Fingers ">Finger Cutting</a> and a more <a href="http://www3.tky.3web.ne.jp/~edjacob/saq.html#pearl%20in%20penis ">gory Yakuza tradition</a>

We have talked about our direction for this project since project1.html and we have what we feel is a pretty good prelimary idea about how to proceed. We want to examine Yakuza as a subculture in itself and explore how it affected Japanese culture since its beginning. Since our topic will lend itself to some fun, multimedia research, we plan on getting and watching a lot of movies that depict the Yakuza, reading books about the history of the Yakuza and scanning for articles that give us an idea of the Yakuza’s current actions with an eye for the anthropology of the group. 

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AUTHOR: Valery
EMAIL: yankovv@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.20.126
URL: 
DATE: 10/13/2004 01:35:11 PM
What you might also consider researching would be the influence of Yakuza outside of Japan. There are many sources of information which indicate a strong Yakuza pressence in many big western cities, especially in the US. You might be interested to find out information about the actual Yakuza's share of global organized crime. 
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AUTHOR: megan
TITLE: Elephant Project
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/11/2004 12:20:14 AM
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So far.. I have been trying to gather more information and to figure out which angle I want to approach this assignment from.  I am leaning towards the art/literature/cultural approach because I think it will be iteresting and it deals more with the human side of the elephant story (important since this is an anthropology class!) I think this approach can also encompass some of the ecological/historical issues because they will be reflected in the art and the writing.

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Assignment 5:

I am really not sure which angle I want to take on Elephants in Asia.  I feel that focusing on them in the art, literature, and culture of South East Asia is more along the anthropologic lines of our class.  But I think that the shrinking habitat angle is also really interesting in that it is creating a conflict between people and elephants - driving them into greater contact with one another and creating a dangerous situation - hence people living in trees in the Time article!

I really am more interested in the artistic/literary side of the picture so I feel myself leaning in that direction.  I feel like taking that angle will let me draw in lots of other stuff to explain what is going on culturally because that is usually a result of history, economics, and ecological factors.  I think the project will be more interesting and relevant if I tackle it from that angle.  I also feel like there is a huge range of material to look at from the cultural angle which will help me find things and piece them together in some way.  

I have started to look through the Mark Elvin book The Retreat of the Elephants (Thanks Hugh!).  The second chapter- "Humans v. Elephants: The Three Thousand Years War" is pretty cool.  The great thing about this chapter is that it has quotes about elephants from historical literature - It is a kind of documentation of the conflict between elephants and the Chinese people.  The author cites various reasons way elephants retreated from many of their historical Asian homelands (including climate changes) but hints that, "The most obvious explanation is that it was the result of a protracted was with human beings which the elephants lost.  The pattern of their withdrawal in time and in space was, so to speak, the reverse image of the expansion and intensification of Chinese settlement.  Chinese farmers and elephants do not mix" (Elvin 9).

In the next couple of weeks I plan to read some more of the Elvin book, to take a look at the books and the movie that I found in the library, to look for more sources on the web, and hopefully narrow down exactly what I want to focus on now that I think I have found an angle to approach the subject.  

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AUTHOR: Shari
EMAIL: boyces@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.15.7
URL: 
DATE: 10/13/2004 03:44:18 AM
This is probably very random. But when I heard your topic about elephants in class, my first thought was of a Road Rules episode I once saw. Maybe you saw it...in the episode they visited an East Asian country(don't remember where exactly) but the team had to work with elephants that painted pictures using their trunks - "art by elephants".  These pictures were sold for some sort of charity. I gather that the elephants are very significant in this particular East Asian culture.  Like you mentioned, art is probably a good way to approach your topic of elephants.  I don't know if this will help your search in finding more information...but it was just a thought I had. 
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AUTHOR: arielle
TITLE: More on Gender Deviance in Japan
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/11/2004 01:03:50 AM
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I have read into some topics within a couple of the books I am using to investigate homosexuality in Japan.  These are a couple of them:

Within <i>Urban Japan: Its Foundations and Growth</i>, there is the topic of the agrarian and agricultural lifestyles - there are obviously different types of societies (pre/post-industrial, agrarian, agricultural, etc), and each has their own unique perceptions of gender roles and those who deviate from those roles.  For example, males and females tend to be more equal in agrarian and agricultural societies because these communities need the participation of both in order to succeed.  In a post-industrial society, however, gender roles are not only different, but are also very unequal - for American culture, this is because of the established roles of males as the breadwinner and females as the homemaker.  Furthermore, each has its own ideas of how connected sex (a biological notion) and gender (a societal notion) are.  How gender deviants are perceived is very dependent on how the society in which they live relates sex to gender.

<i>Japanese Americans: The Evolution of a Subculture </i>serves more as a means of comparing societal views - in general - between those that actually live in Japan, and those who live in a different country - America, in this case - but still have some of the same ideals as those who reside in Japan.
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.126
URL: 
DATE: 10/11/2004 08:56:56 AM
One book you should be sure to look at is Ian Buruma's A Japanese mirror : heroes and villains of Japanese culture (Leyburn-Level 4   DS821 .B796 1984b)
It's 20 years old, but still one of the clearest introductions I know. It's also published as
Behind the Mask: On Sexual Demons, Sacred Mothers, Transvestites, Gangsters and Other Japanese Cultural Heroes
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AUTHOR: julianne
TITLE: Taiwanese Aboriginal Tribes
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/11/2004 01:16:51 AM
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Thus far I have read some articles and skimmed some books regarding Taiwanese aboriginal tribes.  Taiwan: A New History, by Rubenstein, discusses differing origin theories of these different aboriginal tribes.  Some theorists, like Hendrik Kern and George Mackay, support the Southern Origins Theory.  They believe early inhabitants came to Taiwan from Malaysia as is suggested by some aboriginal legends, customs, physical features, and currents.  Other theorists believe in the Northern Origin Theory suggesting early aboriginal tribes originated from China and Japan. . .
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Through reading these arguments I agree with the remainder of the theorists who believe that the Taiwanese Aboriginal tribes were a result of the combination of the two origin theories, making the island very unique and diverse in Asian prehistory.

This same book continued to discuss Taiwanese aboriginal tribes still existing today.  Rubenstein noted that most Taiwanese natives today have aboriginal ancestors, which I found pretty cool considering the amount of globalization and western contact Taiwan has encountered within the past few centuries.

In another book, Culture and Customs of Taiwan, by Davidson and Reed, I found that many Taiwanese aboriginal tribes exhibited many similarities.  Most of them were organized into egalitarian villages, had monogamous marriage, maintained significant kinship and non-kinship distinctions, and practiced headhunting- which is interesting.  Davidson and Reed noted that headhunting was a significant part of establishing prestige in almost all tribes, regardless of language or geographical location.

In this book I also found reference to the Nine Tribes Aboriginal Village, “where experts have reconstructed the physical components of villages associated with all the enduring aboriginal groups,” (Davidson, 4). I am interested in looking up more about this because it was constructed in 1986, and may lead to more information about perceptions and influences of these cultures today.  I found these sites ( <a href="http://www.sinica.edu.tw/tit/culture/0795_TribesOfTaiwan.html">Tribes of Taiwan</a> , <a href="http://www.nine.com.tw/english/e-village.htm">Nine Tribes</a> ) while looking on <a href="http://a9.com/-/search/home.jsp?nocookie=1">a9</a> for more information that may be of help later. 

Researching more about the “Nine Tribes Aboriginal Village” may help me learn more about the importance of these tribal cultures today.  I think this will be a good way to narrow my investigations.  I plan to look at the remaining Taiwanese aboriginal tribes and examine their place in contemporary Taiwanese society.

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AUTHOR: joe
EMAIL: coochj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.75.125
URL: 
DATE: 10/12/2004 04:17:04 PM
This is a very interesting topic.  It is important to think about who was there before the nationalist chinese were forced onto Taiwan from mainland china.  This struck my interest because it reminded me of a friend from home whos grandfather worked very high up in chang kai chek?'s organization, and fled to taiwan with the nationalists.  This friend would visit her relatives there and say she was going to China.  Certainly the refugees from mainland china have maintained their identity as chinese, and i wonder what effect this has had on the aboriginal population.  Were those escaping a dictatorial regime unjust to the aboriginal tribes??
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 69.68.126.46
URL: 
DATE: 10/12/2004 06:38:11 PM
There's a whole other intermediate chapter, as immigrants arrived from Fujian province over several hundred years and gradually pushed the aboriginal peoples further into the mountains. Coxinga (more properly Cheng Cheng-kung = Zheng Chenggong) is one of the villains of the piece... but there are others whose activities on the island have been significant, including the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the Japanese.
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AUTHOR: Ted
EMAIL: archert@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.64.44
URL: 
DATE: 10/13/2004 09:51:09 AM
Your topic is very interesting and out of tall the project topics in the class this one sounds more "anthro-like".  I think it would be interesting to know where the Taiwanese aboriginals believed their ancestory to be from since studies suggest either Malaysia or China or perhaps both.  Also you probably know this, but it would be good to focus on some important differences that may have caused a clash between aboriginals and the later Taiwanese immigrants.

-Ted    
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AUTHOR: dan
TITLE: Drugs in Japan
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/11/2004 01:24:04 AM
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After finishing preliminary research on drug use in Japan, I found that most of the information pertained to the recent rise in meth use in Japan, especially since WWII.  Most of the other sites and journals dealt with opium use in China or the Opium Wars.  My research did show that the reason not much informaition exists on Japanese drug trends is the nature of Japanese culture, which holds such disdain for drugs and drug use.  Simply put, the Japanese government does not keep detailed records, statistics, or estimates of drug use in the country, which begs another interesting question that could be used as a project.  Does the head-turning by the Japanese government really help end the scourge that has taken off domestically, especially among children?  As a result, I will focus more on the drug culture in Japan since WWII, and the effects it has in Japan and abroad.
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This has allowed me to narrow my topic and to focus strictly on events that have happened more recently.  As www.stopaddiction.com states, meth was first discovered in Japan, in 1919.  It was synthesized primarily to help Japanese troops stay awake for long periods of time.  It soon spread to other countries seeking to do the same thing.  However, it seems that it became overused.  In Vietnam, it is estimated that there were more American troops using the substance than the number of total users worldwide (stopaddiction.com).  In Japan, the drug was distributed to the public soon after WWII, where it became an epidemic.  According to cnn.com, this use has now ballooned to about 2 million Japanese, an undependable estimate that is derived from arrests of dealers, not users.  In addition, the use is scary in that it is adopted by children at an alarming rate.  With this in mind, I hope to be able to research the situation from a domestic and international perspective.  With so much methamphetamine being produced in the US and Mexico, only an international effort can combat this scary trend.  Furthermore, I hope to be able to figure out what the domestic front is, both among users and law enforcement agencies, and how they hope to curb use, address addicts, and stop illegal importation of the drugs.  With the war on terrorism requiring careful inspection (at least ideally) of most imports into a country, it should be interesting to see what the effect will be on use and distribution, both in Japan and worldwide.
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AUTHOR: Ben
EMAIL: morrisd@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.114.141
URL: 
DATE: 10/12/2004 02:52:02 PM
Dan,
   I think that you have revised you topic very well and are focusing on an interesting facet of your original topic. I was wondering about the source of drugs in Japan. Is the majority imported from other countries or are homegrown labs making the majority of the meth? I read an article over the summer about homegrown meth in the Appalachian mountains and was wondering if the Chinese make their own meth as well?
            -Ben
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AUTHOR: kathleen
TITLE: Gender Roles in Anime
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/11/2004 02:25:21 AM
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I would like to examine the issue of gender roles in anime and how they are similar or different from modern Japanese society.

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Originally I was interested in anime and the influence of this aspect of Japanese pop culture, through cosplay and other ways in which this influence is shown. After reviewing the websites I had found earlier and following some interesting links from those, my focus has changed a bit, though will likely incorporate cosplay and other aspects of Japanese pop culture that deal with or are influenced by anime.

I would like to examine the issue of gender roles in anime and how they are similar or different from modern Japanese society.  I am still not certain if I will focus on both men and women or just look only at how women are portrayed in anime.  I would also like to examine why people are depicted in a certain way in anime and see how anime reflects the views of Japanese society (or does not.).

While a common perception is that Japanese women are typically viewed as submissive and more conservative then American women, while these characters are present in anime, there are also wild outgoing women, completely contrary to stereotypes of Japanese women.  I am certain that this is no longer completely the case and I hope by examining modern gender roles in Japanese society I can reconcile this concept of meek Japanese women with their different counterparts in anime.

Here are a couple of interesting sites that examined these issues: <A href=http://www.mit.edu:8001/afs/athena.mit.edu/user/r/e/rei/WWW/manga-gender.html> Gender and Gender Relations in Manga and Anime </A>   and 
<A href=http://www.racingmix.com/word/stereotypes.htm> Casting Female Stereotypes in the Pacific Rim </A>

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I would like to examine the issue of gender roles in anime and how they are similar or different from modern Japanese society.

(Sorry I messed up with my previous post and do not seem to be able to delete it, so I am reposting.)
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.126
URL: 
DATE: 10/11/2004 08:56:17 AM
One book you should be sure to look at is Ian Buruma's A Japanese mirror : heroes and villains of Japanese culture (Leyburn-Level 4   DS821 .B796 1984b)
It's 20 years old, but still one of the clearest introductions I know. It's also published as
Behind the Mask: On Sexual Demons, Sacred Mothers, Transvestites, Gangsters and Other Japanese Cultural Heroes

 

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AUTHOR: Julianne
EMAIL: shelleyj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.113.10
URL: 
DATE: 10/12/2004 04:50:59 PM
This is an interesting topic and I look forward to seeing what you come up with.  I think it is a good idea to narrow your search a bit more an concentrate on gender roles in anime, but it also makes me wonder if there are also age related factors?  I read on the webnotes like that it is mainly an adolescent and young adult phenomenon, but are there differences between 11-12 year olds and 18-20 year olds? This may be more than you wish to go into, but it could be interesting to look at particular anime tendencies that arise depending upon the gender and age of the person.  Just an idea.  Good luck!
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AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bittermanr@wlu.edu
IP: 67.23.157.112
URL: 
DATE: 10/13/2004 12:26:34 PM
I've seen a few anime movies and was trying to envision your approach to carving gender roles out of an industry that I believe was made by men for other men.  Traditionally, female characters tend to be betrayed, harmed, even raped.  The usually do not hold the main character role.  And if ever, they are the antagonist.  I am curious to follow up on your project and see where you go with it.
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AUTHOR: leah
TITLE: Chinese Mythology
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/11/2004 03:24:46 AM
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I  have decided to focus on Chinese mythology. I found that there was much more information on Chinese mythology and that many of the gods and goddesses are part of Taoism. I'm not sure which aspect of Chinese mythology that I plan to focus on just yet. I may decide to focus on the "eight immortals" from Taoist mythology or perhaps explore into the depths of some of the lesser known gods and goddesses or even focus mainly on myths. 

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I discovered that Japanese and Korean mythology/folklore was too difficult to find material on. Also, much of Chinese mythology is based on Taoist mythology and since thats a major belief system it will be much easier to find the mythology.

On <a href="http://www.pantheon.org/areas/mythology/asia/chinese/articles.html">this site</a> i found a listing of gods and goddesses that explains their roles and their realms. <a href="http://www.cdot.org/history/chinese_myths.htm">Here</a> I found images of mythical creatures and myths that explain the separation of the sky from the earth and the creation of mountains and such.

I plan on sifting through more websites as well as checking out some of the  books that i searched on Annie. I intend on narrowing my project down to certain gods and goddesses. I will most likely end up focusing on the "eight immortals" because they relate so closely to Taoism and should be much easier to find information on them. Then again, I may decide to do a focus on the actual myths or mythical creatures. In which case I will focus on creation and possibly some of the lesser known gods and goddesses.
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.126
URL: 
DATE: 10/11/2004 10:38:13 AM
One of the places you should look is in Needham's Science and Civilisation in China, DS721 .N39 --probably vol. 2 is the one to start with.
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AUTHOR: ted
TITLE: 
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DATE: 10/11/2004 11:06:08 AM
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My project is on "General Tso and why we are eating his chicken".  General Tso was a 19th century military leader in China during the latter part of the Qing Dynasty.  He served during the Taiping rebellion and was responsible for many deaths of the Taiping rebels.  For the most part, I have narrowed my project to describing the fascinating life of the General while attempting to explain some theories behind him having a "Chinese"(American actually) dish named after him.  His story is quite interesting and it will be a exciting to find out the real truth, or maybe truths.  There are many different explanations behind his chicken. 
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"While Sichuan food is hot right up front, in the mouth, in your face; Hunanese cuisine tends to build up inside you, like a slow charcoal fire, until you feel as though your belly is filled with burning coals."

-Washington Post Article

I have discovered that Tso is from the Hunan province and this explains his incorporation into Chinese food in America because most immigrants who own Chinese restaurants are from this particular province.  For example, I doubt if people from the Taiping area would give his name to one of their dishes.

Tso was also classifed as a western leaning thinker during his day. "It became increasingly clear to a small group of Chinese civilian and military officials that China would have to adopt some of the attributes of the West, especially the military techniques." Tso's western leaning thinking may also have inspired immigrants from the Hunan province to name a dish after him.

-Bookrags.com

I think I need to do more resaerch on Hunan province immigrants into America.  Although I do not want to focus too much on the general  Tso's cuisine itself, I think its important to get a feel for the way they regard general Tso.  This will help me in my quest to find out who exactly General Tso was and why we are eating his chicken.

Ted

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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.126
URL: 
DATE: 10/11/2004 01:50:02 PM
I don't think it's true that "most immigrants who own Chinese restaurants" are Hunanese. Until pretty recently they were surely Cantonese, and MY information is that the biggest migration stream in recent years has been from Fujian province. But see what you can find... 
I know there's a biography of Tso, cited on that bookrags page: 
"The standard work in English on Tso is W. L. Bales, Tso Tsung-t'ang: Soldier and Statesman of Old China (1937). Gideon Ch'en, Tso Tsung-t'ang: Pioneer Promoter of the Modern Dockyard and the Woollen Mill in China (1938), discusses Tso's "Self-strengthening" interests; and Immanual C. Y. Hsu, The Ili Crisis: A Study of Sino-Russian Relations, 1871-1881 (1965), deals with this aspect of Tso's career. For a short biography of Tso see Arthur W. Hummel, ed., Eminent Chinese of the Ch'ing Period (2 vols., 1943). Fields, Lanny B., Tso Tsung-t'ang and the Muslims: statecraft in northwest China, 1868-1880, Kingston, Ont.: Limestone Press, 1978." ...so you'll need to order by ILL whatever we don't have if you're really going to explore his background and ideas and so on.
Two other quickie sites: 
The Definitive General Tso's Chicken Page (it says...) and Biography (which may all be from Washington Post).
If you're going to do this RIGHT you'll also need to develop a sense for what the Taiping Rebellion was all about. See my Taiping pages for some introductory stuff. 
You really need to do the JSTOR search for 'Tso Tsung' and follow up by reading what's there...
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AUTHOR: alex
EMAIL: whiteab@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.113.125
URL: 
DATE: 10/13/2004 11:31:35 AM
Ted--
I think you're project will be very interesting because of its great grabber (y eat his chicken?) and the historical depth behind your subject, General Tso. Some things I'd love to see in the final project would be 1)an apology to me for the ninja comment, 2)some information behind your terms (Taiping rebellion, Hunan, Szechuan, etc.), 3)maybe notes from an interview of a real chinese restaurant owner or chef...who speaks english of course, 4)a profile of General Tso himself, like his background (where did his western thinking come from? why was he so vicious?) and what made him an interesting figure...like a "Behind the Music" type thing---(which is what i think all of these projects that focus on historical figures or groups should try to get at), and 5)an apology for that ninja comment and an admission that Bruce Lee would not stand a chance. I think your direction is pretty straight-forward and the information you need is out there. I guess it will come down to how deep you actually go with your connection between him and the chicken, unless the chicken thing is strictly a grabber. Good luck on ur project!
~Alex, TNG
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AUTHOR: shari
TITLE: Project Topic
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/11/2004 11:56:20 AM
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With my preliminary search on “fortune cookie”, I only came across web sources that discussed the origins of fortune cookies.  One source called it a “U.S. invention” probably inspired by moon cakes that were used in the 13th century by Chinese soldiers to hide their defense plans, while another source says it was introduced at a Japanese Tea Garden.  A number of sources mention that the fortune cookie was developed by Chinese who helped to build the great American railways in California and Nevada, and during the Moon Festival exchanged biscuits with messages of good luck and fortune.  

After Thursday’s class discussion and looking over my preliminary sources, I decided to broaden my search into “fortune telling”, “Chinese fortune telling”,” Japanese fortune telling”.  

I have gathered from a few of my sources that traditional Japanese fortune telling plays a very influential part in today’s Japanese society…people’s lives and the economy.   Also the Association for Asian Research reports that fortune-telling has increased in the China involving a range of topics such as finances, health, marriage, travel, education, etc.  As I continue to search for information and resources on this topic, I hope to focus my project on the growth of traditional fortune telling in East Asian cultures, and possibly discuss how in the United States Chinese fortune telling is misrepresented in the form of fortune cookies. I hope to answer questions such as: “Why do all Chinese carryouts and restaurants serve Fortune Cookies?  Who makes them? Would it be considered a “tradition” in the American/Cantonese cuisine?   

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“According to the September 21 Xin Hua Net report, financial outlook, health, and marriage are the three major topics of concern in fortune telling, with 28.4% of those who turn to fortune telling interested in learning about their financial situation. Other major topics are business, career, sensibility, school exams, and travel.”

“According to the report, people turn to fortune telling for reasons such as: searching for inner comfort, seeking some direction, helping themselves or a family member to avoid calamities, overcoming indecision when faced with a problem or opportunity, and hoping to gain inspiration or spiritual freedom.”

From Association for Asian Research   http://www.asianresearch.org/articles/1561.html

“It seems to me that over 90% of the population of Japan believe or have experienced any kind of divination. At midnight, many fortunetellers appear on the street near the Shinjuku station of Tokyo. As soon as they set up their desk, with lanterns as a billboard, a lot of clients stop at their favorite fortunetellers and make a long line. These clients want any advice for their many kinds of problems such as relationship with a partner, their future, and difficult decisions. Fortunetellers use their different methods like name divination, palmistry, tarots, inspiration, etc.”
From Culture Capsules: People, Places, and Processes
http://www.lclark.edu/~krauss/culturecapsules2002/leefukuweb/leefuku.html

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AUTHOR: Emily
EMAIL: sbernae@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.20.148
URL: 
DATE: 10/12/2004 05:25:09 PM
I'm doing my project on Feng shui and I noticed that both of our projects have to deal w/ certain aspects of a person's life.  In feng shui, people change their atmosphere to try and affect their lives.  While with fortune tellers, they seek external help.
What might be interesting is to see why fortune tellers etc. seem to be so widely accepted over there. People here in america seem to always be very skeptical with anything of "another realm." I've had my palm and face read, but solely for amusement; I've never taken it seriously.  Maybe it's getting too far into the culture to research this dramatic difference.
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AUTHOR: Leah
EMAIL: heronl@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.18.2
URL: 
DATE: 10/13/2004 03:05:26 AM
That's a great topic. I was initially going to do something similar to that. I think that part of your study will probably focus on religion. In accordance with what Emily said, fortune telling is probably so widely accepted because their religious beliefs are not nearly as forbidding of seeing into the future as our Christian-based society. Maybe you could even compare and contrast some of the fortune-telling techniques here and over there. Good luck with your search!
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AUTHOR: robert
TITLE: Karaoke continued
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/11/2004 03:29:02 PM
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My topic of Karaoke in Asia has taken its positive and negative turns but overall there just seems to be such a subculture surrounding what I like to call the phenomenon of Karaoke that I couldn't resist but to pursue the topic to the fullest.  The topic I am working with has not seen much change to its target.  I am trying to unearth the history and evolution of karaoke as we know it and show the economic change as a result of karaoke (ie. technology, karaoke bar commerce, etc.)  To understand the commerce that is a result of the phenomenon will be crucial to determining the overall effect that karaoke has had on the coninent and moreover, the world.

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My subsequent karaoke research has brought a whole new perspective of the importance of karaoke to many people's daily lives.  Not only is it a thriving entertainment industry but it has its own cult following that really is derived from the confidence people gain from singing in front of crowds, whether it be strangers or friends.  Typically, new karaoke bars have a large number of private rooms with a digitally controlled song library and individual monitors, microphones and other equipment to provide an added comfort zone to those participants who need a little privacy to boost confidence and thus have fun doing it.  Karaoke bars usually boast a majority of classic songs from the English language but that doesn't mean other tongues are ignored.  Further incite into the phenomenon has helped me realize the extent to which globalization has intrigued karaoke.

So far, my favorite and most interesting search result was news of a karaoke machine that can correct your singing voice that was posted on BBC's website.  

"This new machine would recognise the singer's use of vibrato, tremolos and other techniques," said Taito Corporation spokesman Makoto Tanaka.  The article also explains how the new machine will have a reward system to give points to those participants who show improvement in their singing, ultimately making this new technology a virtual singing coach.
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/1909018.stm)

Additional technology research and development has led to the emmergence of another way to entertain yourself using a phone.  I found, in a blog entitled Tokyo Times, a posting that said, "Vodafone has released a mobile phone that allows you to download karaoke songs, and then project them on to a TV. Allowing woeful warblers like myself the chance to get a bit of private practice in before making another ill-advised public outing. And no need to worry about not having a microphone either, as the handset doubles up as a one.  Plus, when you are belting out your favourite number, you can always check the lyrics on the phone's Japanese-English dictionary. Whilst simultaneously taking pictures of your performance with the device's 1.3-mexapixel camera."  This is another way for one to distract him or herself while driving.
(quote from http://www.lee-chapman.com/tokyo_times/2004/09/karaoke_king.html)

My further research will be targeted on the original idea of the bar dedicated to karaoke and some of the karaoke events that draw headlines from around the Asian continent.  I hope to show an interested person how crazy the world of karaoke has become.

--Bob

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AUTHOR: Tim Blair
EMAIL: blairt@wlu.edu
IP: 65.166.9.176
URL: 
DATE: 10/12/2004 05:44:14 PM
Bob--

This topic seems real interesting.  I was looking up Karaoke on google and I found a good site that says that Karaoke was actually formed over thirty years ago in the city of Kobe.  I also saw information about "Karaoke Boxes" that came about in Japan around the 1980's.  These are specially crafted rooms in which Karaoke is practiced.  It seems as if they are much like Karaoke bars that we have here in the states.  I read on another site that there are over 100,000 of these "Boxes" throughout Japan.  Maybe this is another area that you could explore with regards to the spread of Karaoke, not only in Japan but throughout the world.  How has the popularity increased over the years in Japan, because in America it is hotter than ever...

--Tim
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AUTHOR: owingsj
TITLE: Opium in China
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DATE: 10/11/2004 07:45:25 PM
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Last Thursday’s class helped me narrow my topic.  Instead of researching the more historical issue of Opium in China and the Opium Wars, I’ve redirected my interest toward opium’s effect on present-day China.  This topic both caters more to the modernity of our class while also leaving open the possibility for discussing the Opium Wars’ lasting effect on Chinese culture, foreign affairs, and economy.  Heroine and morphine are the modern day derivates of the drug that possessed 19th century China.  I am interested to see if those drugs still permeate Chinese society or if the fear of the drug has resulted in near eradication.  
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A JSTOR article highlighted one effect of the opium wars on present day public policy, “The modern system of laws against ‘hard’ drugs, i.e. cocaine and opiates, evolved out of the measures taken to help imperial China with its opium problem” R.K. Newman Modern Asia Studies

From a google timeline, http://www.adjunctcollege.com/OpiateHistory2a.html,  I found that even up into the mid 1990s, China’s remained one of the world’s leading opium producers and distributors.  The last date, November 1996, states that International drug trafficking organizations, including China, Nigeria, Colombia and Mexico are said to be "aggressively marketing heroin in the United States and Europe."

The Economist writes that opium’s infiltration into the United States came via the Chinese in California, leading to the Harrisson Act of 1914 (outlawing opiates as a non prescribed drug).  Heroine’s rise in users, production, and purity, though, suggest that the demand for opium-related drugs is increasing, despite the laws against it.  Coupled with the fact that China still plays a major role in opiate production, its evident that opiates still contain a notable presence in Chinese society.

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AUTHOR: Michael Caspani
EMAIL: caspanim@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.14
URL: 
DATE: 10/12/2004 02:23:39 PM
Why did the Chinese use opium so heavily in the past?  Is there presently a substantial opium underground there?  As far as the general drug scene in China goes, is opium still the most used drug, or has another narcotic taken its place?  What are opium's effects on the economy?  

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AUTHOR: Letisha
EMAIL: kearneylm@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.41.20
URL: 
DATE: 10/13/2004 08:46:37 AM
I'm pretty sure that there is a pretty substancial crime syndicate in china that deals with drugs.  When I went to look it up this book: Gerald L. Posner:  Warlords of Crime, Chinese Secret Societies--The New Mafia came up.  It's pretty old at 1988 but it looks interesting and would deal with another aspect of the heroin trade.

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AUTHOR: matt
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DATE: 10/11/2004 10:59:35 PM
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Aspirations for independence or satisfaction with autonomy in Sinkiang, Inner Mongolia, and Guangxi autonomous regions of China
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Over the past few days I’ve discovered more into the conflicts in these peripheral areas of China. In general, I have found that Guangxi does not seem to have as much resentment and drive to assert more national rights as Inner Mongolia and Sinkiang. Both of these latter two are culturally very different from Han, or most other, Chinese groups. Linguistically, they are in separate families (being more closely to Turkish and other Cyrillic scripts than the characters of many cultures farther to the east). Inhabitants also have a much longer common histories and identify with groups in Central Asia (Sinkiang) and Mongolia (inner Mongolia) more closely. Over the next few weeks I will explore more into the historical (and prehistoric) reasons that both sides use to justify their closeness to or distance from each other and the manifestations that this creates in contemporary Sinkiang and Inner Mongolia.
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.126
URL: 
DATE: 10/12/2004 01:15:18 PM
Sources like these should be useful:
Kim, Ho-dong, 1954-
Holy war in China : the Muslim rebellion and state in Chinese Central Asia, 1864-1877  Stanford, Calif. : Stanford University Press, 2004.
DS793.S62 K595 2004.

Millward, James A., 1961-
Beyond the pass : economy, ethnicity, and empire in Qing Central Asia, 1759-1864 
Stanford, Calif. : Stanford University Press, 1998.
DS793.S62 M535 1998.

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AUTHOR: ben
TITLE: The poisonous puffer fish
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DATE: 10/12/2004 01:47:25 PM
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    My original project topic was east Asian food with a focus on seafood. I was interested in some of the more unconventional (at least by western standards) foods. During the course of my study I have found that many east Asians eat a dish prepared with puffer fish. A fish that has Tarichatoxin, Tetrodotoxin and Saxitoxin in its body. All are extremely poisonous, and I am wondering why anyone would ever want to risk their life in eating this fish? Why is this delicacy worth dying for?
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    Since I have reoriented my project to focus on the puffer fish and the dish fugu, I have discovered that chefs who prepare fugu are required to undergo a special course and must pass a rigorous exam to obtain a license in order to be certified to prepare fugu. There is only a 25% pass rate on this exam. The chef also must be extremely confident in himself, for during the exam, he himself must prepare and then eat his own meal of puffer fish.   (http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20031223.html)

     I have also been looking into the symptoms of tetrodotoxin poisoning. There are a great number of symptoms, all unpleasant that generally appear between 20 minutes and three hours after eating the fish. Symptoms include but are not limited to:

-  numbness of lips, tongue, face and extremities
-  sensations of lightness or floating
-  dizziness
-  headache
-  vomiting
-  abdominal pain
-  diarrhea
-  slurred speech
-  difficulty in waking up
-  extensive muscle weakness

    To make matters worse, there is no know antidote for tetrodotoxin. To treat the poisoning doctors try to limit the body’s absorption  rate of the toxin. (http://www.frankfordhospitals.org/healthinfo/adult/travel/fish.html)

    Over the next couple of weeks I plan on researching the methods of preparation and what goes into the certification process. I will research more extensively the symptoms of poisoning in medical journals and then try to discover why people are willing to risk their lives eating this delicacy. 

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AUTHOR: Kristin
EMAIL: collinsa@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.11
URL: 
DATE: 10/12/2004 02:36:50 PM
Ben,

This is a really, really interesting topic. I read your initial project1.html page and I thought your topic may be slightly broad, but you have done a great job of narrowing it down. I can't wait to see what you come up with. Maybe you could find a personal story about someone who has actually tried/prepared the fish for greater insight? I'm sure there are some websites out there!

Kristin
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Megan
EMAIL: brooksm@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.114.120
URL: 
DATE: 10/12/2004 02:41:55 PM
I am curious... what do the statistics look like as far as deaths per year from poorly prepared puffer fish??  Also, it might be interesting to look into what happens to a chef when he/she kills someone?  What are the judicial ramifications - murder? - or is it a eat at your own risk type thing?
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AUTHOR: Pierce Owings
EMAIL: owingsj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.164.7
URL: 
DATE: 10/12/2004 05:01:03 PM
Ben, I'm particularly interested in this topic because sushi is one of my favorite foods.  You presented in the entry body that you plan to figure out some of the reasons why people would risk eating such a deadly fish.  My question is, why would the chefs risk the time and effort in learning how to prepare such a fish?  I'm interested in Megan's question about their penalty for improperly preparing the dish, as well as the pros for going through the training and risking the death of a customer.  Are chefs that well-paid, or is being a chef a big honor, regardless of money, like it is to be a samurai.
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AUTHOR: Emily
EMAIL: sbernae@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.20.148
URL: 
DATE: 10/12/2004 05:28:15 PM
I'm not quite sure, but isn't sushi in itself difficult to make? maybe you can look into the actual process of preparing the food. and possibly the fact that one of the ingredients in a poisonous fish is just an added 'bonus' to the accomplishment of preparing sushi. asians i believe are very  much into honor and reputation.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.126
URL: 
DATE: 10/13/2004 10:40:21 AM
An a9.com search for   cuisine fugu  got me some pointers to BOOKS that might be of interest, including
Extreme Cuisine: The Weird & Wonderful Foods That People Eat
by Jerry Hopkins, Anthony Bourdain, Michael Freeman 
A Taste of Japan: Food Fact and Fable What the People Eat Customs and Etiquette
by Donald Richie (seems to be a several-page section on fugu)
Encyclopedia of Contemporary Japanese Culture (Encyclopedias of Contemporary Culture)
by Sandra Buckley (5 text references)
if you're registered with Amazon you can use the "Search inside this book" feature and SEE the pages...
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kathleen
EMAIL: stoecklek@wlu.edu
IP: 24.51.107.133
URL: 
DATE: 10/14/2004 01:03:57 AM
Fascinating topic.  I am really fascinated to see what you come up with in terms of why people are willing to eat this poisonous fish.  This is rather embarassing to bring up, but there is a scene in Charlie's Angels where Bill Murray eats the puffer fish (at least I am pretty sure it was the puffer fish) as kind of a gesture of bravado, willingness to risk death, and not lose face in front of the "enemy" or perhaps a gesture of good faith.  This is certainly an extremely american movie, but I bet the reason that people do eat these poisonous puffer fish ties in somehow to this idea.
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AUTHOR: clint
TITLE: 
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DATE: 10/12/2004 02:09:30 PM
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I am thinking about shortening my project because as of right now it is too wide.  Most likely i will just cover the areas of Nepal and India and the mixing of cultures which is taking place. I am going to focus mainly on religion and youth culture because I believe these aspects of society to be extremely important.
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Searching in Annie under Asia, culture, modern I found many articles, but none of which really pertained to what I wanted to deal with: Nepal and India.
	
Emdad-ul Haq, M 
Title	Drugs in South Asia : from the opium trade to the present day / M. Emdad-ul Haq 
Publisher	Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire ; New York : St. Martin's Press, 2000

I found this under typing in Drugs, Asia.  I doubt this will give me any information because it will deal with mostly opium which is part of the golden triangle: Burma, Laos, and Thailand. 
The JSTOR didn’t really give me any leads either, so I think I am going to have to rely heavily on the internet, activist magazines, and personal knowledge for the youth culture part of my project.  After reviewing my statement of my proposal, I think it would be too long to include other nations besides Nepal and India.  I am thinking about just focusing on the mixing of cultures in Nepal and India.  Maybe I will start off with the mixing of religions and slowly progress into the youth culture and the hippie community.
-Clint

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AUTHOR: owingsj
TITLE: Potential Topic Change
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DATE: 10/12/2004 04:54:57 PM
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My primary topic, opium in China, morphed into heroin's evolution and its current presence in China.  Frustrated with the topic, I've become interested in exploring poetry's current status in Japanese society.  
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When I studied Japanese Literature in Translation, we focused half of the term on Japanese poetry.  Having already studied poetic greats such as Basho, I'm more interested in poetry's presence in modern day Japanese society.  As seen in the movie Chunhyang, poetry plays a vital role in East Asian culture, representing a wide array of expression.  It has been used for displays of intellect, art, and, of course, love.  Does it still possess the same literary power as in Basho's day?  Is it still a form of evaluation for professors and statesmen?  Does passion still move lovers to compose poetry, or have they given up the literary formality?
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AUTHOR: Dan McMenamin
EMAIL: mcmenamind@wlu.edu
IP: 67.23.156.15
URL: 
DATE: 10/12/2004 06:28:58 PM
Pierce,
Yeah I understand where you are coming from.  Governments in the East either arent ready to acknowledge a drug problem, and hence do not keep much information on it, or the drug problem is not as bad as some estimates put it.  I might end up changing my topic as well because methamphetamine use is such a specific, but interesting, topic, that I am feeling frustrated as well.  I might move onto political freedoms in China as they have developed over the past two decades.
Dan
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 69.68.126.46
URL: 
DATE: 10/12/2004 06:29:46 PM
Haiku is certainly alive and well as a form, and sites like Japanese Poetry resources and Some sources for contemporary Japanese poetry and 20th c. Japanese Poetry in Translations suggest that there's a lot going on. The limitation of having to read in translation may make this a difficult topic to succeed with, but you might want to think of broadening it to look at the appreciation of Japanese poetic forms by non-Japanese readers. Plenty of action in that realm: Haiku casts big Net is only one of many reflections. I do it myself... 
For a curiosity, take a look at The Hiroshima Poetry Hoax.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Arielle
EMAIL: grimmcnallya@wlu.edu
IP: 24.51.107.94
URL: 
DATE: 10/13/2004 02:24:59 PM
I think your topic will be a great one - poetry possesses so many different meanings, and depending on who the person is, where he's from, etc, the meaning discovered could greatly differ from another's perception of poetry. 

I'm not sure how too relevant it may be, but I think philosophy - using it to discover various meanings - could be helpful within this topic.

Check out this site...
http://www.rep.routledge.com/article/G100/
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AUTHOR: valery
TITLE: Ninja project
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/13/2004 01:21:52 PM
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My project will explore the historical evolution of ninja clans in ancient Japan. It will contain information about the origin of ninja and the essence of the art of ninjutzu. The project will also explore different techniques and weapons used by the ninja warriors and its goal will be to give insight on many mythological beliefs related to the image of Japan's deadliest and most feared assassins. There will be provided a lot of information on historical events and real-life figures from the two most famous ninja clans: Iga and Koga during the Sengoku era in Japan. The project will also present information about the culture of ninja, exploring the life and structure in the Iga and Koga villages. It will touch on the relationship between the ninja and the Yamabushi traveling monks, who might have actually given the origin of the techniques of ninjutzu. Overall, the project's main purpose is to differentiate the reality from the myth about ninja and to explore the actual ninja culture and lifestyle.
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.126
URL: 
DATE: 10/13/2004 03:49:47 PM
My basic question and concern is: where's the information for this? I don't doubt that there IS information, but a lot of it is (as I said the other day in the lab) basically 14-year old boy level. Can you find SCHOLARSHIP about ninjutzu? A student in Anth230 last year did do a project which you might use as a starting point (http://home.wlu.edu/~coxa/anth230/). I don't think it was very successful, largely because it didn't get very far beyond the perspective of a martial arts enthusiast. 
So what I want to see is some results of searches in various places --some evidence that there's really something worthwhile to be said about the subject.
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.126
URL: 
DATE: 10/13/2004 03:56:27 PM
Here are 4 books from Bibliography of Asian Studies. I have no reason to think they're either 'good' or 'bad', but you'd probably need to get them by ILL:

Turnbull, Stephen R.
Title: Ninja: the true story of Japan's secret warrior cult
Citation: Poole, Dorset: Firebird Books, 1991

Title: The making of a ninja: Ashida Kim's training camp
Citation: Boulder, Colo.: Paladin, 1986 173p

Author: Kim, Ashida
Title: Ninja death touch
Citation: Boulder, Colo.: Paladin, 1989 93p

Author: Hayes, Stephen K.
Title: The ninja and their secret fighting art
Citation: Rutland, Vt.: C.E. Tuttle Co., 1981 156p.

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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.126
URL: 
DATE: 10/13/2004 04:02:20 PM
As an example of the level of stuff one has to wade through, look at the contributors to this thread: http://www.dojo2000.com/www/messages2/428.html
What I see here is poseurs, wannabees, violence freaks, psychopaths, turkeys... Surely there MUST be more to it, but that's the company you have to rub shoulders with. Ick.
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AUTHOR: owingsj
TITLE: Gambling
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DATE: 10/19/2004 02:50:46 PM
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I am interested to see what Fugui gambles his life away on.  In the movie <i>The Deer Hunter</i>, the Vietnamese are infatuated with gambling.  They bet on a game called Russian roulette, in which a six-shot pistol is filled with one bullet and each person at the table puts the gun to their head and pulls the trigger until somone gets the chamber with the bullet and dies.  In other movies, I've seen similar 'high stakes' gambling in East Asian society, always in a black market, underground atmosphere.  The horror of this desperate gamble both depresses and interests me.  How did the stakes get so high?
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AUTHOR: carlos
EMAIL: spahtc@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.114.132
URL: 
DATE: 10/19/2004 02:53:07 PM
I think the movie is "Deer Hunter."  Good point though.
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AUTHOR: Pierce
EMAIL: owingsj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.114.17
URL: 
DATE: 10/19/2004 02:53:59 PM
you've never even seen the movie
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AUTHOR: carlos
EMAIL: spahtc@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.114.132
URL: 
DATE: 10/19/2004 02:54:59 PM
No, but I did an "a9" search because I couldn't understand how this type of movie could have that title.
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AUTHOR: julianne
TITLE: "To Live" & "Morning Sun"
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/19/2004 05:48:39 PM
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I found the contrast between the two parts of the films interesting.  The biggest difference, for me,  was the portrayal of the initial outcome of communism in the films.  The death of Youqing, and the appearance of Chunsheng as the County Magistrate in “To Live” seemed to reflect unhappiness with the new communist rule.  When Fugui and Jaizhen discover their son was killed by a communist leader, and he was where he was killed because of communist orders to have children smelting steel, they film creates a sense of rejection of communism. It seems as though goals may be optimistic but they are unachievable and create tragedy.  In the “Morning Sun” Documentary I was surprised by the contrast to this notion.  After the revolution in the beginnings of communist rule everyone was excited about the future of communism and greatly differ from the theme of “To Live” in it’s portrayal of family tragedy at this point.  I am interested in looking at the second half of “To Live” to see how Fugui and his family react to this tragedy and how the film interprets the later eras we saw in the “Morning Sun” documentary.
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AUTHOR: tim
TITLE: Transition to Communism
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DATE: 10/19/2004 09:10:11 PM
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In "To Live" and "Morning Sun", we see two contrasting views on the state of China during the late 1940's and into the 1950's.  This is a time when Mao Zedong founded the People's Republic of China, through victory in the Chinese Civil War in 1949.  In "To Live", we see a fictional narrative of this harsh era through the eyes of a struggling family.  Here, the Chinese Civil War almost killed Fugui (the husband) and forced Jiazhen (the wife) to support two children by herself.  Then after the creation of the People's Republic of China, we see the ongoing struggle of the family in this new communist society.  It seems almost as if the normal peasant family had completely lost its identity and was in a constant struggle to regain this family identity.  All personal belongings that families had were to be given to the state in order to benefit the state as a whole.  The whole idea of personal belongings and personal relationships seemed to almost completly disappear.  I really think that this was clearly displayed when the state was about to take Fugui's puppet set in order to make 2 bullets for the purpose of attacking "Taiwan".  Overall, this movie seemed to display an unfavorable view of communism of the general masses of people in China, especially in the early years.  In "Morning Sun", we see a contrasting view about the introduction of Communism.  Here, their is excitement in the voices of the narrators about the prospects of communism.  One of the main reasons for this optimistic view is due to the commentators that narrated this documentary.  Relatives of former Communist leaders were some of the commentators in this documentary.  From watching these two films, we get a clear picture of the different views that existed within China regarding Communist governments.  One question that is really left unanswered in my opinion is what was international influence on China throughout these formative years of Communism? 
--Tim
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AUTHOR: owingsj
TITLE: To Live and Morning Sun
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DATE: 10/19/2004 09:34:41 PM
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Modern day Hollywood has lost a lot of its luster because the plot is so predictable.  So often, the protagonist, antagonist and desired outcome are clearly laid out in the first thirty minutes if not already in the ads seen on TV.  The ambiguity of the movie is a breath of fresh air.  I can't decide who to like and who to hate.  Hollywood has brainwashed me so much that I am striving to like Yugui, when whats to like?  Yu Hua/Zhang Yimou keep confusing me and almost teasing me with flashes of Yugui's morality, but then his superficiality and materialism is revealed.  Yugui has yet to show any depth of feeling with regards to compassion or unselfishness.  I'm curious to see if he turns out to be the hero, but for the breath of fresh air's sake, I hope he doesn't.

<i>Morning Sun</i> helped explain a lot of the confusion of <i>To Live</i> with regards to politics.  I've never read or been taught much about the rise of communism in China-my only knowledge is of European communism.  I thought it was interesting that the Chinese communist anthem sounded very similar to the Soviet Union's.  I thought the anthem's tone brought to life several characteristics of communism, i.e. rigid, militaristic, unifying.  

Translation Question: What did they mean by the term <i>landlord</i>?  Long'er is given this title but I was confused as to what his responsibilities would be.
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 65.40.127.43
URL: 
DATE: 10/20/2004 06:55:01 AM
Part of the answer to the ??landlord?? question is in Cagatucci's notes for the film:
Historical Background:  Long’er’s execution was probably part of the Chinese Communist Party's [CCP] early purge of the landlord class, which reached its height in 1950-51.  The peasant and working class was revered in Mao Zedung’s new China; land, wealth, and food were redistributed more equitably; and people of humble origins like Chunsheng, who would become the new “district chief,” rose to places of prominence.  
(http://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/hum210/coursepack/ToLive2.htm )
Another way to locate the 'landlord' class might be in Skinner's Onion: they were the minor gentry, many of whom lived by renting land to poorer peasants. A matter of redistributing land. Take a look at Luo Ning's flashback to see the typology "Black Five"/"Red Five".
More via this Google search...
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AUTHOR: robert
TITLE: To Live or to die
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DATE: 10/20/2004 11:22:39 AM
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As it were, I have actually seen <u>To Live</u> in a class I took in high school called Global Issues.  We were studying the highs and lows in Chinese political history.  The film is interesting because you get to see the change in society over the decades past the 1950's.  With each passing decade one can see a depletion of the social and cultural delicacies that gave Chinese history its unique undertone.  There is also what appears to be a strong bias against the emergence of socialist China.  This is shown in the aforementioned comment about the change from beautiful flourishing Chinese culture, to broken down shanty-town culture of socialist China.  Socialism also weighs on the morale of those who succumbed to its presence.  Not having any true personal passions, the Chinese were forced to adopt the passions of a leader who was mired in his own notions of a socialist, eutopian China.  When there is no room to please yourself, what more is there to live for?  How many of the Chinese citizens really bought into the Great Leap Forward?  And how many people died as a result of the Reds coming into power?  A socialist society would value all lives of its citizens equally, therefore, what was the policy of the socialists under Mao toward dissenters?  At what true cost did China adopt socialist ideals under Mao?

On a side note, I know that Ma Jong is a very popular game to gamble on in Asia. The establishment where Fugui gambled was an interesting place.  It appeared to cater to wealthy males who seek to distance themselves from their normal everyday lives.  The presence of women in the establishment seemed awkward as they were probably brought along to show status.  I'm curious to know how the books work in the gambling hall so that they can give you credit on your word.  There were no safeguards to gambling away everything.  Where was Fugui getting all this money to gamble with?

--Bob
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AUTHOR: Ben
EMAIL: morrisd@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.68.19
URL: 
DATE: 10/22/2004 10:12:57 AM
I had the same thoughts on the gambling issue. One plausible explanation that I came up with as to why the house provided such readily available credit, was because as you said, that particular gambling house seemed to cater to upscale clients. Perhaps it was assumed that each man was honorable enough, and rich enough to honor any debt that he placed upon himself.  I doubt that a gambling house for the lower classes would have provided such easy credit.  The house also seemed to know each gambler by name, as did the servants who carried Fugui home each night. So perhaps credit was awarded to those who frequented the gambling house and who had established themselves as honorable. -Ben
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AUTHOR: valery
TITLE: The effects of Communism
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DATE: 10/20/2004 11:35:03 AM
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Both movies that we saw on Tuesday depict the rise of Communism in China. My country, Bulgaria, has also been under Communism at about the same period of time (1944-1989) and I could not help, but think that the situation in China and back home has been almost identical. People should realize that what we saw in both movies is very real and Communist types of propaganda have been very similar in many different parts of the world. In Bulgaria we used to have the exact same manifestations, carrying red flags and singing communist songs. Our Labor day was pronounced the greatest holiday in the country, even greater than our Independence day. Christmas was not celebrateted at all and believe me we are a Christian country. The anti-propaganda of foreign western influence was so strong that nobody would show or read any western movies or literature. Just like in China we had artificially-created national heros, people who had passed away and the government had exaggerated thier love of labor, their fight against the western culture, and their fanatic obedience to the leaders of the BCP (we had a Bulgarian Communist Party, just like the CCP in China). Kids would read about those people in school as soon as they were able to read at all. At the same time, the whole country was ruled by fear and repression, even religion was somehow banned because it still propagates some form of individualism. What many people don't know is that there were concentration camps in many communist countries, I bet China had them too. Those camps had nothing to do with the Holocaust or Nazi Germany, they were for poeple who would rise against the party. We had them in Bulgaria, but nobody ever talked about it because everybody was scared. People would just disappear and the government would seize their property. You could be sent to a camp immediately if your words or actions were interpreted as anti- party and pro- western. As incredible as it may sound, people would go to concentration camps for TELLING jokes about party leaders, not publishing or discussing them in front of a crowd, but just telling jokes among friends.
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AUTHOR: kristin
EMAIL: collinsa@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.161.35
URL: 
DATE: 10/21/2004 06:30:25 PM
Wow, that is unimaginable. Everything must have been incredibly censored. Were people sent away for talking about their daily stuggles? Or was that too condemned as speaking against the goverment and its officials?

Kristin
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: valery
EMAIL: yankovv@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.161.48
URL: 
DATE: 10/21/2004 09:25:47 PM
Actually, yes. Expressing any kind of negativity or disapproval of the government was concidered a form of pro-capitalist propaganda. Some people were being turned in by their own relatives and friends. That's why most people didn't really talk any politics at all, everybody was just scared.
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AUTHOR: john
TITLE: "To Live"
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DATE: 10/20/2004 01:41:24 PM
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Both movies, "To Live" and "Morning Sun" taught me a lot about the rise of communism in China as well as the support harnessed by Mao during his rise. I did feel that the movies were somewhat different in their views on the Red Party.  For instance, in "To Live" it seems that there was plenty of food and the Chinese embraced the community kitchens while "Morning Sun" discribed communism in China as a terrible institution where anyone could disappear.  Along this line, I felt that "To Live" tried to do this, but by choosing Long'er, who I came to see as a bad person, I no longer saw the evil in the party.  Instead, I felt that Long'er had finally been punished for being a calous individual early in the movie and throughout his life (as I presume based on his character).  

I do believe that to live showed the fear that the Communist Party instilled on its people but why was Fugui not scared to attack the Head of his District.  I realize that his son had just been killed by this man but weren't Fugui's actions still against the Party.  I know that in Nazi Germany that officers were carefully watched and sympathy to Jews was seen as punishable offense no matter the situation.  While this isn't Nazi Germany, the Communists were always watching for traitors and thus why was the District Head's sympathy to someone cursing a Party Official allowed.  Before this, Fugui is very careful to be a loyal member of the party and even scolds his son in public to show his loyalty. 

"Morning Sun" really helped me to understand "To Live."  It was interesting to see how traitors to the party were quickly purged and how others voiced their opinion through fake names.  I wonder what sorts of checks the party had on its people and how it controlled those with different views.  Like Valery, I assume that concentration camps of some short were set up as they were in both Germany and United States during WWII.  

As far as I can tell, the Communist Party seemed to be efficient but I would like to know how its officials such as town leaders and District Heads were chosen.  Why was a man like Long'er not chosen as a leader and instead put to death.  i know he opposed the party but was his opostion simply a plot by the party to purge the landlord class?
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AUTHOR: carlos
EMAIL: spahtc@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.12
URL: 
DATE: 10/20/2004 09:52:40 PM
John, your point is well taken, but the Germans were fascists, not Communists.  Still, Stalin did purge his party for similar offenses and I too was shocked by Fungui's behavior.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Pierce
EMAIL: owingsj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.164.189
URL: 
DATE: 10/21/2004 07:38:00 PM
After watching the second half of both movies, I gather that Mao's motive was not necessarily to purge the landlord class but to gain complete control.  Looking at the footage in Morning Sun of Mao looking out over the sea of people, its evident that he has convinced him that he is the way.  Further, the marriage in To Live was almost laughable because of the number of references to Communism and its glorious promise.  Long'er's refusal to give up part of his house indicates that he possesses the will power to stand up to the government, and history shows that revolutionaries are afraid of nothing more than counterrevolutionaries.  The suspiciousness of the revolutionaries suggests their insecurity and need for total control.  When Long'er burned his house down, he showed a resistance to authority, and so the Chinese Communist government decided to make an example out of him.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: john
EMAIL: bakerj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.166.2
URL: 
DATE: 10/21/2004 09:13:29 PM
Carlos,
  I apologize for my slip and will never let it happen again.  Thank you for correcting such an inexcusable error...I am temporarily shamed.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Matt Kaufmann
EMAIL: Kaufmannm@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.68.128
URL: 
DATE: 10/25/2004 08:29:04 PM
I think they probably put Long'er to death because he refused to let the communists have access to part of his property. But the real threat seems to be of having any property, or any visible advantage, for that matter. Remember the scene after Long'er's execution where the protagonist is talking with his wife in soft voices to make sure they would no longer be considered part of the landlord class.
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AUTHOR: emily
TITLE: 
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DATE: 10/20/2004 09:00:47 PM
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In "To Live", I pick up on a strong dissonance b/w the mother and the father already. The father is hardcore for the revolution and being a good communist, but the mother still seems to 'rebel' a little. She is not willing to risk her children's health etc. for the revolution.  I'm actually a little nervous to see what happens, if someone should find out how she is not completely committed. Also while Fugui was in the army, he said "i want to live. there is nothing more important than family" or something along those lines. i'm curious to see if that line comes back into play anytime, if he makes some huge sacrifice for his daughter or wife. 

In the documentary "Morning Sun", there was a lot more discussion of people beginning to question communist thought and teachings. In "To Live", that topic has not been addressed; people at that time simply seem to accept it more or less. and I am unsure as to whether it will be discussed. How the direct chooses to present it in "to live" should be interesting. 
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AUTHOR: Leah
EMAIL: heronl@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.20.30
URL: 
DATE: 10/21/2004 08:57:08 PM
I thought that the mother was pretty dedicated to the revolution, but i definitely agree that she was not nearly as hardcore as Fugui. I also thought it was funny that when they were talking about Fengxia being pregnant Jiazen brought up the whole thing about Fugui not being there while the kids were growing up, thus tying in the "nothing is more important than family" quote.I remember how all Jiazen ever wanted was a quiet family life, but she never got it because terrible things kept happening to them. Maybe if she was more rebellious they could have moved out to the country or something and then they're kids would still be alive and she could finally be happy. You commented on whether or not Fugui would make a huge sacrifice for his wife or his daughter, but wouldn't you agree that it seemed they were making all the sacrifices for him? Just a thought.
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AUTHOR: joe
TITLE: "To Live"
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DATE: 10/20/2004 09:32:59 PM
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I was quite impressed by the documentary about the cultural revolution in china.  It is fascinating seeing how they described how such an independant, revolutionary thinker, and highly well rounded individual spawned a society which shunned this type of behavior in any form.  The fictional video "To Live" showed a couple torn between conformity and standing for the most fundamental human right- family life.  

What i was not clear on was what conditions were like to spur such a radical revolution.  Were conditions in prerevolutionary china dismal, were people less happy?  Or did they simply catch the revolutionary fever was so popular since the bolshevik revolution.
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AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL: caspanim@wlu.edu
IP: 67.20.52.191
URL: 
DATE: 10/21/2004 09:52:23 PM
According to this website I found, it seems as though the Nationalist goverment which ruled China before the Communists took control failed to be able to take care of their country; their corruption-filled government grew weaker by the day and failed to lead a country (http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/special_report/1999/09/99/china_50/guomindang.htm).  

This website gives a readable, somewhat brief description of the govermental transition from nationalism to communism, as well as events following the revolution.

Michael
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AUTHOR: Valery
EMAIL: yankovv@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.161.48
URL: 
DATE: 10/21/2004 10:06:18 PM
What actually happened in China and in most communist countries in Eastern Europe was a result of the appeal of the communist idea. Pre-communist chinese society was very strongly divided in classes, where peasants and servants represented the greater part of the population. Just like in most Eastern European countries those people lived in extreme poverty and were heavily exploited by the landlord class. When the communist idea of ultimate equality and elimination of class division was introduced and assimilated by the masses, it actually gave people hope. For the opressed equality meant that they would no longer struggle with poverty and everybody would share everything. For an individual who has never owned anything in his life, sharing actually seems a pretty good idea. Since in all of those countries peasants represented the greatest part of the population, communism was concidered a form of liberation and it ultimately conveyed the idea that through a people's revolution, like the one in Russia, poverty and struggle will stop and everybody will be equal.  
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AUTHOR: kathleen
TITLE: To Live and Morning Sun
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DATE: 10/20/2004 09:49:06 PM
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I thought “To Live” did an excellent job of showing the terror wrought by the communist movement to every day people.  It made it clear that anyone could be a scapegoat, that a person could be deemed an enemy of the party even by the way in which their children behave.  The one thing I could not completely figure out was whether Fengui stood in favor of the communist party.  While his actions and the title of the movie suggest, Fengui acts out of self-preservation and for the preservation of his family, however the story about the chick and communism implies at least to me that Fengui actually believes in it.  I suppose when we watch the next part of the movie, this will be answered, or we will see how they have altered.

What struck me most about the documentary was the way support of the political party was transformed into a sort of religious fervor.  Mao Zedong was clearly an iconic figure and the way the interviewees spoke of the importance of his book and his teachings.  Jesus could be deemed as a revolutionary figure and the supporters of Mao seemed to view him in the same light.  Mao and the coup of the liberation army took on mythic proportions as they recounted the tale in the East is Red performance.  Their description of the chaos in the time before Mao and the “utopia” after wards struck me as being similar to a creation myth.  The communist propaganda nearly deified Mao, adding a sort of religious right to the whole movement, though based around the political movement.

I suppose my main question concerning communism in China at this time is how they dealt with religion.  I assume that they did not advocate religious worship, but I would like to know how they sanctioned the practice of different religions, or if they did at all.  Maybe because they wanted to promote Maoism.

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AUTHOR: carlos
TITLE: "To Live" and "Morning Sun"
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DATE: 10/20/2004 09:49:57 PM
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I found both of the movies we watched on Tuesday interesting and informative.  I thought the cultural aspects of "To Live" were very interesting, particularly the interest in the puppet shows.  I also thought it was interesting to see the way the common people became almost immediately attached to Communism.  The protagonists' entire family seems to believe that Communism will solve their problems if there adhere to its principles.  While the mother may not be willing to risk her children’s health for the state, it does not appear that this is because she does not believe Communism is the correct path for China.  I also found it very interesting that there was very little depiction of the harshness commonly associated with Communism.  As a student of history, I tend of think of Communism as a system in which the often astounding gains of society are completely negated by the poor lifestyle of its citizens.  I think of the Gulag, families starving and working non-stop, and party purges conducted because one weak link means a failure of the entire system.  The biggest problem for this family seems to be that the children are tired.  They seem to be well fed, and rather than being shipped off to work in some factory, the father gets to entertain people with puppets.  This doesn't compare to the pains I associate with Communism.  My question is whether we have not reached that part in the film yet, or, if violence and terror never show up, whether this film is an accurate depiction.  

I thought that "Morning Sun" was much more in line with the Communism I've learned about.  The depiction of an apparently flawless leader who is constantly exalted reminds me very much of Lenin and Stalin, who were revered above all in Soviet society.  I also thought it interesting that the interviewees admitted to buying in to this propaganda during the time of its appearance.  It will be interesting to see whether this propaganda shows up in "To Live".

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AUTHOR: kristin
EMAIL: collinsa@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.161.35
URL: 
DATE: 10/21/2004 06:26:06 PM
Carlos-

I had a similar understanding of the implications of communism. The Chinese, throughout the massive political upheaval, were not so complacent as the film "To Live" seemed to suggest. What I have learned parallels the second movie, "Morning Sun." The vibrant colors and dramatic movements in the play, shown intermittenly, show the constant political, social, and ecomonic turmoil. Furthermore, I also found it interesting that the interviewees admitted to succumbing to the propaganda that plagued this time period.

Kristin
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: John Baker
EMAIL: bakerj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.166.2
URL: 
DATE: 10/21/2004 09:21:20 PM
Carlos,
  As a history major myself, I tend to associate everything that you have mentioned with communism.  I was also very disappointed that "To Live" depicts this form of government as such a wonderful system when "Morning Sun" clearly shows that it wasn't.  It is interesting to see how propaganda controlled the Chinese during Mao's rule.  After seeing all of "To Live," I still believe that the director and writer were too sympathetic to communism as an institution.  Throughout the movie, Fugui and his family believe in the system even when the system is failing.  When Nui is accused of being a Capitalist, they tell him to believe in the system and Nui, himself, continues to speak well of the government when his life is at risk.  Overall, I felt that "Morning Sun" depicted communism in China as I would imagine it while "To Live" was to sympathetic to the novel idea which is communism.
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AUTHOR: caspanim
TITLE: Movies on Communism in China
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DATE: 10/20/2004 10:11:13 PM
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I thoroughly enjoyed viewing the two movies on Tuesday because together, they provided differing points of view on the controversial topic of Communism.  

"To Live" showed a family's struggle with life's obstacles, the introduction of Communist society being one of those obstacles.  While trying to adhere to the Communist doctrine, they were forced to examine their own personal values.  I enjoyed watching the two parents' contrasting reactions to the government that was introduced to them.  Fugui's gung-ho attitude towards the revolution was inspiring to the community.  He did his best to meet the expectations of Communist leaders and expected his family to do the same.  Fugui loved his family, but it was not shown as much as his wife's love for the family.  Although she "played along" with the new Communist regime, she seemed to hold her family above all else; at least, that was more apparent with her than with her husband.  I liked how only when bad things happened to Fugui, i.e. his son ironically being killed by a Communist officer, his behavior implied that he really did hold his family above all else as well.  

But I digress.  I truly liked Yimou's portrayal of Communism.  I feel he did a good job of showing it as neither an extremely negative thing nor as an extremely positive one; he showed that although Communism can result in mishaps and unfortunate incidents, it can still result in a fairly happy, content, and successful community (just to clarify I am not supporting Communism, I'm just trying to be fair).

Just a note: Yimou's use of irony in "To Live" is exceptional.  He truly keeps the audience on the edge of their seats and provides constant surprise and entertainment.

The second film we viewed, "Morning Sun," showed some of the more oppressive and brutal aspects of Communism.  It was interesting to watch "Morning Sun" immediately after "To Live" because while "To Live" showed the effects of Communism through the eyes of family (a microcosm for Chinese society), "Morning Sun," I feel, explained Communism more by presenting it through an overview of the entire movement and its broader effects on society as a whole.

I would, however, like to get a better idea of how Chinese people, as a whole, TRULY feel about Communism.  Like John Baker, I would also like to know how the officials are selected, primarily the "cadres."

Till Thursday....

Michael
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AUTHOR: clint
TITLE: Movies in communist China
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DATE: 10/20/2004 10:35:06 PM
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I thought so far that the two movies are portraying a grand image of Communism.  I am curious about how To Live will end up because right now it has started to make Maoism look bad with the death of the main character's son.  Another thing i found very interesting was the portrayal of women in the movie.  I thought that China had pretty low standards of how to treat women.  With the way Fugui's wife treats him, you would think that in a country like China Fugui  would simply beat his wife.  And with the main character's wishy washyness, about how he serves whoever will keep him alive, you would think China would have a big problem with this movie because of the social implications.  As for the documentary on The East is Red, i found it very similar to the way the United States had propaganda videos in the school system about the World War and sex.  I was wondering what type of censorship China has now considering it is moving towards a more capitalistic society?
Clint
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AUTHOR: John Baker
EMAIL: bakerj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.166.2
URL: 
DATE: 10/21/2004 09:27:49 PM
Clint, 
 I also feel that "To Live" is very sympathetic to communism and would have liked to see the movie take a different turn.  I am most disappointed with how the movie handled the death of Fugui's son.  While it made communism look bad for a minute, I feel that the fact that his son hadn't slept for 3 days because he was working was greatly overshadowed.  I felt that it did a better job in the second half by showing that no one was safe from the government but at the same time, everyone accussed stayed loyal to the party.  I was also surprised with the amount of input Fugui's wife had throughout the movie.  I assumed that Chinese women were looked down upon when the movie made them look equal.  I feel the best thing that "To Live" did to show communism in a poor light was to show how poor hospitals were run due to the party and its accusations.  This scene showed that communism had its problems and these problems were not minor.
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AUTHOR: kathleen
EMAIL: stoecklek@wlu.edu
IP: 24.51.107.133
URL: 
DATE: 10/22/2004 03:01:44 PM
I was also very interested in the way in which women were depicted in both the movie and in the documentary.  While the women were certainly seen as deferential to their husbands, I was suprised at just how involved they were in the movement as soldiers, enforcers, and even in the documentary as politicians.  I think part of that was brave little soldier fighting for Mao proganda, even the women fighting and everyone doing their part as with the East is Red production, but with the interviews etc, that is not just the case.  It is still a very interesting change from the typical roles women played in society and I'd be interested to see if this is a result of times changing in general or purely the socialism/communism that Mao preached.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Tim Blair
EMAIL: blairt@wlu.edu
IP: 69.69.251.175
URL: 
DATE: 10/24/2004 05:52:44 PM
Clint,
As I did some research on my own I discovered that through the ideology of communism the theory is that both women and men should be equal in society.  This is purely the ideology of communism that all are equal, but it is not what transpired with the introduction of communism in China in 1949.  In fact, women were oppressed as they had been throughout the history of China and still remain oppressed in present day China.  One of the main ways of controlling the female population was infanticide, in which female babies were killed.  This action was considered to be socially acceptable up until the 19th centruy and still exists throughout very remote areas of China today.  Another socially acceptable practice was foot-binding in which women's feet would be bound together at a young age in order to achieve the desired lady like feet.  The interesting thing about the oppression of women in China is that they are considered the head of the household in traditional Chinese society, as China is a matriarchal society.  In "To Live", we see a women who is slightly oppressed.  We do not see infanticide as the couple has a female child.  Also, we see no indication of foot-binding in this film.  Overall, the rights of women in communist China have made progress from some of the barbarian socially acceptable practices that dominated Chinese society throughout much of the 19th century.

--Tim
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AUTHOR: collinsa
TITLE: Communism in China
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DATE: 10/20/2004 11:33:23 PM
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While both movies portrayed a differing view of communism, the second film we viewed definitely parelleled my understanding of the political situation in China during the 1940's. "Morning Sun," although in the form of a play, showed the harsh conditions - deprivation, controversy, and struggle all inherent in the culture. Idyllic as communsim may have seemed, acheiving it proved a feat. The flashy colors and quick movements in the play show it was no easy road: there was much politicial, economic and social strife. 

The first movie, "To Live," was quite different in the manner it approached life throughout the upheaval. The film begins with Fugui going about daily life casually, gambling away what remained of the family fortune and estate. Although not economically carefree, life did not seem wraught with political discontent. As the movie progressed, Fugui does experience some hardship; he is interrupted mid-performance and taken to fight. After observing a battlefield overwhelmed with wounded and dead war victims, he falls asleep to their cries as they freeze to death. Here we definitely see the brutality of fighting against the oppostion; however, Fugui and his friend did not appear to be phased by the depressing war-like atmosphere. Once captured, Fugui soon let free to return to his family. At home, the children were in good health (minus the daughter's inability to sleep); the main problem was that they were overworked and in great need of sleep, especially the children. Fugui, his wife, and kids, like other families, are more than willing to help out the community: not only do they give whatever necessary of their minimal belongings, but they also feed one another. Instead of a period of intense political unrest, it appeared to be a period of ecomonic instabilty (which they consquently handled quite well).  An exception, of course, is Long'er's execution, but that was just a brief scene that quickly transitioned into scenes of teamwork and the importance of family life. 

Granted the second movie was far more entertaining, in my opinion, I am not sure how accurate its portrayal of the communist regime remains. I guess my question about the film relates to gender roles in China at that time in history. "To Live" suggested that both men and women worked long hours, making comparable contributions to the family and the community. Did gender roles still persist while communism was taking over? Or was there so much polticial, economic, and social unrest that sex had no significant influence on occupation?

Kristin 
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AUTHOR: Shari
EMAIL: boyces@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.15.7
URL: 
DATE: 10/22/2004 07:39:56 AM
Like you, I raised the same question about gender roles in Communist China, especially the status of women.  I found it very interesting that Jaizhen was very independent and outspoken, incomparison to her husband who seemed more willing to follow the rules.  Before watching the movie and documentary, I was led to believe that women in China were subservient and supposed to obey their husbands (or any male figure).  It appears as if sex "had no significant influence" during the revolution.  As I watched the movie, I was surprised to see Jaizhen working hard like her husband, and young girls as the doctors and  refered to as "comrade".  And I was surprised to see in the documentary young women helping to punish people who were accused of opposing the revolution.  Females seemed to be doing similar things like the men.  I want to know exactly how women were treated and their status/role in the Chinese society, especially during the revolution.
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AUTHOR: ted
TITLE: "Transformation"
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DATE: 10/21/2004 12:09:37 AM
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The movie "To Live" gives us an interesting perspective on a typical and unsuspecting family in the midst of a cultural, social, and political transformation.  The story is centered around this family and the man/husband especially.  He struggles with a gambling addiction that costs him his estate, the death of his father, and his wife and kids who leave briefly and return.  Just when he turns his life around and becomes a puppeteer to earn ends meat, he is abducted and forced to join the liberation army and is separated from his family for some time.  When he finally returns home, he finds his neighborhood "transformed".  Suddenly people who were on top in the society are now on the bottom.  The man, who knows now twice, what it feels like to lose his family tries to adapt to the new values and standards in the communist regime.  However, it seems as if his judgment is consistently wrong and leads to tragedy.  Because of everything the man has been through, he believes, "family is the most important thing".  But the introduction of communism often makes him choose between being politically adroit or hruting his family.  Since we haven't finshed the movie, my suspicion is that one of the themes is that communism has a negative impact on family life, and individual life in general.  His wife and his son especially, are depicted as free thinkers.  This is incompatible with a communist totalitarian regime. ie. his son is dead. 
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AUTHOR: julianne
EMAIL: shelleyj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.68.131
URL: 
DATE: 10/22/2004 01:20:46 PM
I agree and I also thing these communist problems were evident before things began to get out of control.  I agree that "To Live" depicted the family’s strive to make it through the changes, even the difficult problems brought about by communism.  The problems evident in the first half of the film, I think, revolved around problems in the communal nature of life.  When Youqing dumped the bowl of food on the boy’s head the community reaction was symbolic of their reaction to communal living. It was a good idea, but it is difficult to employ. People may accept the idea that things will be great if they do an share everything, but when it comes down to it not everyone will get along and not everyone will want to share everything they have.  Throughout the film family was pictured as the most powerful element.  They made it through many tragedies and political situations ultimately saying that communism isn't necessarily as great as they had initially hoped.
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AUTHOR: leah
TITLE: To Live
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DATE: 10/21/2004 01:54:48 AM
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The movie <i>To Live</i> gave great insight to the plight of a family during the "revolution" and "liberation" of China. The thing that never ceases to amaze me about communist countries is how easily people are persuaded and convinced that it's the right way. Even when the families went from being landlords to peasants and had nothing, they still thought that communism was a good idea. Granted, the idea of communism is good and Mao Zedong's intentions started out nobly, but there has to be a point where someone thinks that something isn't right. I suppose that when all one knows is domination (because in Chinese history there was always an emperor or king), the hope of equality and no class structure is a blessing. 

The thing that still confuses me is how the idea of communism evolved into the near totalitarianism it's infamous for. I guess that growing up in our society makes it difficult to even begin to understand or grasp the concept of a society like that.
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AUTHOR: Ted Archer
EMAIL: archert@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.15.7
URL: 
DATE: 10/22/2004 01:32:21 AM
I asked myself similar questions during "to live".  Why is it that everyone is persuaded so easily to communism? First thing that came to mind is that this is just a film interpretation/representation of reality.  I think the movie exaggerated the level of happiness and enthusiasm for communism.  Although, "morning sun" did allowed us to get a glimpse of how fervent revolutionary zeal was. The second thing that I thought of is that totalitarian regimes usually play on the weaknesses and insecutities of the people. The Communist persuaded people because it made everyone feel important and gave them a sense that they were a part of something bigger, larger, than they had ever thought. You're right, it is as an outsider capitalist/American, hard to understand the psychology around why landlords were suddenly content with a fraction of the land and assets they once had during the previous regime, communism had to have changed their fundamental beliefs significantly.  We know that because they traded in their bibles and temple scrolls for red books filled with stuff that Mao said.  Lastly, i think the natural course of communism is to become a totalitarian regime due to the fact that you have a group of people who make decisions for a whole society.  
Holla   
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DATE: 10/21/2004 01:59:14 AM
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I had no idea how widespread a change occured due to Communism in China. I think the documentary showed more about the Revolution than did the movie, but I thought it was a believable portrayal of how the Revolution hit one community. From what I undertstand, though, China is quite the large country. How did Mao execute such a huuuuge revolution? <b>Was the situation in China pre-Comunism really as bad as they made it seem in the Morning Sun play?</b> Is there any proof that Mao's Revolution was necessary(?)...because hte documentary showed that I wa not too beneficial. Because to me it looked like Communism didn't make anything too much better, except for the higher-ups. I guess this is the type of thing that happens all the time in governments, that people follow something and someone who is not necessarily good for them. I know Mao is almost worshipped in alot of China, but it seemed in the movie that Fugui's family was as downtrodden during the Revolution as they were after they lost their estate. The townspeople in Houzhe seemed just as poor and overworked after the Revolution, they were just doing so revolutionarily.
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AUTHOR: clint
EMAIL: irvinj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.63.18
URL: 
DATE: 10/21/2004 10:06:16 PM
The pre-revolutionary time in China was with a few extremely rich and many poor.  Thats why so many bought into the idea of Maoism.  Even though, as we see in the movie, nothing really changed except different people got rich, there was the hope that everyone would be equal.  Thats why tne people supported it.  It is interesting today to still see people who are devout followers of Maoism.  In nepal right now, the entire rebel force opposing the king consider themselves Maoist even though they do not follow all of his teachings.  I think its interesting that people will claim Maoistic thought, yet still take over schools in an attempt to brain wash children into becoming communists.
Clint
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AUTHOR: Emily
EMAIL: sbernae@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.20.148
URL: 
DATE: 10/21/2004 10:43:43 PM
I also wonder if pre-Communism China was that dramatically bad as to make a revolution "necessary." After Fugui lost his family home to gambling, they obviously moved to a much smaller place. But when he came back from fighting, his daughter and wife seemed to be in the same condition as when he left. And it never seemed to improve; I mean the daughter died due to inadequate healthcare. 
I think that their first exposure to communism might have been a negative one. immediately, Long'er (or the guy who took their house) is executed for being a so-called counter-revolutionist (or whatever). could the family have simply followed communism out of fear? it never seemed to me that they were 100% for the revoltion. and i know that in communist russia fear was a huge reason for people to denounce others, simple to point the finger of blame away from themselves. 

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DATE: 10/21/2004 08:00:14 AM
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I really enjoyed the movie<i>To Live</i>.  I think it is interesting to look at communism from one person or family's experience because it helps you to grasp how the changes actually effect people instead of society at large.  One thing that seeing the films together made me wonder was how large the difference in true belief seemed from one generation to the next.  The generation after revolution saw communism much differently than those who lived through it because of propaganda.  It seemed that in <i>To Live</i> many people fell into support by chance and didnt really believe the ideal so much.... they were just trying to survive and protect their families.  I wonder what pecentage of the first communists who experienced the revolution actually believed in its ideals.
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AUTHOR: carlos
EMAIL: spahtc@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.125
URL: 
DATE: 10/21/2004 09:39:26 PM
I would guess, and this is nothing more than an educated guess based on my knowledge of other Communist societies and the movies, that at the beginning a pretty good number believed in the revolutionary ideals because it appealed to the vast majority of the population (the working class).  But, as time went on, I think even these people realized that Communism was not the solution to their problems.
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AUTHOR: Dan McMenamin
EMAIL: mcmenamind@wlu.edu
IP: 67.23.156.15
URL: 
DATE: 10/22/2004 02:54:51 PM
Plus, people tend to support somewhat popular revolutions because they are just that: popular.  It is always fun to join the bandwagon, especially when it involves breaking stuff and killing people for no reason at all.  I think that for this reason, and the idealist lies that the people were so aptly listening to, they were pretty into the party message.  Only after years of rampant violence and ambiguous party doctrine do people have some idea that they are being used on the whims of the leaders.
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AUTHOR: Bob Bitterman
EMAIL: bittermanr@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.62.16
URL: 
DATE: 10/22/2004 03:05:58 PM
I would like to think that a large percentage of those who took on the ideals of socialism in China only did so because they had to conform so as to not look like a reactionary or an enemy to the cause.  One thing is true about socialism, and it is that if everyone is not in support of the system its efficacy will never be reached or realized.  In "Morning Sun" some members of the Red Guard who went on the long marches traversing the country said that even though socialism had been in place for a long time now, there were still large amounts of poor people who were not seeing any of the benefits that are supposed to accompany socialist life.  The standard of living for the poor was supposed to improve significantly and this makes it easy to see why the large amounts of poor people would want to conform to the socialist maxim.  What is a converted socialist society supposed to think when there are no returns to their investment in socialism?  This is why, historically, socialism has never prospered.

--Bobby
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AUTHOR: shari
TITLE: "To Live" and "Morning Sun"
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DATE: 10/21/2004 08:12:35 AM
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I found both the movie and the documentary very interesting and informative.  Not only did the documentary show how there was a political and social change, but it was similar to what I have learned in the past about communism and China.  The movie allowed me to see how the change and communism affected the people - how their lives changed either for the good or bad.  

Fugui looses all his money, his home, and his family, but slowly gains it back through hard work.  When he has to actually work just to keep food on the table and help take care of his family, he appreciates his life and the little that he has even more.  I find it interesting that between Fugui and his wife, Jaizhen, it is Fugui who aims to be very obedient and follow the new rules, while it's his wife who seems a little bit of a "rebel".  She is very independent and always speaks her mind probably due to the fact she had to make a living for herself and her children without the help from a man.  The son seemed to also be a little "rebel", while the daughter is forced to just listen, smile, and be obedient due to her inability to talk. She represents exactly what Mao wanted - the people to be voiceless...without an opinion.   

Now since the son has died, I wonder if Fuing will change his views about the revolution....or will the wife's independent thinking and her strong opinions cause problems for the family.  

I also want to know more about how women were treated and their status during the revolution.  I thought that they were very subservient and obedient, but the movie portrays Jaizhen to be very independent and opinionated. 
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AUTHOR: Megan
EMAIL: brooksm@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.161.130
URL: 
DATE: 10/22/2004 12:09:36 AM
I also found Jaizhen's portrayal very interesting.  She has a tremendous strength of will which I was not expecting.  With regards to the daughter... I'm not sure Mao wanted people to be voiceless.  I think he probably wanted an opinion from everyone just as long as that opinion conformed to his in every possible way.  A population with no voice would not lend much power to his revolution, but a population with one unified voice gave it the power to change the social system.  
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AUTHOR: Letisha
EMAIL: Kearneylm@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.41.127
URL: 
DATE: 10/22/2004 06:26:33 AM
I think the point about Fengxia being a perfect citizen of Mao is pretty interesting.  And I think that further, she could be an analogy for Communist China under Mao since, appropriately enough, she bleeds to death due to the lack of experienced aid and because she doesn't have a voice with which to cry out something is wrong.  When everything seems good she can smile at her mother but when the life is dripping away from her all she can do is gasp and stare at the ceiling.  In a lot of ways she was a good citizen of Mao (and she couldn't have been a citizen of the president since everyone knows he doesn't like deaf-mutes) and seemed pretty dedicated to his cause.  Yet, she was still a causality of his "revolutionary thought". 
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AUTHOR: Arielle
EMAIL: grimmcnallya@wlu.edu
IP: 67.20.52.32
URL: 
DATE: 10/25/2004 06:55:19 PM
Your description of the daughter (in To Live) as "obendient" and representative of "what Mao wanted" the society as a whole to be.  I definitely agree with that perspective, but also wonder if the daughter's passive nature and her disability was in anyway more specifically related to how women were supposed to be.  It may be that I am overanalyzing this, but I have noticed that with many Asian cultures women are told (by society) that they must be "seen but not heard" and thought there may be a connection between this and the daughter's persona.
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AUTHOR: letisha
TITLE: Happy Shining Faces
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DATE: 10/21/2004 09:02:35 AM
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One of the things I thought was really interesting about the movie To Live was that, while it hasn't exactly sung praises about Communist China, it still seems to show the lives of those living during this time more positively than other movies from china that I have seen about this time.  Usually in movies such as Sent Down Girl and The Blue Kite there was a looot more corruption in the officals.  For instance, I'm used to seeing the town leader more as a sellout who uses his own power for his own gain.  And who tends to be more suspicious and everything.  Also, while Fugui and his wife are rather cautious about putting forward a very good face so they don't get accused of being counterrevolutioninaires, they seem to have less reason for fear than I'm used to seeing as well.  Fugui seems like a real jerk who is just trying to look good when he forces his son to go to work, while in any other movie, the fact that they might actually get accused of something pretty bad by not making their son work like every other son in town would have been a bit more obvious.  The town leader seems to be a really nice guy, and the communism in the movie seems to be, if not really efficient at all, very good for group togetherness and a sense of community.  Everyone is working together and laughing and while they are overworked, there does seem to be more of a feeling of everyone working for one cause than you usually get in capitalism or even in other movies about communist china.  I wonder if, since this movie was pretty stringently  edited by the Chinese government if they made sure that the director wasn't toooo negative about the whole thing or if, in the second half of the movie, I'll see the communist china I'm more used to seeing.
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AUTHOR: joe
EMAIL: coochj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.161.130
URL: 
DATE: 10/21/2004 06:22:17 PM
I think in the second half of "to Live" we definetly see some of the major problems of communist china that you felt were lacking in the first half.  We witness some of the most faithful communist leaders being accused of being reactionaries.  Also, the punishment of pretty much anyone who is educated, or even elderly, such as the Doctor.  We see the hospital in terrible shape because all of the doctors and professors were punished for being intellectuals.  The conformity required by the chinese government pretty much created a standstill in progress.  From the scene in the hospital, i was certainly under the impression that they meant it as just one example of this type of problem, and that it was far reaching across all types of institutions.
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AUTHOR: ben
TITLE: "To Live" and "Morning Sun"
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/21/2004 09:05:45 PM
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I found both “To Live” and “Morning Sun” interesting, and watching them both in tandem was very helpful in that it provided us with an easy method to contrast the two different movies and their respective messages. In addition to the contrasting movies, I thought that organizing the movie by time frames (each time frame = 1 decade)  corresponding to different plots and stages in the life of Fugui and his family was a nice touch and helped to keep the events in Fugui’s life cleanly associated with a historical time frame. On a different note, I found Fugui’s need to assure his neighbors of his political likeness put his family in a sad state. When his son dumps food on the head of his sister’s tormentor, the bully’s father accuses him of what amounts to a crime against the state.  That scene reminded me of a sort of reverse McCarthy trial. In contrast to the US McCarthy Trials where citizens were accused of being communists, this scene portrayed Fugui as being a non-communist, and resulted in the beating of Youquing, to prove his loyalty to communism. This scene also leads me to wonder if that was all it would take, the flimsy accusations of another, to put Fugui in trouble with the party? -Ben
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AUTHOR: carlos
EMAIL: spahtc@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.125
URL: 
DATE: 10/21/2004 09:34:42 PM
I had the same type of question going into today.  In other Communist societies, it seemed like terror was an essential element of party control.  From what we saw in the films today, it seems like there was certainly terror, but that it was much less organized and not specifically targeted against anyone.  The documentary made it seem like the Communist party in China lost control to the Red Guard and that the Red Guard persecuted whoever their emotions led them to.  It seems to me that in all Communist societies, the state isn't really concerned with finding people who aren't loyal to the party but rather with scaring anyone who is into keeping their mouths shut.  In that way, the goverment can keep people from realizing how unhappy they all are.
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AUTHOR: dan
TITLE: Movies in Communist China
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DATE: 10/22/2004 01:55:33 PM
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Although I was not in class for the first half of the films "To Live" and "Morning Sun", I think the second half of each was more than powerful enough to leave me with some sort of impression or thought.  What really left me in awe was the zeal with which Wan and the other factory workers helped paint and improve Fugui's home, and just the general happiness of Wan in general.  This point was strengthened for me when the hospital scene ensued.  The pain that Fengxia undergoes is parallelled by the pain Wan and Fugui have when they see the failings of their communist system.  The hospital nurses do not have the skill to deliver a baby, and the only capable doctors have been jailed.  What puzzled me was what puzzles me whenever I am presented with some sort of Communist story.  How on Earth can people worship some leader who doesn't even do anything for them?  It would seem that these people just have such idealist views that it blinds them to any present discomfort.  What did surprise me was the sense of personal honor Fugui had when the soldier tried to pay him for the murder of his son.  This sense of honor seems to me like it would be lost in a society that preaches the group over the person.
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AUTHOR: alex
EMAIL: whiteab@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.18.124
URL: 
DATE: 10/22/2004 02:12:51 PM
about what you said about the death of Fugui's son:
I think that the reason that he had personal honor is that as individuals, the chinese didn't seem to understand or really internalize what was happening in the Revolution. Fugui and his family, obeyed the Revolution and participated, but never actually expressed any personal desire for the new society. They showed circumstantial fear of social consequences, but to me, that is natural in all human societies. I thin kwhat you wrote touches on the principles of obedience and conformity, and Mao did a good job of separate people's ideas from them and replacing them with his ideals. Deep down inside, as shown by Fugui, they were still human beings that valued family and personal honor and success, no matter how communist they acted.
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AUTHOR: arielle
TITLE: Film Reaction
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DATE: 10/25/2004 06:47:09 PM
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Overall, To Live, was an incredible film; it allowed me (as someone who cannot fully understand what Fugui and Jiazhen’s life was truly like) to somewhat comprehend just how brutal and emotionally taxing their lives were during this period.

One question that I had after watching the film: How did the government determine whether or not a person had acted out against them?  What constituted an act of “treason” and how severe does the act have to be before it was recognized as a crime?

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AUTHOR: robert
TITLE: Karaoke inquiry
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DATE: 10/27/2004 04:45:26 PM
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So, if you don't know already, my course project is on the emergence of Karaoke as a global phenomenon sparked from East Asian development of the passtime.  I was curious to know if anyone had any interest in Karaoke for entertainment and perhaps if you had any interesting stories you could share with me about perhaps being in Asia at a Karaoke bar or elseware in the world where you have made your presence felt behind the microphone.  So if you have the time or are interested, please leave me some comments to this posting and hopefully I can use them to extend my research and further develope my ideas as to how I should wrap-up my project.

Thanks

-  Bobby
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AUTHOR: owingsj
TITLE: What does blogging do for me?
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DATE: 10/27/2004 07:59:55 PM
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Oh, let me count the ways.  Blogging, as I said in class, provides a discussion without using up class time.  Additionally, its easier to remember what people say on a blog because you can reread it as much as you want.  You could even go back and add comments to people's blog from September as late as exam week.  Further, for a big class, blogging brings a since of cohesion and bonding.  By the end of the term, I bet everyone will have looked into and commented on each other's blogs.  
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 69.34.210.186
URL: 
DATE: 10/27/2004 09:26:01 PM
Yeah, I hope that's how it'll work, and even more I hope it will happen without specific assignments. I really want to believe in the medium as a means of improved communication among a group of people engaged in a common something. Speaking for myself, really, I have a vastly better idea of what y'all find interesting and significant than I've ever been able to have before, but I want MOOOOORE!
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AUTHOR: blackmer
TITLE: Pierce's Question
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DATE: 10/28/2004 10:57:23 AM
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In his <a href="http://stufs.wlu.edu/~owingsj/anth230/log.html">logfile entry for 27 October</a>, Pierce says:<blockquote>I want this topic to be as interesting as possible so I'm throwing the question out to the class-What else do ya'll want to know about this, what would interest ya'll the most?</blockquote>Read over his logfile material, and then contribute your comment, <i>or</i> your observations on one of the texts he quotes. <p>
While you're at it, Bob has also asked for comments on <a href="http://stufs.wlu.edu/~bittermanr/anth230/log.html">Karaoke</a>, and Gold Stars go to commenters willing to help him out.
Please do this before 9 AM on Tuesday 2 November.
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AUTHOR: joe
EMAIL: coochj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.161.35
URL: 
DATE: 10/28/2004 04:56:27 PM
I like the direction of your topic pearce.  It is good to have a narrowed down aspect within Japanese poetry, and this should be quite interesting.  Perhaps you could find some similiar examples in American poetry as well as culture.  I remember an Alan Ginsberg Poem called America which contains a line "America when will we end the human war? 
Go fuck yourself with your atom bomb".  Does this powerful part of the beat movement in America have any parallels with Japanese Atom Bomb poetry?  You could also look at the Stanley Kubrik film "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" (1964).  Perhaps there is minimal connection, if not any, but it may be worthwhile to investigate the difference between the two sides of the Bomb.
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AUTHOR: Tim
EMAIL: blairt@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.164.123
URL: 
DATE: 10/31/2004 09:32:24 PM
Pierce, as I did some of my own brief research on this topic, it is very interesting indeed.  I think if you provided a timeline of Genbaku poetry and discussed how it evolved over the years, it would be a nice addition to your project.  Furthermore, it would clarify the timetable that this poetry occupied.  I was unable to find anything on whether this sort of peotry is still as popular as it once was.  Another avenue that you could explore is doing a comparison of actual anecdotes from pople living in Japan during this era with the poetry that we see during that era.  Do this with paying particular attention to the images that are portrayed and the suffering that was expeinced during this time.  Anyways, this is a very interesting topis with many areas to explore.  

Tim 
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AUTHOR: dan
EMAIL: mcmenamind@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.124
URL: 
DATE: 11/01/2004 02:19:48 AM
Pierce,
After viewing your research and potential ideas on genbaku poetry, I can see that your project is coming along very well.  From what I can gather, the genbaku poetry as a result of the atomic devastation is similiar to poetry that emanated from other historically powerful events.  Some examples might be the stoic poetry following the Civil War in the U.S. or the poetry gathered from prisoners in concentration camps in Germany during WWII.  Thus, poetry can and does represent somewhat univeral feelings of devastation, disillusionment, and outright fear.  This is why it is so powerful--even if a reader was not in a given situation, the parallel empotions derived from that situation can transcend the experiential divide.  With this in mind, it might help your research (although calling for more research) to examine genbaku poetry in contrast with other poetry that ocurred at roughly the same time in history, under the same such conditions.  British poetry after WWI and the poetry from concentration camps are one such example.  This would enable you to compare and contrast the emotions of the Japanese to those in other parts of the world.  I did a few searches for concentration camp poetry on google and came up with several interactive sites that provide the poetry in context of the Camp experience.  This one in particular provides interesting poems that command such powerful images and phrases of genbaku poetry.  Hopefully this will allow you to draw some conclusions about the general Japanses emotional response to this horrific event, and to compare it to other responses.  Good luck.

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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: tim
EMAIL: blairt@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.161.125
URL: 
DATE: 11/01/2004 03:23:52 PM
Bob,
After reading one of the articles that you included on your log, I think that one area that you could explore is the culture that exists around this phenomenon of Karaoke.  Why are country songs the most popular in the US?  Which songs are popular in Japan?  Is there a connection between popular songs in each nation?  I think another area that you could explore within the culture aspect of karaoke is the difference between a regular bar and a karaoke bar.  In Karaoke bars, the atmosphere seems to be more social and jovial than a typical bar.  

Tim
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: clint
EMAIL: irvinj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.64.44
URL: 
DATE: 11/01/2004 04:53:23 PM
I think the genbaku poetry is a very interesting topic.  Does it only deal with the atomic bomb or all of WWII?  I am curious as how they describe it and how different it is from how the western civilizations perceive the bombings.  

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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: carlos
EMAIL: spahtc@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.12
URL: 
DATE: 11/01/2004 07:15:18 PM
Pierce, after reviewing your site and reading the comments already made on your progress, I agree that it would be very interesting to compare this poetry to the poetry of another culture suffering from a comparable disaster.  The thing I'd be concerned about is getting to general with your comparisons by trying to incorporate too much.  I'd suggest you choose one, and only one, other event and select only a few poems to represent it.  A question that I'd like to know is exactly who the people are writing these poems.  You say that most of these are by regular people expressing their emotions, but is there any general trend as to who these people are.  Similarly, if you can isolate poems by social class, I think it would be fascinating to compare the responses of different classes to similar events across different cultures.  That is what I'd like to see from your comparison.  Oh and maybe a few more pictures.  It looks like you've made a lot of progress, though.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: carlos
EMAIL: spahtc@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.162.12
URL: 
DATE: 11/01/2004 07:30:00 PM
Bob, I found the links that I looked at from your page fascinating.  I noticed that in most of them, they talk about people wanting to be entertained almost as much as they want to entertain.  I wonder if many people go to these bars and just watch.  Also, I found this quote particularly relevant to the text that we had to read for Tuesday's class: "Taking a client to a bar and singing for them can mean the difference between getting a contract or not; through karaoke you sing for your supper, literally."  It reminded me a great deal of the reading's description of debt in Asian cultures.  I wonder if someone singing a song earns points with the person they sing to or for, and if so, what exactly does that mean.  Do people respond by feeling they must return the favor?  Or does it go even further than that?  
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Julianne
EMAIL: shelleyj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.164.189
URL: 
DATE: 11/01/2004 08:07:22 PM
Pierce,
I really like how you have begun exploring your topic.  It is an interesting route to examine the emotions and thoughts embodied by people effected by World War II and the bombs.  I agree with what people have metioned above.  It may be interesting to examine, if possible, how feelings differed across social classes.  Or even if all social classes responded with similar emotions would be interesting....just suggestions, everything looks great! Good luck!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Pierce
EMAIL: owingsj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.164.4
URL: 
DATE: 11/01/2004 08:18:53 PM
Bob,

I looked at your logsite and admit that I didn't read all of the articles so I may have overlooked this, and you may have already considered it, but I was thinking about what an impact karaoke has had on the non-gifted singer, such as myself.  How has it created a new  niche for those who can't naturally sing well but are able to participate and sometimes even be the life of the party through their lip synching and improvising?  Also, you may be able to spin off a tangent attached to William Hung, the American Idol reject who has now made millions for doing what most karoake singers do, sing poorly.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Julianne
EMAIL: shelleyj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.164.189
URL: 
DATE: 11/01/2004 08:20:29 PM
Bob,
Your topic is very interesting and you've definitely found some helpful sources thus far.  As far as suggestions, I think it might be helpful in your comparisons to look at the groups of people that Karaoke attracts in each culture. As Carlos mentioned the quote from class.. are there reasons this does or doesn't happen in the U.S.?  What do our two cultures have in common to appreciate Karaoke as entertainment? Or do we get participate in it for different reasons?
Sorry if these are obvious questions, as you mentioned you are comparing the two cultures and Karaoke, but I hope these help a little.
Good luck!
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristin
EMAIL: collinsa@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.173.132
URL: 
DATE: 11/01/2004 09:37:46 PM
Pierce,

I agree that you have done a great job narrowing your topic down to a specific type of Japanese Poetry. I had no idea there was poetry particularly related to the atomic bomb. I'm taking a class right now (Japanese Literature in Translation) in which we read an assortment of Japanese Poetry and the art of Haiku is quite impressive. Potentially, you may want to explore the symbolism of haiku and its subsequent influence on Japanese culture before you connect the various haiku thematically....

Kristin
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL: caspanim@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.164.120
URL: 
DATE: 11/01/2004 10:24:37 PM
Pierce,
I would like to begin by saying that I am quite intrigued by the "shape," if you will, of the poems by Hennacy, Kurihara, and Shumaker.  I find it quite interesting that the poems not only literally comment on the effects of the bombs, but REPRESENT the bombs; they are all, in a way, in the shape of a mushroom cloud.  This is a testament to the exquisiteness of Japanese and Japanese-influenced poetry.

I do like the pictures as well.  Perhaps you could find more pictures of the bomb itself exploding, the after effects of the explosion, etc.

Other than that, well done.  I must say your website is fantastic.  Good luck with the rest of your project.

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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Shari
EMAIL: boyces@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.15.7
URL: 
DATE: 11/01/2004 10:26:59 PM
Like everyone has mentioned before, this topic is very interesting and I think you are definitely going in the right direction.  I am not sure if this was metioned before, but I think you should consider researching beyond just WWII and explore how this form of poetry was used in other times of tragedy.  You could also search for ways this form of poetry is used in other countries/cultures beside Japan...and compare them. 
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: michael
EMAIL: caspanim@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.164.120
URL: 
DATE: 11/01/2004 10:32:39 PM
Bob Digital-

I think your idea, first of all, is a solid, original one.  I have always taken Karaoke for granted and have never given much thought to its origins, so your topic is fresh.

I feel like your topic, although original, is a bit broad.  I say this because Kristin and I started out with a broad topic and had a hard time finding out just "where to go," if you will.  I understand that you have been quite busy with your C-school activities, but when you get around to it, perhaps you should try to pinpoint a specific aspect of Karaoke that can be elaborated upon, instead of simply finding sites that tell about its emergence and what different college students think about it.

But I digress.  I said what I said because I had been simply finding "descriptive" sites on the Qin Terracotta Warriors and I was going nowhere.  I must say that I only looked at a handful of your links so I could be totally wrong.  Nevertheless, that's my ten cents worth.  Good luck on your Karaoke endeavors!!

-Michael
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: dan
EMAIL: mcmenamind@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.122
URL: 
DATE: 11/01/2004 10:57:15 PM
Bob,
Since I am the last one to comment, I really cant give you too much more to work with.  However, I guess what could be an interesting endeavor might be to ask people, through a questionaire of some sort, what their personal experiences with karaoke are.  That way, you would have direct comparisons to make between what you have researched so far (which by the way is brilliant) and what contemporary Americans think of the phenomenon.  Also, you could ask them questions to see what their knowledge of Karaoke is (where it originated, etc) to try and gauge just how deeply this bit of Japanese culture has sunk into American culture.  It seems to me that many people like to participate in pop-culture phenomena, but really could care less what its origins are.  Just something to think about.  P.S. this jersey needs to be washed already.
dan
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ted
EMAIL: archert@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.15.7
URL: 
DATE: 11/01/2004 11:43:11 PM
Pierce,

Genbaku poetry is a cool topic. I'd like to know what cultural events brought about this type of poetry and how popular is it in Japan today.  Did genbaku have any important political or social commentary pieces that might be good to learn about?  

For the longest time I didn't know that Karaoke had asian origins.  I have been to a karaoke bar or two.  It's fun while you do it but quite embarrassing when you think about it in afterward.  Also from watching Rush Hour 2 with Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, I learned that Asians take karaoke very seriously, more seriously than American's by far.  Perhaps it was an acient art form that was turned commercial, I do not know the answer, but I would really like to find out, now that you mention it.          
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Megan
EMAIL: brooksm@wlu.edu
IP: 65.207.7.184
URL: 
DATE: 11/02/2004 12:06:53 AM
Pierce - I think that your topic is very interesting and good in that is is very focused.  I think that it might be worthwhile to look at other forms of Japanese art dealing with the bomb in order to see how the poetry is unique.  I am interested to see how the poetry compares with other depictions of crisis in Japanese art and literature.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: arielle
EMAIL: grimmcnallya@wlu.edu
IP: 67.23.157.77
URL: 
DATE: 11/02/2004 12:12:14 AM
I really like the fact that you focused on poetry as a response to war.  I agree that the best poetry stems from this surge of emotion in response to war.

I was actually reading a book for another class and came across something that may (or may not) help. You won't have to read the book at all, but just so you know, it's called The Battle for God: A History of Fundamentalism, by Karen Armstrong.  The book overall helps little, but the author discusses in one of her chapters Western literature as a response to the Franco-Prussian War and the industrial revolution.  She says:
      "During the revolutionary period in the early years of the 19th century, a new and better world had seemed finally within the grasp of humanity.  But this hope was never fulfilled.  Instead, the industrial revolution brought new problems...The Romantic poets...denounced the 'dark satanic mills'...Poeople were beginning to fantasize about the destruction of civilization...The British writer I. F. Clarke has shown that between 1871 and 1914 it was unusual to find a single year in which a novel or short story describing a horrific future war did not appear in some European country " (136).

The point of that exceedingly long quote was to suggest that you might want to use the poets and writers in Western society and their emotional reponses to the industrial revolution and the Franco-Prussian War (and their pessimistic view of the future) as a comparison to Japanese poetry.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: arielle
EMAIL: grimmcnallya@wlu.edu
IP: 67.23.157.77
URL: 
DATE: 11/02/2004 12:26:26 AM
Bob's topic

This is just something that popped into my head, and I'm not sure how feasible it is to do, but why not look into American culture and find out what our "karaoke" is.  What universal activity (or activities) do Americans enjoy that are on par with karaoke in Japan?  Making this comparison, or cultural analogy, may make it easier for your audience to relate to "the Karaoke phenomenon" in Japan.  (One thing I thought of - though not as huge as karaoke - is this surge in the popularity of poker; from what I've seen, ever since they started showing the tour on ESPN and other stations, everyone I know has been playing poker with their friends -- this may not be the best, most sound cultural analogy, but I figured it will help describe what I'm suggesting).
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Leah
EMAIL: heronl@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.18.136
URL: 
DATE: 11/02/2004 12:36:09 AM
Pierce
This is a really interesting topic. What you said about looking into the themes that lie beneath genbaku poetry is a good idea. maybe you could also compare the poetry to other responses to the bomb. For example, after 9/11 people wrote songs, made movies, documentaries, protests, major companies exploited the situation, etc. The only poetry that was really circulated was via internet. Although 9/11 was much smaller scale comparatively, there has to be some other form of "national" response. I think it would be interesting to see what other reactions people had to the bomb and whether or not the nationalism dynamic was the same as it was here.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Valery
EMAIL: yankovv@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.171.9
URL: 
DATE: 11/02/2004 01:50:08 AM
What I would like to know is where does exactly poetry stand in Japanese society. It seems like haiku poems are regarded as a very specific type of expression, which has its own meaning in this particular 5-7-7 form. My question is: Does genbaku poetry represent an equivalent of Western poetry inspired by similar events, or does it carry a more specific and complicated message, which relates to Japanese society in some different way? What is the meaning and importance of this type of expression and does it add an additional color to the poets' views on the events in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Letisha
EMAIL: kearneylm@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.41.127
URL: 
DATE: 11/02/2004 08:51:14 AM
Pierce, it looks like your topic is pretty interesting and since I've never heard of Genbaku poetry anything you could tell about it would be pretty interesting.  Poetry is a very specific topic too so I don't know what I could do to help you head in any particular direction, however, I really liked the poetry that you had listed in your log file.  I was wondering as I read it if whether you were focusing on poetry written only by people who actually experienced the bomb or who were at least born in that time, or if you were looking into comtemporary poets too.  It might be interesting to look at both poetry from that time and from this one and see how the two differ.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Letisha
EMAIL: kearneylm@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.41.127
URL: 
DATE: 11/02/2004 09:01:45 AM
Bob,

What I would really be interested in knowing, but which is probably not easy to find out, is what is the popular response to this incoming "Karaoke culture" When I read the article about the concubines, the author's attitude about the whole thing was definitely there but hard to exactly pinpoint.  He referred to the older business men as shrewd for making sure they aren't stuck with a concubine they don't want but then he says the same thing about the women who are good about getting what they want.  While this isn't specifically about Karaoke it does sort of pertain to the fruits of this phenomenon.

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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: John Baker
EMAIL: bakerj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.68.18
URL: 
DATE: 11/02/2004 12:55:22 PM
Pierce,
 I am interested to see where your project ends up.  I think that looking at the poetry that arose out of the atomic bomb will be very interesting.  I would also like to know if Genbaku poetry only pertains to the atomic bomb or has it evolved since then.  I imagine there has been some evolution or perhaps writers are still looking at the history and facts and then writing expressing what they feel.
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AUTHOR: blackmer
TITLE: on Japanese compliments
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 10/29/2004 11:34:33 AM
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There's a nice (well, interesting...) story from 23 October <i>Japan Times</i>: <a href="http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?fl20041023td.htm">Winning and losing the compliment game</a>, relevant to what you'll read in the Buruma handout. You may find yourself adding the phrase 'Jozu desu ne' to your everyday lexicon...

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AUTHOR: alex
TITLE: For Ted's project
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DATE: 11/01/2004 11:10:47 AM
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Ted--I know your project is on General Tso and his chicken, but I thought it was interesting to find another American pseudo-chinese food product named after a famous Chinese general. I'm talking, of course, about a Heinz product: Mr. Yoshida's sauce! This is quoted from the synopsis of <i>Chushingura</i>:

"At the opening of the play shogun Takauiji has killed <b>Yoshida</b>, the famous general of the Minamoto clan, in battle"

There might be some top secret scheme to name all of these American-Chinese products after generals; maybe you could use that for your webpage. You could research by calling the people in Pittsburgh and asking them how they named the sauce. deep
~Alex
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AUTHOR: alex
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DATE: 11/01/2004 11:58:52 AM
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After reading the other comments so far, I think it's interesting that nobody tried to relate Pierce's Atomic Bomb poetry to poetry in response to 9/11. I think 9/11 poetry would compare most readily to Genbaku. And throwing in sources from much older (civil war, wwI/II) sources along with the newer (9/11) would make your project a more anthropological look at that type of poetic expression. (obviously civil war and 9/11 will not be japanese, but as hugh said, writing is one of those universal phenomena)

<a href="http://poetry.about.com/library/weekly/aa092501a.htm">This page</a>, from about.com, gives a list of poems about or in response to 9/11.

The Haiku I found aren't too impressive, but I guess I'm not a good resource for that since I don't like/know much about Haiku. All i did was search the Internet via Google, but maybe a more in-depth search will dig up more legitimate 9/11 haiku sources, should you choose to add 9/11 writing to your project.

There is a book by Charles Taylor about <a href="http://dir.salon.com/books/feature/2001/12/15/linenthal/index.html?sid=1061499">"Trauma Culture," </a>and he describes the cultural phenomena that have occured after tragic events in history. You might want to research it and see if that will help.

I hope that helps...
~Alex 
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AUTHOR: emily
TITLE: Karaoke
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 11/01/2004 10:04:26 PM
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This is obviously for Bob's Karaoke project:
            In one of your entries, you talk about how karaoke came from east asia, and more specifically Japan.  I would like to learn more about how it was started; I don't know if there were bars back in ancient Japan where people got drunk and decided to make fools of themselves or not.  What does the word even mean?  It might be interesting if you could somehow come up with a timeline, showing how it's developed into what it is today, if it has developed.

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AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bittermanr@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.63.2
URL: 
DATE: 11/08/2004 12:07:16 AM
Thanks for your insights and comments on my project.  I like the idea of using a timeline to show karaoke chronological development.  I just need to figure out how I can make that work.  The development of the karaoke bar can probably be displayed with some picture scheme, possibly using technology to show change over time.
Thanks again.

--Bob
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AUTHOR: shari
TITLE: Karaoke
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 11/02/2004 11:51:24 AM
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I am not sure if this will help you, but when I looked over your source "Karaoke: Culture with a Two Drink Minimum", especially the conclusion, I thought about the movie "Duets" with Gwyneth Paltrow.  If you don't already know, in "Duets", amateur singers compete in a Karaoke contest at a Karaoke Bar.  Coming from different backgrounds, these people all enter the bar to do one thing...sing their hearts out and win the grand prize.  In "Karaoke: Culture with a Two Drink Minimum", Burns mentions that "No matter what social status regulars have outside of the bar, once they enter into the karaoke society, their status becomes one of importance. Non regulars can also achieve that feeling of empowerment simply by doing what they are expected to do, sing."  I think the characters in the movie, that range from a show girl to and an ex-con, are a good example of how people let go of their inhibitions, forget their lives outside the bar, and do what they feel is right -- sing.  Again I am not sure if this will help you or give you any ideas, but maybe you could explore how karaoke is used in movies to offer you some examples. 
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AUTHOR: Bob
EMAIL: bittermanr@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.63.2
URL: 
DATE: 11/08/2004 12:03:19 AM
Just wanted to say thank you for throwing some ideas around for me.  I will definately take a look at karaoke in movies to perhaps gain a different understanding of the impact of Karaoke.

-- Bob
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AUTHOR: letisha
TITLE: Confused about who is who
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 11/04/2004 05:49:07 AM
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I just have a really quick question.  My main problem throughout the movie was that I sort of forgot what the different people looked like...  For a while, I completly lost track of where Lady Asano was...  I'm not sure if she showed up in the movie after she found out her husband died.  Since the clan was dissolved where would she go?  Since she (I assume) married into the Asano clan could she have gone back to her parents or something?  Also, why did the old guy in the brothel who danced around look really familiar (not Oishi but the one who did the elaborate dance)?  And did Sampei's girlfriend know that when Oishi was singing about the sparrow that he was singing about his son?  And was that even Sampei's girlfriend or just a girl who looked like her?
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.126
URL: 
DATE: 11/04/2004 08:21:23 AM
You've put your finger right on a number of the Problems! Gold Star for enunciating them so clearly. There ARE some unambiguous answers, but also some questions that could only be resolved by looking at different versions of the Tale. The few I can definitively answer: YES it was Sampei's girlfriend. But Sampei isn't Oishi's son (he does have a son, as we'll see). I think that the girl didn't know who the sparrow was. The dude who does the dance is sort of enigmatic --he's not one of the other characters in disguise, and he might be a person of samurai class who doesn't live as a samurai. Basically his function in the Tale is just to be a clown, to underline the dissolute life Oishi is faking. 
The Lady Asano question is a bit more vexing. She does appear later, quite dramatically, but I don't really know the ins and outs of her status as the widow of a disgraced daimyo. Have to leave that one open for now.
So what were you doing up at 5:49 AM???
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AUTHOR: ted
TITLE: Chamberlain Oishi
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 11/04/2004 09:39:18 AM
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What has happened to chamberlain Oishi?  What was his plan all along?  Why did he change the plans of the Asano clan at the last moment when he decided to concede the castle rather than fight to the death? Was he trying to find the man who provoked Asano to strike him?  Oishi's judgement has proved unworthy thus far.  He let Ono run away with a big portion of the Asano clan treasury, and so far he has become an alcoholic.  Perhaps he only needed a disapointing visit from another Asano Samurai  to make him see the light.  What might Oishi represent for Japan on a larger scale since <i>Chushingura</i> is symbolic of Japanese culture?                        
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.126
URL: 
DATE: 11/04/2004 10:05:25 AM
Ahah. Today you'll know the answers to all of those questions. Oishi is definitely The Man if he's succeeded in convincing you that he's sold out Asano... Kira's spies are watching...
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AUTHOR: carlos
TITLE: Lordless Samurai
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DATE: 11/04/2004 10:18:50 AM
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I am utterly confused by the role of these lordless samurai.  Why did they decide to fight to defend the Asano castle?  And where are they now and what in the world is their role in this film?  I gathered from the guy with the staff who tossed the haystacks that they could go and find wokr for anyone, but how did they become lordless in the first place?  I would think that lord Asano's subjects would now be lordless, but they still seem to feel that they owe him their loyalty.
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AUTHOR: Hugh
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.126
URL: 
DATE: 11/04/2004 11:06:26 AM
They are surely "lordless" in that their daimyo is dead, but they are bound to him by a sense of loyalty that goes far beyond anything that we would entertain. As ronin perhaps legally they should simply disperse, and maybe take service with other lords... but the importance of the story is that they don't. As Buruma says, Chushingura is all about the exquisite conflicts of loyalties...
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AUTHOR: alex white
EMAIL: whiteab@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.18.154
URL: 
DATE: 11/09/2004 11:17:39 PM
Yea the juxtaposition (ridiculous word) of the haystack thrower and the 47 ronin seems to highlight a huge theme of the movie. As samurai, the ronin are responsible for their lord's bidding and his life. Once their lord dies, or releases them, their purpose in life disappears, and they would often honorably kill themselves. The way the haystack thrower ends up fighting with and for the ronin shows that he appreciates the bushido code, and puts across the movie's theme that that code should shape the lives of the samurai, not the overall forces of society. The way the haystack thrower says, "they couldn't pay me enough" might alude to the fact that they could not give him a sufficient cause to fulfil the void in his purpose left by his lost master.
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AUTHOR: robert
TITLE: Honor and Death
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DATE: 11/08/2004 12:18:24 AM
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Honor plays such a huge role in Asian sociology.  The honor of the family is something that is held sacred to almost all Asians.  I wanted to comment on the honor ultimatum that seems to be prevalent in Chushingura.  Seppuku, as it is referred to in the handout but under another name in the film, is the act of suicide to combat the dishonor that a samurai may have encountered during his daily life.  The virtue of the samurai is so important that defacing it at all results in signing your own death warrant.  I was once told and still believe that suicide is probably one of the most selfish acts a person can perform.  A person does not only exist for themself, but for all those who carry out an active role in your life and who's life would be altered when you leave this world.  I thought it was comical when Lord Kira said he did not want to kill himself, while surrounded by many Asano-loyal insurgents.  People shame themselves daily, some more than others, but western society has taught most of us that forgiveness is paramount, and living another day in an attempt to rectify the situation at hand is much more honorable than taking one's own life.  To me this shows true character to battle through adversity.  One must take the good with the bad and be able to succeed when up against the odds.  Suicide in Chushingura looks like a bad cop-out. 

-Bob
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AUTHOR: carlos
TITLE: Tradition
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DATE: 11/10/2004 03:50:10 PM
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I just read this quote from a samurai who willingly gave up his stipend.  He says that "those who love the past do not understand the present."  I thought it would be interesting to see what students who attend a school mired in tradition and history thought about this quote.  Please comment.
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AUTHOR: Bobby Bitterman
EMAIL: bittermanr@wlu.edu
IP: 67.23.157.112
URL: 
DATE: 11/11/2004 02:23:45 PM
"those who love the past do not understand the present"

The way I relate this quote to our school is through memories of good times had in the past, and new school policies that are taking away our freedoms and the few times we can get away from work to enjoy some leisure time... and to this I can say that I do not understand the present, and I am trying to elicit the quality of life I once had.  As far as tradition at this school, the continuous efforts to change the reputation of this school have all but destroyed the traditions.  Do you still say hello to strangers you pass on the hill?  I try, but some people are not very inviting.  Glad to be a senior and sorry for those who just got here because you really have no idea what you got yourself into.  Freshmen, see you at a frat party in 3 years when you're old enough.  Snoogans

-bob
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: John Baker
EMAIL: bakerj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.114.148
URL: 
DATE: 11/11/2004 02:46:04 PM
I am also very glad to be an upperclassman here due to the new implications that the administration is discussing.  I think that it is important to try to understand the present when worrying about upholding the past.  I do however believe that our school does not worry enough about preserving tradition.  I understand that under age drinking is against the law and that the school dislikes our ranking as the number 2 party school but we are also ranked very high in numerous other categories of more importance.  I think that the school would be very disappointed to see itself in 20 years if there are no longer parties at fraternity houses and everything is moved out to the country.  In cracking down on alchohol, they would remove the social aspect that we have here.  This aspect is one where everyone is welcome at parties and there is a large open social network or at least larger than other schools where parties are closed.  I think that the samurai's quote is interesting because he was willing to look outside the box and understand the reasons that the stipends were destroyed even when it had such a large aspect on his life.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: danny mac
EMAIL: mcmenamind@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.122
URL: 
DATE: 11/12/2004 02:27:03 PM
   I think that the samurai's quote "those who love the past do not understand the present" is very true, but I also believe there should be a corollary added to it to make it more complete.  That corollary would be "those who do not know the past cannot challenge the present".  Why add this you might ask?  Well, an case-study or example might help.  Currently at Washington and Lee, the administration has decided to make a more concerted effort to follow the board-mandated alcohol policy that has been in effect for a little over three years.  Prior to this alcohol policy, as alums, and even some of this year's senior class can tell you, drinking was not as regulated and controlled as it is now.  Kegs, drinking games, etc. were all allowed in frat houses--the social scene was very loosely controlled, which in turn made it a lot more relaxed and fun.  Following the administrative effort to control the social scene, many predicted the downfall of the social scene at this school--mostly upperclassmen who valued what they had known:the school's history as a great educational institution and an equally awesome party scene.  Opinions aside, this love of the past led many of these people to ignore the present conditions that call for stricter enforcement of alcohol imbibation. This includes  the terrible tort system and the easy formulation of lawsuits by parents who did not raise their children responsibly and think the school should do it for them.  Yet from a different angle, the people who are criticizing these upperclassmen, and the people in charge of administrating the policy, do not know the past, and thus will not challenge the currently held point of view, as wrong as it may be.  These people are freshman who might think they know how this school works, and why the policies are in effect, but they have no idea how the school used to function. Similarly, the administrators, from my knowledge, never went here, so how can they appreciate the old atmosphere that made 18 year old men and women responsible for themselves?  Due to the fact that they never experienced what it was like, they have no problem going with the current policy in place.  What happens as a result, is that policy is put into place and administered that could possibly make no sense, as this current one does.  Innovation in a system or institution does not happen by accepting the status quo, it comes from challenging the accepted position, and making people think about the consequences of their unhesitant actions.  If you do not know what history of something is, then do not praise the current condition, and do not make it into a moral issue.  Thanks
    
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: clint
EMAIL: irvinj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.164.121
URL: 
DATE: 11/14/2004 09:39:52 PM
    With the relationship between this quote and the current trend at Washington and Lee their are many similarities.  This samurai who gave up his stipend turned his back on the past traditions of bushido and i'm sure was considered an outcast by all the others that still respected thier traditions.  This japanese person gave up his honor which is one of the worst things you could do because he gave up his honor for selfish reasons: himself.  
    Eventhough some of the current administration hasnt been at Washington and Lee that long, many have turned their backs on the students and the great traditions of Washington and Lee.  And whats worse some have done this for merely selfish reasons.  Eventhough many agree that the laws of virginia such as drinking should be obeyed, this is not the reason they are trying to shut down the society scene at Washington and Lee.  Just like the samurai, it is for himself.  Its so he can start a new life and direct it the way he wants to be.  He no longer wants to be a samurai, but move on and do his own thing.  The new policies at Washington and Lee can definitely be seen as "padding for the resume."  Instead of sticking to the traditions and the happiness of the students, some merely want this as a stepping stone so they can acheive higher goals.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Megan
EMAIL: brooksm@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.114.2
URL: 
DATE: 11/15/2004 12:20:40 PM
"those who love the past do not understand the present"

I think that this quote is false in regard to the present state of W&L.  It seems to me that those people associated with W&L who know and love its past are also those who are capable of understanding its present.  Only the Alumni, upperclassmen and others who have been around for at least a while can really understand the extent to which the administration is altering the university.  I think that the administration makes use of the fact that students (on average) are only here for four years.  The incoming freshman have little or no idea of how things used to be.  Without understanding of the past they don't really comprhend the entirety of the present and all its changes.  I don't necessarily think change is a bad thing... sometimes a break with tradition is a good thing (take allowing female students for example. A good thing in my opinion, but definitly a break with tradition.)  However I do think that the administration needs to really think through the ways that they do change the school and make sure that they are making the right choices for the right reasons.  In the effort to make the school look better to outsiders the administration is creating an unsafe environment for its students.  As alcohol consumption is pushed off campus, I have a hunch that the sexual offenses (both reported and unreported will rise).  This is only one example of an bad change.  I'm sure there are many. If I had to choose a college again, I don't know if I would choose this one.  Because I love its past, I feel that I do understand its present and I think things are going downhill.  The safety and happiness of students should come before rankings and I think that only those who love W&L's past understand the mistakes of the present administration.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ben
EMAIL: morrisd@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.114.149
URL: 
DATE: 11/15/2004 12:31:02 PM
In response to the question posed by Carlos, I think that there is an aspect of truth to the words of the samurai who said, “those who love the past do not understand the present.”  If a person is obsessed with the past and has a constant focus on a specific event in the past, then by common logic it would stand that the individual would have a hard time focusing in on the present and understanding the present.  On the other hand, the philosopher George Santayana said that “those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.” This argument is often applied to slavery, the world wars and other dangers to humanity. When considering both perspectives, I think it is best to find a middle ground in which both philosophies can be applied, thereby understanding the present and future, while remembering the past to ensure we do not make the same mistakes twice.  
	As to traditions at W&L, I’m with Bob, as my remaining time at W&L diminishes, I continually look back to the life I had during my first years here. The administration’s efforts to control the school’s social institutions as well as her social reputation is the very thing that is killing the traditions. As freshman, the seniors we met spoke of the lost tailgates, kegs, and drinking games in the frats, all traditions rooted  in W&L’s social scene. Soon, I’m afraid I’ll be speaking of more lost traditions, traditions that are what attract a large portion of our student body. Yes, the education that W&L provides its students is extremely valuable, but the majority of students receive more than book smarts during their four years at W&L and unless you are planning on crunching numbers in some dark corner office 24-7, the social skills you learn at W&L will have just as much of an impact on a your advancement in life as your ability to get an A in accounting. If the administration does not like the way of life at W&L then they should go somewhere else and leave those of us who love W&L and ALL her traditions to enjoy the school, traditions and all. Bob, I’ll see you Friday at Beta for an unregistered cocktail party with drinking games. I’ll bring the keg. -Ben

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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: carlos
EMAIL: spahtc@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.33.2
URL: 
DATE: 11/15/2004 03:24:41 PM
So far, these are the responses that I anticipated, and I feel the same way.  I couldn't agree with Megan's assessment more.  If the people running this school had any idea about W&L's traditions, I think the student body would be much happier with the direction in which the university is heading.  From all that I understand, the student body used to be virtually autonomous.  Now, we don't even know what's happening or planned until we receive some form of decree from the administration.  Sure, they hold these "open" forums, but I've been, and all that happens is that every point a student brings up is shot down.  Thanks for the responses so far, I couldn't agree more, and can I come to Beta for the party?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: joe
EMAIL: coochj@wlu.edu
IP: 67.20.52.191
URL: 
DATE: 11/15/2004 04:31:37 PM
"Those who love the past do not understand the present"

This quote is very interesting in the context of a school that is "mired in tradition", but i believe that the quote certainly has some elements of truth to it.  Before coming to this school i really had no idea what to expect out of the student body, and it is a rather conservative group of people.  This is associated with a preservation of the status quo, or a maintenance of past practices and traditions, which has its merits, but also its downfalls.  I feel like too many people are too ready to deny any change with the argument of tradition.  Just because something is tradition dosent necessarily make it a good thing.  I think a refusal to change does show a misunderstanding of the present.  If we look at this alcohol situation, we see everyone complaining about the changes that are occuring like it is a conspiracy against the student body, but this kind of thing is happening all across the country.  I do not see it as a good thing but it is the way our society is headed.  We will just have to find somewhere else to get hammered.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: tim
EMAIL: blairt@wlu.edu
IP: 65.40.218.184
URL: 
DATE: 11/15/2004 04:37:33 PM
This quote really provides a great understanding of how a good number of alumni are feeling with regards to the current status of Washington and Lee.  The majority of alumni from this school really do in fact love the past and the traditions that were associated with W and L.  This is represented by the response that the school sees around homecoming and alumni weekends with numerous alumni returning to their alma matter.  Over the past 10 years, since my brother first came here, there has been a shift in the attitudes of the alumni, though this might not be represented by the dollar amount of donations given over the last few years.  There is a sense of a traditional school in the sense of its deep heritage and history that is trying to be something that it is not.  That is it is trying to be more of an ivy leage school with limited social interaction, rather than being a teaching university with a lot of social interaction.  While the amount of money in donations has increased, I do not think that there has been an increase in the number of donations.  Having been kicked off campus last year with Beta, I have experienced some unhappy and unwilling to give to the university, alumni.  Talking with someone who works at the university phoneathon, he/she expressed that he/she talks to more and more unhappy alumni.  I think that this number of unhappy alumni is growing and is a result of this current administration.  As a certain history professor puts it, "the bureacrats are taking over the school" and this is not a good thing.  I know for sure that I will not donate any money to this school when I am older...

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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kristin Collins
EMAIL: collinsa@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.63.2
URL: 
DATE: 11/15/2004 05:14:07 PM
I think you can look at this quote from several angles. Most interesting and applicable in America would probably be women's rights. For many men, from generations past, it is especially difficult to acknowlege women as beings that thrive outside the house and homemaking realm. Society has made great leaps toward women's rights; in fact, affirmative action has benefited women more so than african americans (as intended). However, western culture still need take great strides in promoting an equal to man. 
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Pierce
EMAIL: owingsj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.164.7
URL: 
DATE: 11/15/2004 07:29:07 PM
It seems that the W&L part of this quote is more than well-covered.  I agree with the our two beloved Betas in the group that the poor freshmen will never love their PAST because the PRESENT administration is ruining it.  Hopefully, the present upperclassmen can help maintain the very few parts of this school that makes its past so distinguished.  Carlos' quote reminded me of famous historian Dr. Thomas Sowell's heavily argued position that history repeats itself, and those that do not learn from history are harshly punished for it.  I am one of the very few attendees of the open forum for students on the Strategic Planning Committee's intentions for the future of our school, and an even smaller percentage of those at the meeting who believe that Washington and Lee has much to be proud of and less that needs changing.  I agree with the samurai, but would argue that the essence of this quote is that those who love the past must also be able to apply its lessons to the present.  In concordance with Thomas Sowell, those who don't will regret it.  In tying that to W&L, I agree that liability negates the idea of using the same loose policies that we're used to, which is why Traveler has been such a widely acclaimed sucess.  Washington and Lee is Washington and Lee and there is no reason to try to make it like another small, ridigly difficult, strict and boring liberal arts school (if you disagree please follow attached links to transfer applications for Davidson and Middlebury).  Having just taken a trip to UVA where lists and people at the door asking 'who do you know' are the staples of fraternity parties, I hate to think W&L, who prides itself on the world's friendliest campus, is headed in that direction.  Lists and wristbands will kill our unique fraternity scene and subsequently change the dynamics of our application pool.  If this happens, we will have failed our mission to remain unique among small, liberal arts schools.  To stay unique, we must embrace our past.  Take liability out of the equation by creating other safety nets for alcohol's presence on campus.

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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Leah
EMAIL: heronl@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.114.11
URL: 
DATE: 11/15/2004 07:34:01 PM
When I first read this quote it immediately made me think of my parents and grandparents. Parents and grandparents are so set in their ways that they often times refuse to open their minds to what's going on around them and quickly reject new ideas or forms of expression. For example, most parents and grandparents have coped with the idea of girls having their ears pierced once and most can even deal with a boy having his ear pierced. However, few approve of multiple piercings or tattoos because they don't see the appeal and write it off as a passing fad. Granted this may be true in some cases, but many people get piercings and tattoos as a form of self-expression (and sometimes rebellion). Being so set in one's ways makes it difficult to understand a modern point of view because most people want things their way.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Julianne
EMAIL: shelleyj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.68.13
URL: 
DATE: 11/15/2004 08:07:52 PM
I think Carlos' quote is true in some cases at this school- even looking away from the administration and alcohol policies.  The thing that jumps out in my mind is the speaking tradition.  One of the things I paid attention to most during my college tours were the beliefs, superstitions, and customs of the schools I visited.  I really like the idea of the speaking tradition and tradition-steeped image it revealed to me about the school, and I think this is true for many people.  The school sells the speaking tradition as an indicant of how well we respect the past, and more specifically remembering General Lee.  However walking on the hill tells a different story.  People are often too engrossed in their cell phone conversations to say hello, or at times just do not acknowledge another person as they walk by.  I think this speaks to this quote.  We like to think about the traditions our school has embodied.  We talk about them to all outsiders whether its friends, prospective students, or family, but we don’t actually practice these traditions we claim to love.  They do not feel applicable in our present daily lives. I feel in this way they do not understand how such tradition applies to today.  As I understand it, the speaking tradition was instituted to ease the divides between faculty and students from the north and south after the Civil War.  I believe it became another important component to look to when women where admitted into the school.  And today it is important for the same reasons to begin to unite a student body that is becoming increasingly ethnically diverse. 
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Michael Caspani
EMAIL: caspanim@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.164.120
URL: 
DATE: 11/15/2004 09:22:08 PM
I agree with the Samurai.  But after applying this samurai's quote to Washington and Lee, I would like to point out that I feel like the administration does NOT love the past, and therefore does NOT understand the present.  However, I would like to also point out, before I proceed, that this is not intended to be diatribe directed at the administration; Lord knows there have been too many of those recently.  Instead, I am simply commenting on their behavior, and relating that to the importance of the samurai's words.

True, the school needs to take liability into account when it makes its decisions.  That is why it is acceptable that they are making these changes.  However, while I cannot offer a better solution than what they are prescribing, I CAN say that I think that they are not taking our school's beloved history and tradition into account when they make/attempt to implement these changes.

John Baker is right when he points out that part of our school's tradition, but more importantly greatness, can be attributed to the openness one can experience here.  Yes, alcohol is illegal, but if the school pushes it off campus then people will abuse it even worse in their country houses.  This is comparable to how a child who was never allowed to drink at home is very likely to become a raging binge drinker upon his arrival at college.  The school does not understand this "present" situation.  Furthermore, they use the unfortunate deaths of two students involved in an alcohol related automobile accident (which happened almost 5 years ago) as their primary example, time and time again, of how dangerous alcohol abuse is and what it leads to.  This, my friends, is unacceptable.  The wreck was quite unfortunate.  I know: the male victim was from my hometown and my humble town of Lexington, Kentucky was quite shocked and saddened by the accident.  But, bad things happen and it is not right to blame underage drinking on campus for an unfortunate incident in which an individual acted irresponsibly.  

But I digress.  My point is that the administration does not understand the social norms of our present day life at Washington and Lee.  They claim to hold our traditions here in high regards, but if they truly did, why would they slowly take away from us the things that make this place great?  the reasons we came to school here?  the things that make our rigorous and trying academic endeavors bearable?

The administration claims to understand the present.  They justify this claim with the fact that Dean Watkins and another "Dean-in-charge-of-breaking-our-timely-traditions" drove to Windfall hill, one of the several centers of off campus entertainment, and "observed" what goes on there.  THIS IS ALSO UNACCEPTABLE.  They need to stop this tomfoolery and LISTEN to the students, even if they don't hear what they want to hear.  This is imperative if they are intent on understanding the present.  

As much as I agree with the Samurai, I feel that it applies to W&L in a special way.  The administration does not love the past and does not understand the present and therefore is messing up left and right, whereas the beloved board of trustees LOVES the past with all their heart, but unfortunately does not really understand the present, and therefore cannot be of much assistance despite their reverence for what W&L used to be like.

Hope this made some sense guys. 

-Michael Caspani 

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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: emily
EMAIL: sbernae@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.20.2
URL: 
DATE: 11/15/2004 10:00:51 PM
I think that in order to survive in the present, one has to make a compromise with the past.  And with W&L being so rich in its history and tradition, it is hard for anyone to really accept any change. 
 The change that is on top of everyone's mind is the new alcohol/fraternity party policies.  I am sure there is more behind these recentl new rules, but from what I understand is it is because of the dramatic increase in sexual assault cases on the campus.  Yes alcohol for sure makes certain situations worse and had people been sober, I am sure that many of these instances could have been avoided.  But for me what it comes down to is the character of the person: men are just plain sleezeballs if they think it's acceptable to do anything against a woman's wishes.  and women need to realize that they are strong enough to defend themselves and that there is absolutely nothing wrong with saying no.  if the woman is too drunk to even do anything, well then that is just pathetic on the guy's part that he needs to hook up w/ basically an inanimate object (=pervert).  people just need to learn to avoid some situations.  definitely still go out, drink, and have a good time. but don't get so wasted that you lose complete control of yourself.  
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Kathleen
EMAIL: stoecklek@wlu.edu
IP: 24.51.107.133
URL: 
DATE: 11/16/2004 02:51:51 AM
While I do agree with this statement to some extent, I do think that it is not always the case.  Furthermore, this statement is only true if the present has changed greatly from the past in terms of tradition in general, they are kept around in part because love them, but also because people can’t imagine behaving or acting in any other way. In this, these words make perfect sense.  In some cases why people are unwilling to make changes, they lack the imagination or the will to adapt and evolve, this is why women and voting was met with such protest or why many people did not want to admit women to VMI and Washington & Lee as well, especially W & L.  

On the other hand, you can love the past and use it as a lens for examining the present and thus are better able to understand the present times.  People may learn through mistakes and still not regret them.  Someone may reminisce fondly on their wild youth, they know better now and may have perhaps done things they shouldn’t have, but they wouldn’t change it.  

How you take this statement depends on the context in which it is used.

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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: valery
EMAIL: yankovv@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.20.126
URL: 
DATE: 11/16/2004 08:33:45 AM
From my own experience I think that one cannot turn his back on his roots without losing part of his identity. I'm coming from a small Eastern European country which was founded in the year 681 A.C. Given our location, we have taken part in some of the most important wars and cultural movements in the history of the European continent. Still, right now, being an ex-communist country, our country is suffering from lack of resourses and low economy levels despite our legendary historical background. People from my generation start to turn their back on tradition and many of them, like myself seek realization in foreign countries where there are better opportunities for young people in the job market. I went to an American high school back in Bulgaria and now I'm about to graduate from W&L with a business degree. Spending five years in the American high-school back home really oriented me to the American culture and I felt very comfortable in adopting the American ways of thinking on matters like career and education.  Being so pro-american and so cultured in the American way of living I kinda felt outta place in my own country before I came in the US to attend college. More or less I had turned my back on Bulgarian tradition, history and way of life. One can even say that I had even lost my Bulgarian identity. However, upon coming to the States I went through a lot of experiences and, being on my own, through a lot of hard periods which made me appreciate going home for the breaks and really falling back on the life I used to lead before I came to the US. It is very strange, but the older you get and the more serious conversations you have with older people, the more you realize that their views and ideas might have been shaped by different historical events, but tradition and cultural background is what really bonds two people from different generations. It is just part of your identity and the sooner you realize that, the easier it is going to be for you to cope with whatever situation you fall in. For me, being from a foreign country gives me an additional perspective on many issues in the United States. I feel like it gives me the freedom to go outside the american cultural frame and really be able to evaluate situations more accurately in terms of what's right, or wrong, and ultimately, what's best for me.  
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Shari
EMAIL: boyces@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.15.7
URL: 
DATE: 11/16/2004 08:50:06 AM
I agree with Kristen at how this quote can be looked at from differnt angles.  Since the administration's treatment of the alcohol policy has already been discussed in such detail, like Kristen I wanted to talk about other changes that this quote can be applied to.  Working at the phonathon, I find that there are some alumni who are very bold in expressing their opinions of women here at W&L...especially over the phone. Even though we are approaching the 20 year mark, some alums are still very upset.  They are a good example of "those who love the past do not understand the present".  

And sometimes I don't think it's that they don't understand the present, but they are not willing to accept the changes.  This has probably been metioned before, but the past should be taken into consideration when observing the present.  I think this campus is definitly mired in tradition and history, but looking beyond the alcohol policies, whether it is making the school coed or promoting diversity, some changes have been for the better.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Ted
EMAIL: archert@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.63.9
URL: 
DATE: 11/16/2004 08:59:37 AM
The samurai quote parallels a present situation here at Washington and Lee.  For most students, upperclassmen especially, the present situation at W&L is looking more and more different from the past.  I have very strong opinions about Washington and Lee traditions, many of them I can't stand, but some of them I believe make up the fabric of our great university.  For example, the honor system.  There aren't many other institutions that share this unique governing system on a college campus.  Also, the speaking tradition is very important, I am from the city, and it's refreshing to come to W&L and experience such close a community atmosphere. But on the other hand, there are certain traditions that I could care less about. Here are some examples: dressing up country club style to go to a football game, "the old south ball", worship of confederate flags as if our country didn't already have a flag, lack of diversity.  Yes lack of diversity is a tradition at W&L.  Some Students and their parents want to keep W&L exactly the way it was 30 years ago! NEWSFLASH! 30 years ago their were no women and like 2 students of color and 15 people from the north at W&L.  Frankly I could go on forever about this topic.  But let me just say that I believe the samurai had the right idea.  The past should be a stepping stone to the present not a blueprint.  How about this quote, it is from a funny movie called coming to America starring eddi murphy but the meaning is powerful. Traditions are important, "But what is also a tradition is that things must and always do change."  It's a shame the greek sytem is under such heavy fire from the new alcohol enforcement taskforce.  But they'll find a way to adapt.  Whether that means holding more off campus parties or doing things sober.  Perhaps it will even force the campus closer together with more schoolwide funcitons not involving alcohol.  Lastly, I think the administration should turn its attenttion to more important things.  
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Letisha
EMAIL: kearneylm@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.41.127
URL: 
DATE: 11/16/2004 09:01:24 AM
Well, I'd say in a lot of ways that comment isn't too far from the truth.  Of course if you are particularly enamored with some aspect of the past, you'll find it pretty hard to give it up.  Especially if you think that it was better than what we have today.  Sometimes, you just think that the present is just a watered down version of the past.  "When I was your age I had to walk 10 miles in the snow, barefoot!"  Maybe that often quoted mystical grandfather is telling the truth when he says that and maybe he's not (and maybe he's just joking), but in any case it shows that sometimes we love the past not because it's better but because it's more familiar.  Change is also a really hard thing to accept. Or perhaps we believe that the past produced better stronger people.  That imaginary grandfather may believe that walking in the show for 10 miles builds character.  People who hang the confederate flag, often simply believe that they are only showing southern pride. And perhaps neither is entirely wrong.  However, disregarding the present so that you can hold on to the past is never a good idea.  Tradition and history are there for you to learn from not to be clung to mindlessly.  I think you can both respect the past and understand the present, but that if your love for the past causes you to cling to it rather than respect it, then you'll run into some problems (like if the imaginary grandfather sent his grandson to school without shoes in the snow).
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AUTHOR: matt
TITLE: Traditional Japan
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 2
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DATE: 11/15/2004 08:38:02 PM
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It's interesting to hear a comment about the strength of Japanese tradition. Often times one can see images of Japan that show its almost unique ability to absorb (without any Japanization) aspects of other cultures willingly and enthusiastically. For example, the Japanese script with numbers and letters from the a western alphabet interspersed the other day in class. But it also makes sense that if some institutions were rapidly changing, others would polarize, and become staunchly traditional.
In the past election, the biggest concern of voters according to exit polls were social issues. The Democratic party was relying on a large turnout from younger voters, who it thought would support, or at least not object to issues such as gay marriage and abortion. And to a large extent that group of the population made a strong showing. However, a large group of Evangelical Christians also turned out at the voting booths to counteract these votes and voted Republican. Had these issues not been at hand many of the conservatives would not have turned out to vote. 
An Op-Ed in the New York Times I was recently reading, pointed out that by voting for the Republicans they are also voting to give tax breaks to the wealthy while further frustrating their own social and financial problems (which are trumped by social issues). The editor then predicted that these groups would come back even angrier at their financial situation in the next election. This part of the American population loves its history of Christianity (and its frowning on abortions and gay marriages. Thus by loving the past it cannot understand the present (and its financial problems).   

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AUTHOR: owingsj
TITLE: Stay Outraged
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 11/15/2004 09:35:01 PM
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Think about 9/11 and how you felt that day, that night, and the rest of the week.  How does that compare with how you feel now?
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I've been researching some 9/11 poetry per request of several of my classmates who wanted me to compare genbaku poetry to that of our country's most recent tragedy.  As I was reading some of the poems, I realized how patriotic our country is compared to others.  Japanese poetry says little about rising up as a country.  There are many differences in the two events, but why do we love our country, and turn to each other, so much more than the Japanese?

Also, I remember walking into my radically right-winged senior history teacher's class, which was one of my favorites, just after the attacks and not knowing what to expect from my loose cannon of a professor, but I remember him calmly standing by the door and saying to each student as they walked in, "You shouldn't be scared [name of student], you should be pissed." He was right and I think we were to begin with.  Are we still pissed or have we avenged our attack.  No need to go into politics but how do ya'll feel about 9/11 right now?
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AUTHOR: dan
EMAIL: mcmenamind@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.120
URL: 
DATE: 11/16/2004 10:54:30 PM
In terms of your question, the way I feel about 9/11 and the way I feel now are unfortunately not the same.  That day I was really just perplexed and confused.  All the local authorities did was to cancel school for the rest of the day, leaving me with some friends to think about what happened, and wondering if there were more attacks to come.  Yet now, since so much time has past, the feelings are different.  I for one did not know anyone who was killed in the attacks on 9/11, so that might distort any possible feelings I have.  Yet now I feel like things have progressed--there has been action taken, and this placates me temporarily.  Yet what I have taken and kept from 9/11 is that there are people who hate the U.S., both inside and outside the country, who will go as far as to kill themselves to prove this emotion.  This is indeed a scary thought.  Yet what I think is even scarier is the fact that Americans, and especially American politicans, only seem to deal with issues like terrorism, when, so to speak, it hits home.  No other time is ever given aside to issues in this country, until they are near a boiling point.  This is what Sept. 11th proved to me the most.
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AUTHOR: alex
TITLE: Re: Carlos' entry. Please Read extension.
STATUS: Publish
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DATE: 11/16/2004 02:51:09 AM
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What if adults stopped paying taxes because the "country's not what it used to be when they were kids?" Then their country would suck.

These <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/171280/ref%3Drd%5Ftru%5Fhp%5FSTE/103-9966430-0867854">toy's r us kid </a>traditionalists need to grow up. 

After all, a University is a business, bottom line. Traditions are good for things like frats, teams, and family reunions but times change. Accept it and stop trying to play the martyr (except Beta, which kinda was one, which sucks). 
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I'm kind of mixed on the issue, because I feel like change is necessary and good, but the traditions that the administration is targeting are the ones that make W&L fun, autonomous, and relaxed. And I understand the feeling of "what's next? the speaking tradition?" also because I think that lax drinking rules, pledgeship, and the rest are social cohesiveness/ character building traditions that should not be fooled with because people will find ways to do their thing more clandestinedly, which is worse when a problem occurs. And buffalo creek and spring term are innocent bystanders. Why were they targeted?

Sorry to play Devil's advocate, though,  but I thought I'd spice it up and be a littttle more liberal, because i was getting kind of worried with all this tradition praise for the hell of tradition. After all, Racism is an American tradition. Sexism is an American tradition. And I doubt/hope that having the word "tradition" slapped to them does not make anybody in this class view them as more holy. I mean, there is a difference between a good and a bad tradition, and the administration is struggling (and failing often recently) to figure out which is which.

Furthermore,

You all sound like Fiddler on the Roof! I work the Phonathon, and I have had quite a few Beta alums and reallllly southern guys in particular say "I'm not giving money because the school's not what it used to be." But they SURE DID get better job offers and more money when the school's ranking and their degree's value went up due to a "change" in tradition (co-education). Keep in mind these are the same men who say "co-education was the worst thing to happen to the school" and then turn around and send their daughters here, so that upperclassmen males, (the same one's most up-in-arms about their traditions!) can get them drunk in frat basements and hook up with them. See how love of tradition clouds your judgement? 

Yea I doubt that when any of us graduates we'll say to our interviewer for a job or grad position, "I want you to disregard the fact that I graduated from W&L; the school's not what it used to be." Oh how selective our love for our alma mater can be. 

It's also interesting to me how the main group of tradition romanticists are old rich conservative white people, who achieved and maintained their position of power in this society through the perpetuation of the very traditions that keep them there. This indoctrination with love for tradition seems to trickle down to anything labelled "tradition", because for this group and its descendants, tradition is evolutionarily what kept them at the top of the food chain. Tradition for old rich white people is like <a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/alligator2.htm">clear eyelids</a> for alligators; they can have their eyes closed to everything around them but still always be king of the lake (I promise you i made that one up). 

To address the comments about the "speaking tradition" diminishing, I pose this question to the upperclassmen who feel like people don't speak to others as often on the hill: did people ACTUALLY always speak to EVERYONE they passed when you were a freshman? or does it just FEEL that way in HINDSIGHT? Because, as history and sociology tells us, human beings have a tendancy to mis-remember certain traditional things in the event of a percieved change. For example, the recent destruction of "traditional family" of the 1960s by gays drugs blacks lust and divorce, based on a sociology class last spring, was somewhat of a MYTH. In my opinion, this myth was so attractive because it showed the TRUE family to be a middle upperclass heterosexual white family, which made the exact groups in power seem to be ideal. Excuse, my militance, but there is a concrete example of how traditional harpings about the past may not alllways be based on truth.

Also, when you talk about W&L traditions, you say "The Honor System," "The Speaking Tradition," and "Spring Term." Those traditions are GOOD traditions with NO negative effects. If your beloved tradition, lets say kegs in frat houses-- for example, leads to just ONE person doing a kegstand and getting alcohol poisoning, then that tradition in particular will and should be reviewed for its merits. That is just good business because you (legally) can't have parents thinking their kids are in danger. Thats not to say that the holders of said tradition should all be punished (i.e. Beta and pledgeship, which sucks), because as educated individuals we all understand the strength of tradition internalization, and how it shapes people's behavior whether or not they know their behavior is bad. However, as educated individuals we should also see that claiming certain traditions as anything other than PARTS of our core identity as a whole, would be a mistake. When a certain tradition is adjusted or let go of, that does not always mean that the persona it was attached to is also condemned (except for Beta, which sucks). I urge people who are fired up about tailgates, kegs, and beirut (my tradition of choice) to find other ways to have fun...and also be more responsible next time because the bottom line is, there is a REASON why those traditions came under scrutiny.

I think it's natural to cling to your traditions for comfort but more important to incorporate your change into your identity. 
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AUTHOR: julianne
TITLE: Ermo
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DATE: 11/16/2004 05:09:27 PM
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The "Chief" was an interesting character in the film, especially regarding the television.  Initially, I found his character to be the most resistant to the changes in his community.  He continuously reffered to the past when he talked about wealth and success.  If people had money in the past, then they would build a house; but now people with money just buy a TV, which he found useless.  I was unsure of the reason the chief changed his mind about the tv.  By the end of the movie he had accepted the idea of getting the biggest TV, even though it literally and figuratively did not fit in their lives. He welcomed this expression of wealth more so than Ermo seemed to want it in the end, but I didn't notice what exactly facilitated this change of heart.  Any ideas?
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AUTHOR: robert
TITLE: Ermo breaking gender norms
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DATE: 11/16/2004 05:28:44 PM
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     Ermo is truly a Renaissance woman.  It is great to see the passion in her work and in her family's happiness.  Her has-been husband, though wise, has really given Ermo no choice but to resent his inablilities while he continues to boss her around with even the smallest tasks that he could easily do by himself.  I am sure that a lack of effort had something to do with the reason that "the Chief" was no longer the chief anymore.  During the film her refered to everything as being useless when he was the most useless of them all.  Why buy a T.V.?  Useless.  This medicine is "useless."  I did, however, enjoy his metaphor of a television being an egg, while a house was a hen.  He was trying to put into perspective the ridiculousness of her ultimate goal of having the biggest television in the county.  As we later find out, the television really hasn't made Ermo's family any better off or happier.  The static at the end of the movie followed by the sound of Ermo advertising her twisted noodles solidifies how trivial her aims were.

      I wanted to comment on the systematic way that Ermo created her noodles.  The way she used her feet to work the dough was almost like a ceremonial dance and I got this feeling that there was something sacred in her work.  Whatever it was it seemed to take her away from the stress of regular life though she was completely enwrapped in it.

     It was interesting to see how tough and calloused Ermo was in her laboring life, however she still had a softer side that was most evident when she was on top of Blindman's truck, receiving a ride to town to sell her baskets and noodles.  She was scared and wanted to get down.  At one point she even said "Mama!"  The other instance that showed some weakness in Ermo was when she first gave blood and kept telling Wang to stop extracting the blood but she wouldn't.  Ermo claimed she was scared and wanted to stop.

--Bob
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AUTHOR: al white
EMAIL: whiteab@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.18.154
URL: 
DATE: 11/16/2004 06:39:19 PM
It's also funny how her husband wanted a bigger house, but she wanted the huge TV that didnt even fit in their tiny house! women...
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AUTHOR: dan
TITLE: Ermo
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DATE: 11/16/2004 07:39:50 PM
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  Well, my first thought on Ermo was that it was really a great flick.  What really impressed me was the way that the despair and hope of Ermo was related to the audience.  The internal bleeding on her arms from donating so much blood, the almost zombie-like fascination she has with the big-screen television, and the powerful scenes where she kneaded the dough for the noodles, they all seemed like they could be straight from <i>Requiem for a Dream</i>.  Money and television were like her drug of choice, easing her sometimes rough relationships with her neighbors, her son, and her somewhat invalid husband.  Yet in the end, when she had fulfilled her goal for the movie, she realized how little it really meant, especially considering the lengths she went through to get it.  
  Two other things struck me as I watched Ermo.  First, it seemed genuine--each character played his part very well, both adding to the drama and somberness of the movie, but also giving contradictory emotions of happiness that worked well with the overall theme of the movie.  Second, the odd thing I could not help but notice was that there was no music or score behind the entire movie, except perhaps during the opening credits.  This makes the actors' jobs much more difficult, but also much more interesting.  They alone must give emotional charge to the movie--the audience cannot rely on the tone of the music to take ques as to the meaning or intensity of each scence.  
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AUTHOR: collinsa
TITLE: Ermo
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DATE: 11/16/2004 08:16:29 PM
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I definitely thought Ermo represented a reversal in gender roles. Ermo completely contradicts the portrayed subordinate image of women in Japanese culture: she works late into the the afternoon, only to come home and cook dinner, and arises early in the morning (when it is still dark) to make twisty noodles. Therefore, while she does the traditional homemaking duties, she also works diligently to support a family. Quite interesting! Possibly it is a result of their economic status: she must work because the Chief cannot. However, the blindman's wife does not have to work.

I also thought her priorities were completely ridiculous. It seemed to be a competition as to who could have the biggest TV. Even though building a larger house with her hard-earned money may have been more pragmatic, it is unlikely the neighbors would have really noticed much difference. To truly separate herself, the biggest TV placed them above others. It was something even the county head could not afford.

Lastly, the fact that she was forced to sell her blood to earn extra money was extremely disturbing. No wonder diseases spread rampantly; the facility certainly did not look too clean. Thankfully, we are fortunate enough to have organizations such as the Red Cross where people volunteer their blood and it is checked profusely to avoid any sort of infection.
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AUTHOR: dan
TITLE: So, What Do You Think of Revolution?
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DATE: 11/16/2004 11:06:30 PM
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During my research on China, public political dissent, and the government reaction to this dissent, I came across an interesting point.  That is, Chinese political demonstrators do not really wish to revolutionize or to radically change the government.  Rather, they feel that it is their job to suggest changes in the government in order to move it back towards a comfortable equilibrium, an equilibrium with the government still in complete control.  Yet in the U.S., demonstrators often want a revolution and a change in government, such as during the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Struggle of the 1960's, and indeed during the contemporary presidency of George W. Bush.  Similarly, many Americans wish to change the institutions of our government, like the electoral college, the structure of Congress, and the powers of the president.  So, in order to get a more well-rounded view, one that is disassociated from the media coverage of demonstrators in the U.S., I'd like to see what you think about revolution.  What do you think it accomplishes?; Do you think it is patriotic to engage in demonstrations and criticism?; Finally, what do you think the most successful kind of demonstration and/or revolution is? (i.e. peaceful, violent, hunger strike, self-immolation...).  Thanks and hit me back.
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AUTHOR: john
TITLE: Why Blindman?
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DATE: 11/17/2004 12:10:52 PM
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I thought "Ermo" was an interesting film but had some questions about it.  First, why was the blindman called the blindman?  He was clearly not blind and seemed to be the richest man in the village.  Was he blind to something else?  Perhaps he was blind to what he had in comparison to those around him.  Secondly, Why was Ermo so determined to get a bigger tv.  The Chief was right in saying that a tv is an only an egg but a house is a hen.  Why wouldn't she want to build a bigger house than the blindman's?  Was it because she felt her husband was inferior to the blindman due to his weakness and loss of authority.  Clearly she was very driven but I just don't understand some points of the movie.  I don't know if there is a clear reason for the blindman's name but would love some sort of explanation.
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AUTHOR: Bob Bitterman
EMAIL: bittermanr@wlu.edu
IP: 67.20.52.175
URL: 
DATE: 11/17/2004 12:51:39 PM
Maybe he was called Blindman because he was able to look past how disgusting his wife had become after being pampered for so long.  Just a thought.

--Bob
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AUTHOR: Megan
EMAIL: brooksm@wlu.edu
IP: 65.207.7.184
URL: 
DATE: 11/18/2004 08:58:40 PM
I think that the fact that Ermo wanted to have the TV rather than the bigger home is something we often see in American culture as well.  Often poor individuals will put all of their financial resources into something like a really nice car or trendy, expensive clothes while their homes are lacking.  It seems that they desire to possess some very nice but basically unnecessary thing that they can take pride in over what is practical.
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AUTHOR: joe
EMAIL: coochj@wlu.edu
IP: 67.20.52.191
URL: 
DATE: 11/18/2004 10:23:38 PM
Megans comment certainly seems to be true, oftentimes we see poor people buy luxury items so that they can have one thing to take pride in and to display to others as a means of getting over their otherwise relatively poor living conditions, but the TV may have perhaps provided something else.  A television is an escape for all the senses, allowing us to experience other worlds in some form.  At the time, the television was a window into another completely unfamiliar world.
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AUTHOR: dan
EMAIL: mcmenamind@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.122
URL: 
DATE: 11/19/2004 01:43:29 PM
I agree with Joe and Megan completely.  In decades past, the home represented a place of family and pride.  Yet with the deterioration of the home as the center of a person's life, and the subsequent decline of the importance of family, it is easy to see why people want to escape it in any way they can.  With poor people specifically, I'm sure this tends to be the case.  Ermo gives some backing to this claim, as we see repeatedly in the movie that she is upset by her family, community, and home life.  Her husband is sick, her child spends more time at the neighbors, and her job means relatively little.  By purchasing a TV or other unnecessary amenity, she gives credit to her job, hard work, and life, while distancing herself from her object of anger.
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AUTHOR: carlos
TITLE: Ermo
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DATE: 11/17/2004 04:00:22 PM
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I found it interesting that there was really no protagonist in the film.  Blindman is an adulterer, the Chief is a weak man who can't fulfill his role as a husband, Blindman's wife is crazy, and Ermo is incredibly materialistic.  While her actions and attempts to earn a living for her family are respected by today's audience, I think they would have been questioned during that time period.  After all, she does leave her husband and child to work in the city so that she can buy a TV.  Does anyone think that there was a protagonist other than maybe her?
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AUTHOR: Julianne
EMAIL: shelleyj@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.114.153
URL: 
DATE: 11/17/2004 08:10:52 PM
I think the protagonist was definitely Ermo. Although she was presented as materialistic, she was just responding to the changing culture.  She was proud for what she was able to accomplish, and worked very hard for it.  She refused to take the money Blindman was trying to give her, and was greatly insulted by this.  She, as the sole income for the family, made enough money for the tv, which proved to be a difficult feat in her culture. This I think reflects more of her determination and honor. 

I think that the scene at the end proves her respectability.  Selling noodles on the streets I thought represented her return to what was really important to her and her cultural values. She was back to the ritualistic method of making and selling noodles, (as was mentioned by Bob). It demonstrates that she was not obsessed with wealth, she only wanted to provide for her family; but also that she valued her past and her family.

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AUTHOR: caspanim
TITLE: ERMO
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DATE: 11/17/2004 05:32:04 PM
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The film, ERMO, was riveting and thought provoking.  I particularly liked the commentary on society's values, with the television being the catalyst for Blindman's, his wife's, and most importantly Ermo's realization of what is truly important in life.  

As the firey competition between Ermo and her neighbor burned hotter and hotter, Ermo sacrificed herself more and more to increase her profits.  The toll that her blood donations took on her physically provided the audience with an obvious parallel to the emotional and mental toll that her work had on her, and the culmination of her physical, mental, and emotional abuse resulted in what we believed to be her passing out towards the end of the movie.  This was bittersweet; what ensued was pivotal.  As Ermo was once again selling her famous twisted noodles, it was made clear to the audience what is important in life.

This movie, like most of the other movies we watch in class, gave me a better idea of what exactly life was, and in a sense, is, like in rural China.  The imagery was very descriptive, and the blunt, raw emotion really presented the movie's points quite clearly.

Michael

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AUTHOR: robert
TITLE: Thanksgiving
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DATE: 11/19/2004 11:00:31 AM
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I was curious if anyone had any idea if there exists a holiday like Thanksgiving in East Asian culture where people can be grateful for all of the opportunities, family and even material goods they possess.  I am skeptical of the existence only because I feel like society tells each person that they are responsible for their own success in all their endeavors.  Just a thought.

--Bob

ps.  happy thanksgiving
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AUTHOR: Amanda G
EMAIL: agriggs@bgnet.bgsu.edu
IP: 129.1.33.67
URL: http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/asia/asianst.htm
DATE: 11/22/2004 02:06:33 PM
You can find a decent list of Japanese holidays here. There are a few holidays that give *thanks* for labor and culture, but none of them seem to promote the individual. Instead, most Japanese holidays seem to promote the celebration of different social groups, like Children's Day, Coming of Age Day, and Respect for the Aged Day. Labour Thanksgiving is a just a day to celebrate labour, rather than labourers. I do not really know any of the holidays in other East Asian countries.

(I am not in this class, but found this page while looking for information on Chushingura. I am an Asian Studies major at Bowling Green State University, in Bowling Green, OH.)
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AUTHOR: HAB
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.128
URL: 
DATE: 11/29/2004 08:34:38 AM
comments set to "closed"
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AUTHOR: HAB
EMAIL: blackmerh@wlu.edu
IP: 137.113.104.128
URL: 
DATE: 11/29/2004 08:48:16 AM
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AUTHOR: owingsj
TITLE: Thanksgiving
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DATE: 11/29/2004 08:34:16 PM
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In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I found a site with the literal account of the <a href="http://members.aol.com/calebj/mourt6.html">first Thanksgiving</a>. If you click around on some of the links, you can also find what the pilgrims actually had available to eat (and actually probably did eat) as opposed to some of the traditional foods we associate with Thanksgiving.  Further, I found out that FDR changed the actual day from the last Thursday in November to the fourth, in order to preserve a sufficient amount of time between it and Christmas.

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AUTHOR: letisha
TITLE: Project Question
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DATE: 11/30/2004 07:43:53 AM
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Random question, for our project are we supposed to create an entirely new set of web pages using our logfiles, books etc.?
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AUTHOR: carlos
TITLE: Prostitution?
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DATE: 11/30/2004 07:37:27 PM
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After reading a few of the reviews that Hugh's site linked to concerning the "real" meaning behind the film we watched today, I have to wonder if I watched the same film.  I understood the argument that the word used to describe the type of bath house that the girl works in translates into brothel, but I still think it's a stretch to say that the film is about prostitution.  I also saw the interview with a man who I guess is the producer who claimed that the film was a warning to those girls in Japan who were becoming "whores" more and more every day.  If that is really the message he wanted to get across, I think he should have been much more direct, because I thought of the film as a story, not a message of impending doom.   Maybe that will change in the rest of the movie, or maybe I missed something, but I can't really figure out how Chihiro is in any way similar to a prostitute.
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AUTHOR: collinsa
TITLE: A Cartoon?
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DATE: 11/30/2004 08:19:03 PM
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To be honest, I think that I have enjoyed this film the most of those we have viewed this term.  This surprised me because I typically steer clear of cartoons. For one reason or another, however, this cartoon has particularly piqued my interest. The entire first half of the movie I was blown away by the imaginative storyline and animation. (It reminds me of the creativity J.K. Rowling supplied in her Harry Potter Novels.) I wonder who thought of this idea and what provoked he/she to do so? Especially the scenes in the castle where Yabuba lives, the animation is incredible. In fact, its almost realistic. Additionally, the color is striking vivid.  Generally, Western cartoons involve a slow/predictable storyline. I think of the <i>Little Mermaid</i>: boys meets girl, separation is experienced, obstacles are overcome, and a happy ending is enjoyed by all. Who knows how this film will conclude, but I'm looking forward to finding out.

Kristin
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AUTHOR: matt
TITLE: Kami
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DATE: 11/30/2004 08:23:06 PM
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I found it interesting that the protagonist, Sen, distressed the Kami simply by being in a certain place. It seems from past classes I have taken that Kami, whether heavenly of earthly, are present in their places at all times (and not simply arriving with nightfall). However, I guess if they can be anything that inspires reverence, fear, gratitude, or awe nightfall could certainly be associated with many of these. I was a little confused as to why all the Kami (even those depicted clearly as catfish or other discernable animals would take offense. I'd also be interested to see how Sen appeases (I'm assuming she does) the Kami in the end.  
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AUTHOR: tim
TITLE: Strange behavior
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DATE: 12/01/2004 09:29:14 AM
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I found the behavior and the costumes of the kami to be very strange.  Is it part of shintoism that the kami can only come out at night?  It seemed that the whole atmosphere of the abondoned amusement park changed.  Once it became dark, the street lights started to illuminate and the presence of the kami was very clear.  The environment seemed to become very hostile to humans.  Is this a part of the kami culture to haunt and dislike humans?  Another part that I thought was different was the portrayal of the kami.  For the most part, the kami seemed to resemble animals and I thought that this might be a part of their culture.  Other figures were pretty much indescribable.  Overall, I found this film the most ineteresting that we have seen yet.  The cartoon style in addressing the kami is a great way to describe it in my opinion.  Look forward to seeing how Sen deals with the kami and if she is reunited with her parents.

-tim
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AUTHOR: blackmer
TITLE: Comments now OFF
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DATE: 12/01/2004 09:50:22 AM
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...which makes it a bit chancy to REPLY. A few comments on the three posts from yesterday, giving <i>my</i> takes on the subjects raised. These aren't the last word, just what I think at the moment:<blockquote>Matt says that Sen/Chihiro "distressed the Kami simply by being in a certain place", but I think it's the <i>bathhouse attendants</i> who are distressed, and they're not kami (just what they are is a bit mysterious, but certainly the human-looking ones like Lin aren't really human). The guests (i.e., the kami) are mostly oblivious (except for that giant radish-person who helps Sen/Chihiro in the elevator), and bent solely on pleasure. The rest of what Matt says about kami is entirely in keeping with what I know... <p>
Kristin wonders about what lies behind the animation, and it's Miyazaki his own very, very self. The DVD has a second disk with "making-of" stuff that's pretty interesting, and anybody who'd like to watch that is welcome to borrow it from me.<p>
Carlos says of one of the commenters: "I have to wonder if I watched the same film..." Always an interesting problem, with just about <i>any</i> material: <i>are</i> there subtexts, hidden meanings, alternate takes on significance, or is the thing what it appears to be? What a wonderful question for Anthropology. Sometimes the realities are hidden from us by language barriers (e.g., the question of which <i>kind</i> of bathhouse this one is...), or cultural elaborations/nuances that we're not equipped to appreciate. What do others think? </blockquote>
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AUTHOR: owingsj
TITLE: Pinocchio, Troll 2, etc.
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DATE: 12/01/2004 04:27:21 PM
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I'm not sure if anyone else felt like they had seen a movie before where several people had consumed something and it caused them to turn into something awful, but this situation seemed very familiar.  After thinking hard for awhile, I remembered that Pinocchio almost turns into a donkey after being corrupted by his new friend Lampwick.  These types of situations inevitably involve someone encouraging a friend (in Sen's case a family member) to do the wrong thing.  Pinocchio smokes the cigar but doesn't drink the beer, which explains why he only turns into part donkey.  Sen doesn't eat anything and therefore never turns into a pig.  Pinocchio critics are careful to applaud Disney for keeping Lampwick's human clothes on as he turns into a donkey, in order to maintain the suspension of disbelief.  Similarly, Sen's Dad possesses a pig-like body shape at the start of the movie, and both the Mom and Dad keep their clothes on after turning into pigs.  Some of you may also be familiar with the horribly construed yet hilarious movie <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105643/">Troll 2</a>.  In the movie, evil goblins disguised as humans persuade mortals to eat a green liquid, also disguised in many forms, that poisons them and turns them into cholorophyll (the goblins favorite food).  "Spirited Away" shares the same disgust with humans that the goblins do.
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Question-who is the giant white blob that takes Sen to Yabuba?  Is he a guest, oblivious to the humans, or is he escorting Sen?  Also, what is the signficance of the guests' animal costumes?  Are they the gods of that animal?
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AUTHOR: julianne
TITLE: More Kami Stuff, and Prostitution Comment
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DATE: 12/01/2004 06:19:06 PM
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I am also a bit confused by the Kami in the film.  Why do some appear to be human? And why are the others depicted as non-human? If they represent different things, then why do some of them look the same?

Furthermore, I am puzzled by the role of Yubaba.  I have seen this film before, but I do not quite understand how she fits in, and what her cultural significance is.  Does she represent an "evil" kami, and are they common? Or is she just made up for the film?

As for the comment Carlos posted, I agree that it is difficult to see any reference to prostitution in the film, but I do agree with Prof. Blackmer that much of what we see is lost in translation.  For example, the Tomohiro Machiyama article explains this:
In this movie, the spa workers are called "Yuna" in Japanese. If you happened to have a Japanese dictionary, please refer the word. Iwanami Dictionary of Japanese defines "Yuna" as "a female spa worker who provides massage, and sex".   And Haku tells Chihiro that the only way to survive there and get back her parents is to work there like the other girls
I think if you look at ideas like that keep in mind that the concept of the bathhouses is foreign to use, it may be more understandable that it is difficult for us to see the subtle clues infused in the movie.

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AUTHOR: clint
TITLE: spirited away's commentary on japan
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DATE: 12/02/2004 02:39:41 PM
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Miyazaki's movies have always had underlying critiques on japan's new economy goals... with Spirited Away... you see a modern japanese family go into a place they arent supposed to be... if they were truly shinto believers they would have noticed the guardian stones that serve as warnings... Chihiro even gets scared by one... Then they assume they are in an old amusement park... a relic of the time when japan tried to imitate the United States by rushing their economy... a great commentary on the globalization of Japan and the harm it caused its own culture is Dogs and Demons. When they enter the spirit world, her parents steal from the kami and turn into hogs... this is very interesting because in Japan there aren't that many hogs and they do not eat that much pork... I think this is Miyazaki's way of showing how the japanese are wanting to be like the western civilizations... Yuma Baba, the sorceress of the bath house is a commentary on State shinto which failed miserably after the WWII... i believe she is the adaptation of Amatarasu... Miyazaki has always been very critical of State Shinto because, as far as i can tell, he thinks it was create so the rich could gain more power... to support this conclusion all you have to do is wacth Princess Mononoke where the emperor (state shinto) tries to kill a wonderful kind forest spirit (natural shinto)... In spirited away you will see Miyazaki's hope for the future... if japan trains its children in the traditional ways, they have a chance of saving the past, but thats later on in the movie.
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AUTHOR: ted
TITLE: Kami in Chihiro
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DATE: 12/02/2004 02:41:45 PM
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I am also puzzled about the Kami in the film.  Most of it can probably be attributed to the fact that we are only halfway through the movie.  However, the various forms that the Kami in the film take is confusing.  Some have enormous heads while others appear as ghosts and others look like humans.  There seems to be a hierarchy among the Kami since Yubaba is the head sorceress.  I also have questions about the origins of the Kami, since they seem to have human characteristics such as anger, frustration, sympathy, etc., does this mean they were human at one point?  I suspect we will soon find out.  Lastly, are the "working soot" Kami as well or are they only a biproduct of magic performed by the man with many arms working in the boiler room?  Perhaps he is the work of some magic as well.
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AUTHOR: carlos
TITLE: Unresolved issues
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DATE: 12/02/2004 08:33:34 PM
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Is it me, or did that movie leave a ton of things completely unresolved?  I expected some explanation about the guy with all of the arms being Chihiro's grandfather, but nothing ever came.  I also thought that maybe at some point we were going to figure out why Len treated Chihiro so nicely when everyone else seemed to despise her at the start of her working career.  Again, that must not be too important, because nothing ever really came of it.  These are a few of the things that bothered me most.
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AUTHOR: john
TITLE: Spirited Away
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DATE: 12/03/2004 09:56:30 AM
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I thought this film was very good but also had some questions about it.  Why were some Gods allowed into the bath house and some not?  Why was No-face nice to Sen but wanted to eat everyone else?  I also thought about the issue of prostitution.  To me, I saw some instances that prostitution could be occurring but it never seemed like this was in any way Sen's job.
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AUTHOR: shari
TITLE: comment on the movie
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DATE: 12/03/2004 10:14:46 AM
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Like others, I also have many questions about the movie.    Questions about Yubaba and her twin sister/other half who Chihiro called "granny", Chihiro and Haku's relationship, the man with the multiple arms and who he was before, etc.  Despite my confusion, I enjoyed the movie.  I liked that Chihiro, the child, was the one who realized that eating the food would lead to negative consequences and that in the end she was the one to save her parents.  I also found it very interesting that taking away their real name was like taking away their true identity.  Whenever someone wakes up from unconsciousness or loses their memory, the first question that he or she is asked is "Do you know your name?".  So I liked the fact that their name was connected to their identity. 

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AUTHOR: shari
TITLE: Karaoke article in Wash. Post
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DATE: 12/03/2004 10:20:31 AM
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Also this is totally off the present topic, but there is a short article in the Washington Post about Karaoke.  It was in Sunday's Style section and it discussed "noraebang" which is a Korean pastime and literary means "singing room".  It mentioned how these noraebongs, private karaoke rooms, are located in areas with large Asian populations and serve a predominantly Asian clientele.  Anyway, maybe this could help Bob's karaoke project.  It can be found at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11901-2004Nov25.html

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AUTHOR: dan
TITLE: Chihiro/Sen
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DATE: 12/03/2004 01:11:13 PM
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Like others, I found this movie to be quite amazing but strangely unfulfilling.  While I have never really gotten into "japanime", this movie made me want to look into it further.  The animation, which was as hot as Megan Brooks, really made me pay attention to the story, even though I did not quite understand it or where it was taking me.  For example, what did the huge slime mold represent, and why did Sen have such luck with it in the big bath?  Also, what did the huge baby in Yubaba's care have to do with the story at all?  Either way, it was a great movie with quite a visual display.
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AUTHOR: tim
TITLE: Comments on movie
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DATE: 12/03/2004 03:21:25 PM
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Before watching this movie, I had never really seen a full japanimation movie before.  I never really thought that I would like it, but after watching this movie.  More questions arose in my mind than were answerered after watching this film.  How are the character descriptions related to Shintoism or are they random depictions of the gods?  There seemed to be an influence on animals in the movie.  Many of the characters in this movie were depicted as animals and it seems as if in Shintoism there is an influence on animals.  I wonder how the animals are revered in that religion.  Also, the animation in this movie was very well done.  What is the difference between the ghosts that appear at night and the other characters in the bath house?  Anyway, I enjoyed this movie and it has sparked my interest in such japanimation films.

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AUTHOR: collinsa
TITLE: Spirited Away
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DATE: 12/05/2004 03:19:31 PM
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Japanese animation takes a much more creative approach than what I've found of Western animation. For instance, many of the characters were not only incredibly detailed, but also oddly creative. In fact, I noticed that many of the characters resembled some of the characters in Japanese plays, art, and film. In my Japanese Literature class, we've seen various masks, paintings, and sculptures that resemble the animated one's in "Spirited Away." Seemingly, some of the supernatural beings, particularly the demonic characters, are portrayed in the same way throughout their culture. 
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AUTHOR: owingsj
TITLE: Spirited Away
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DATE: 12/06/2004 12:56:47 PM
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The movie revolved around the oft-used premise that prostitution stems from desperation.  Sen seeks employment because she's told that there is no other way for her to live.  However, as we all know, prostitution is much like gambling- its the last thing you want to involve yourself in at a time of desperation.  If Sen's employment parallels this type of desperation, has she been tricked or do you think its really the only way for her to live and hope to rescue her parents? 
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