FU

Mapping East Asia

FUKUZAWA YUKICHI & KAFU NAGAI

Presenter: Anh Nguyen

September 8th, 2015

PORT OF YOKOHAMA (1859)

JAPAN IN 1903

AUTHORS Fukuzawa Yukichi 

January 10, 1835 – February 3, 1901)Kafū Nagai 

December 3, 1879 - April 30, 1959

BOOKS

WHAT’S COMMON?

FUKUZAWA YUKICHI

Edo period (1600–1868)

NAKATSU

CONFUCIAN CLASSICS

“When a person's nature cannot find free expression, he will inevitably become envious of others (…) Confucius may have had the reputation of being a sage, but he did not understand this principle”

(An encouragement of learning)

1853: The arrival of the United States, Yukichi came to Nagasaki (then one of the few areas in Japan with connections to the West) to study

Western military techniques.

TRIPS ABROAD

TO US TO EUROPE

TRIP TO US (1953)

PORT OF YOKOHAMA (1859)

THINGS WESTERN

- "precious carpet for floor cover" - Waste of iron, high

expense of life - People care less about

power: "I wished that everyone could be like this American lady who thanked one for the gift of gold and silver with a bouquet of flowers."

NATIONALISM

“I felt thoroughly discouraged…What hope for the future of Japan as long as our people showed this foolish pride, keeping aloof from the actual give-and-take of the rest of the world ? The more this movement of Expel-the-Foreigners increased, the more would we lose our national power, to say nothing of prestige."

A NON-PARTISAN IN THE

RESTORATION“It does seem that my mind was rather childlike, perfectly innocent of all worldly ambitions.“

“It is not in my nature to exert myself with the expectation of reward. If this is disagreeable to them, let them dismiss me. I shall obey the order and get out.”

“"My students were too precious (…) I did not consider the right or wrong of the conflict. I simply said it was not the kind of activity that students should take part in.“

"really they don't have brains to think with, nor did they seem to have much physical vigor either." "inwardly, I think little of them."

A PASSIONATE EDUCATOR

“Yet I was Japanese and I could not sit still. If can't do anything for politics, at least can do something by teaching Western culture…. So helpless but resolute, I took my stand alone.“

“Dire, helpless state of mind. No one that I can talk over my anxiety.”

CRUCIAL WORKS AT CRUCAL TIMES

ONE OF THE FATHERS OF MODERN JAPAN

LIFE-LONG PHILOSOPHY?

NAKATSU

A NON-PARTISAN IN THE

RESTORATION“It does seem that my mind was rather childlike, perfectly innocent of all worldly ambitions.“

“It is not in my nature to exert myself with the expectation of reward. If this is disagreeable to them, let them dismiss me. I shall obey the order and get out.”

“"My students were too precious (…) I did not consider the right or wrong of the conflict. I simply said it was not the kind of activity that students should take part in.“

"really they don't have brains to think with, nor did they seem to have much physical vigor either." "inwardly, I think little of them."

"Do not turn red by touching blood““Never show joy or anger in face”

"If you say so, Mother, I have nothing to fear. I don’t need to care what people say.“

“a man should determine his own conduct? You have entered  the government service because you wanted to do

so, and I admire you for it. I am staying out because I don't like the service. The principle is the same.”

NAGAI KAFU (1879-1959)

AUTHORS Fukuzawa Yukichi 

January 10, 1835 – February 3, 1901)Kafū Nagai 

December 3, 1879 - April 30, 1959

BOOKS

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!