Meiji period

EALL 211August 5, 2013

Reading quiz

• Who was Admiral Matthew Perry? (opened Japan to the west)

• Who was Fukuzawa Yukichi, and how did he view the West? (modernizer/Westernizer)

• How did Japanese men’s hairstyles change during the Meiji period? (cut topknots)

Midterm/short paper discussion

Reading discussion

• Why did Japan open its doors to the West?• How did the Japanese react?• Did all Japanese react the same way? Did

reactions change over time?

The black ships

The black ships

• United States sent Matthew Perry to open trade with Japan in 1853

• Recommended that Perry be backed with a demonstration of force

• Returned in 1854 and negotiated treaty with shōgun

Emperor Meiji (1852-1912)

• Ascended to throne at 15• Restored some power to the

throne (Meiji Restoration)• Became involved in political

affairs of Japan• Changed Edo to Tōkyō• Abolished domains of daimyō and instead

established prefectures

Westernization

Westernization

• Initial Westernization movement led by Meirokusha (明六社 , “Meiji Six Society”)– Led by Fukuzawa Yukichi

• English replaced Dutch as language of learning• America and England were the

models for Japan

Fukuzawa Yukichi

• “It is said that heaven does not create one man above or below another man. This means that when men are born from heaven they all are equal. There is no innate distinction between high and low. … The reason for this is clear. … We read that if a man does not learn he will be ignorant, and that a man who is ignorant is stupid. Therefore the distinction between wise and stupid comes down to a matter of education.”

Itō Hirobumi (1841-1909)

• Four-time prime minister• Studied in England and

Germany• Drafted Meiji Constitution in

1890 (lasted until 1947)• Resisted expansionist attitude

of Japanese military

Itagaki Taisuke (1837-1919)

• Pushed for a representative government instead of oligarchy

• “The people of Japan are all equally endowed with certain definite rights… [which] cannot be taken away by the power of any man.”

Writing/speaking reform

• Written Japanese was very different from spoken Japanese

• Government adopted standardized dialect (Tōkyō standard)

• Laws enacted reforming official written Japanese

• Education reformed to teach standardized language