Ancient Canon Peripheries

This WHC working group meets bimonthly to discuss reading selections centering on ancient Japanese myths, historical episodes, and songs/poems hearkening back to an eroding oral tradition, centering on texts such as the Kojiki, Nihon shoki, and Fudoki. Some example themes are canon studies and peripheral texts, the function of myth, oral and written narrative, historical uses of myth, and myth and modernity. We will also study the peculiarities of writing in the time before the establishment of native script. Creative approaches to the texts are encouraged, including creative writing or work through or in translation. This group meets every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the term. The 2nd session will be held on October 6th from 4:30-5:30pm in SML 218. 

 

This session, we plan to read parts of Book One of the Kojiki, sing some saibara songs, look at the Fudoki, and contemplate the issues around “foundational mythologies.”In upcoming sessions, we will delve into some juicy inscription issues, explore Yayoi culture, crush on Empress Himiko, and read excerpts from The Chronicles of Wei, among studying and discussing other serious scholarly topics.

 

Our first session will be next Thursday, September 22 from 4:30-5:30pm in SML 218 and we will serve some sort of delicious refreshment worthy of the conception of the Land of the Rising Sun.