DOCSLIB.ORG

An Eastern Approach to Motor Skill Acquisition And

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
An Eastern Approach to Motor Skill Acquisition And AN EASTERN APPROACH TO MOTOR SKILL ACQUISITION AND PERFORMANCE by MICHAEL J. CANIC B.P.E., The University of British Columbia, 1981 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES (School of Physical Education and Recreation) We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA October 1983 © Michael J. Canic, 1983 In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the Head of my Department or by his or her representatives. It Is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Department of Education (School of Physical Education and Recreation) The University of British Columbia 1956 Main Mall Vancouver, Canada V6T 1Y3 Date October 11, 1983 ABSTRACT This thesis investigates an Eastern approach to the acquisition and performance of motor skills. Zen Buddhism, due to the influence that Indian, Chinese and Japanese thinkers have had upon its development, is representative of a general Eastern world view. The epistemological and metaphysical foundations which underlie an Eastern view provide a context for skill acquisition and performance that is uncommon for most Western thinkers. In the Zen context, the only goal of phenomenal existence is to realize the Unified Ultimate Reality. The "Zen Skill" is an approach to life that is logically consistent with the philosophical assumptions which underlie Zen. The practice and performance of a motor skill is merely an avenue through which one may acquire or express the Zen Skill. Thus, an Eastern approach is more than just a method for acquiring skill, it is an expression of a distinct world view. The role of the learner, in this context, is to acquire the Zen Skill by practicing the motor skill with a "detached mind". The role of the instructor is a subtle one; it is simply directed towards the learner's realization of the True Reality. The Zen Skill is not "acquired" through a learning process since an Eastern view precludes the recognition of temporal distinctions. Rather, the Zen Skill is realized. The distinctions suggested in the structure of this thesis - namely, the skill, the learner, the instructor and the learning process - are - iii - only one representation of reality, and further, an illusory representation to one who has become "skilled" in the Eastern context. - iv - TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vi ABBREVIATIONS vii Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 1 Origin of the Topic 3 Rationale 4 Limitations 5 Notes • 8 2 THE DEVELOPMENT AND FOUNDATIONS OF ZEN 9 The Development of Zen 9 The traditional account 12 The scholarly account 14 Philosophical Foundations of Zen 17 Summary 24 Notes 26 3 THE NATURE OF THE SKILL 28 "Skill" in the West 28 The Zen Skill 29 Results of Performance 30 Technical and Spiritual Skill 35 The Martial Arts as an Expression of the Zen Skill... 36 Summary 38 Notes 39 4 THE ROLE OF THE INSTRUCTOR 40 What is Taught 40 How it is Taught 41 The Evaluation of Performance 46 The Instructor/Student Relationship 47 Summary 51 Notes 53 - v - Page 5 THE ROLE OF THE LEARNER 54 The Detached Mind 54 The Process of Centering 58 The Learner's Approach to the Martial Arts 59 Summary 62 Notes 63 6 THE NATURE OF THE LEARNING PROCESS 64 Temporal Considerations 64 Learning as a Process 67 Learning as a Process of "Elimination" 67 Characteristics of the Learning Process 69 Learning as a Process of "Returning" 71 Summary 72 Notes 74 7 CONCLUSIONS 75 Notes 77 REFERENCES 78 - vi - ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to those who have guided me, assisted me and supported me throughout my current academic program. My thesis committee members, Dr. Morford, Dr. Iida and Dr. Brown have each provided me with guidance, support and the kind of open-minded attitude that is prerequisite for a thesis of this type. To them I offer my sincere thanks and appreciation. My thesis committee chairman, Dr. Bob Sparks, has endured countless hours of discussions, reading and revising so that this final product may be realized. His continual support has helped me to overcome the doubts that inevitably arise during the preparation of a thesis such as this. My gratitude and debt to him are beyond words. Finally, I wish to express my appreciation to my family who have offered their unconditional support throughout my academic career. - vii - ABBREVIATIONS Ch., Chinese Jap., Japanese Skt., Sanskrit - 1 - CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION My use of the designation, "An Eastern Approach", in the title of this thesis, implies that there is no single approach which may be said to be representative of Eastern world thought. Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and Shintoism for example, each possess a distinct view of the world. With this in mind, I have chosen in this thesis to investigate a Zen Buddhist approach to skill acquisition. Zen, historically, has been allied with physical activities (e.g., the martial arts, swordsmanship, archery) and it does serve to represent general Eastern views as a whole. The seeds of the Zen school are found, of course, in Indian Buddhism. After Buddhism was introduced into China, the "Ch'an school" (which was the Chinese precursor of Zen) emerged and began to carve an identity for itself. The subsequent interaction of Ch'an with the Japanese culture ultimately yielded the Zen Buddhism that we know today. Thus, perhaps more than any other system of thought, Zen is truly an "Eastern" philosophy having been influenced by Indian, Chinese and Japanese thinkers. Any "approach" to motor skill acquisition is dependent upon underlying philosophical assumptions. These assumptions reflect how we structure and represent the world around us. More specifically, they help to provide us with some type of answer to fundamental questions such as, "What is the nature of reality?", "What is the nature of the universe", "What is the nature of being?", "What is the nature of - 2 - knowledge?", and "How is it that we may acquire knowledge about things?" Accordingly, the task of this thesis is to investigate these assumptions in the area of skill acquisition within the context of Zen. This thesis is directed towards an audience that is concerned with theories and approaches to performance. A "Zen approach" assumes a particular paradigm within which motor skill acquisition and performance takes place. To direct this thesis towards an audience concerned with skill acquisition and performance in its own right would be to realize the danger of presenting the content to those who might not adopt a similar paradigm. In his landmark work, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Thomas Kuhn writes, ". the proponents of competing paradigms practice their trades in different worlds." » The assumptions which underlie opposing paradigms are simply unacceptable to one another. Thus, there is no common starting point from which communication may develop. The famous Taoist text, the Chuang Tzu, helps to illustrate: Jo of the North Sea said, "You can't discuss the ocean with a well frog - he's limited by the space he lives in. You can't discuss ice with a summer insect - he's bound to a single season. You can't discuss the Way with a cramped scholar - he's shackled by his doctrines.3 Therefore, I am directing this discourse not to those who are engaged in any of the paradigms for skill acquisition and performance, but rather, to those who have stepped outside of those worlds and are willing to examine different paradigms for what they are. - 3 - Although the focus here is on "motor skill" acquisition and performance, it will be shown that the real skill being acquired is the "Zen Skill" - an approach to life itself. A Zen approach is ultimately concerned with the realization of a specific view of reality. The performance of a motor skill is only one avenue by which this higher understanding may be attained and subsequently expressed. To provide a familiar and easily understood framework, the topic is systematically structured according to common divisions in the field of motor skill acquisition. These include: the nature of the skill, the role of the instructor, the role of the learner, and the nature of the learning process. Of course, it will be demonstrated that the distinctions suggested by this structure are only one representation of reality, and further, an illusory representation to one who has become "skilled" in the Eastern context. Origin of the Topic The impetus for the selection of this thesis topic comes from my interest in skill acquisition, my interest in Eastern philosophy and the martial arts, and my discontent with the literature that allegedly explains or infers an Eastern approach to acquiring skill. From my interest in skill acquisition and the research methods in skill acquisition has developed the belief that our Western world materialist/reductionist approach to investigation, while providing us with objective and quantifiable measures of performance and underlying processes, is limited in that it ignores certain less quantifiable processes that may also affect performance. - 4 - My study of Eastern philosophy, on the other hand, has helped me to realize some fundamental problems with the body of literature, most commonly the Inner Athlete literature, that claims to provide us with an Eastern approach to skill acquisition. The major fault, as I see it, is that the suggested approaches conveniently partition out the "method" of an Eastern approach and apply it to skill acquisition while abandoning the epistemological and metaphysical foundations upon which that method is based.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Nothing Transcended
    Nothing Transcended An examination of the metaphysical implications of interdependence Justin Shimeld, BA (Hons) Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Tasmania April 2012 This thesis contains no material which has been accepted for a degree or diploma by the University or any other institution, except by way of background information and duly acknowledged in the thesis, and to the best of the my knowledge and belief no material previously published or written by another person except where due acknowledgement is made in the text of the thesis, nor does the thesis contain any material that infringes copyright. Signed: Date: Justin Shimeld 2 This thesis may be made available for loan and limited copying in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968. 3 Acknowledgements I would like to thank my supervisors for all their help and support - Jeff Malpas for his feedback and insightful suggestions, Wayne Hudson for helping me to find my way and Sonam Thakchoe for all his time and wisdom. It was Sonam’s presence and attitude which inspired me to look further into Buddhism and to investigate a way out of the ‘nihilism’ of my Honours project – research which became the foundation of this thesis. I would also like to thank my two anonymous examiners for their helpful comments. A special thanks to David O’Brien, a master whose interests and drive for knowledge are unbound by any field. He has taught me so much and also read my draft, giving invaluable feedback, particularly, with regard to my use of commas, grammatical clarification! I am indebted to my friends and colleagues at the School of Philosophy at UTas who created a rich atmosphere provoking thought across diverse subjects, through papers, seminars and conversations.
    [Show full text]
  • Goal Systems International “Constructing and Communicating Common Sense™”
    Goal Systems International “Constructing and Communicating Common Sense™” STRATEGIC NAVIGATION by H. William Dettmer INTRODUCTION People use the word “strategy” to connote a wide variety of meanings. (Figure 1) The word’s origin is military, dating back to Sun Tzu in the fifth century BC. But even in modern times, it’s most often associated with military leaders such as Clausewitz, Moltke, and Liddell Hart. Nearly all military definitions of strategy involve objec-tives, winning, application of resources, and execution of policy. The commercial business community tends “What’s your strategy for finding a job?” to see strategy almost exclusively in terms of marketing or finance. Michael Porter’s famous “What’s our strategy for getting this project done on time?” “low-cost leader versus differentiation” concept “What’s your strategy for getting your spouse to agree to was the basis of his landmark book, our golf trip to Las Vegas?” Competitive Advantage [1], the virtual bible of business schools for many years. “What’s the strategy for turning around the slumping economy?” But it would be a mistake to relate the “What’s our strategy for winning the game next Sunday?” concept of strategy to any particular type of organization. The real relationship is between “What strategy should we use to introduce this new strategy and systems. What this means will product to the market?” become clear momentarily. “What’s your strategy for getting Nadine to go out on a date Historically, strategy has had a hierarchical with you?” position. Militarily, tactics are the purview of Figure 1. What Is Strategy? small units.
    [Show full text]
  • The Confucian Elements in the Book of Five Rings 1
    The Confucian Elements in the Book of Five Rings 1 ACTA ASIATICA VARSOVIENSIA No. 27, 2014 PL ISSN 08606102 EMIL CIECIEL¥G The Confucian Elements in the Book of Five Rings Abstract Confucianism arrived in Japan at the beginning of the fifth century A.D. Confucianism influenced the growth of feudalism and the creation of bushidô, the code of moral principles and an inspiration for Japanese warriors. Miyamoto Musashi was one of the most famous samurai in Japanese history. He established the Niten Ichi Ryû kendô school. In the Book of Five Rings, Musashi set down his own principles, in the belief that each of his students should live by them. Some Confucian elements were included in the Book of Five Rings. Confucianism appeared in Japan in 402 AD with the Analects of Confucius.1 Confucianism probably had a strong influence on the development of the Bushidô, the unwritten collection of warriors moral rules.2 Thus, Confucian ethics soon became the framework for the education of samurai. This article makes an attempt to discern the crucial Confucian elements existing in the Gorin-no Sho (The Book of Five Rings), a work written by one of the most renowned Japanese warriors. The principles contained in the Dokkôdô (The Way to be Followed Alone) will serve as a guide here. Throughout the article the traditional Hepburn transcription3 has been applied. The goal of this article is to present the Confucian elements in the Book of Five Rings. Confucianism is a system of teachings started by Confucius, and continued by his students.4 According to Confucius, each person should live according to the Way of Heaven.5 This means the procedure of moral norms, such as obedience to parents, kindness, righteousness and loyalty6.
    [Show full text]
  • Kathleen Dean Moore
    Shambhala spring 2010 SHAMBHALA PUBLICATIONS Trade Catalogue including Trumpeter Books and Shambhala Audio ▼ P ROMOTION • SPRING 2010 • • • • TRUMPETER BOOKS P ROMOTION • • • • • DECEMBER NEW IN HARDCOVER Love Haiku Japanese Poems of Yearning, Passion, and Remembrance Patricia Donegan othing expresses love better than poetry, and no poetry Ndoes it better than haiku. A whole world of passion can be contained in those three short lines. This color-illustrated treasury contains some of the most thrilling and sensuous haiku ever composed—beginning with works by the form’s original An exquisite collection masters, Basho, Buson, and Issa and going all the way to con- temporary Japanese haiku poets, many of whom are translated of haiku and Japanese art here in English for the fi rst time. The book features full-color celebrating the poignant reproductions throughout of the evocative paintings of the art- moments that exemplify ist Kamisaka Sekka (1866–1942), which blend traditional mo- love. tifs with Western ones. This lovely volume is the perfect gift for one lover to give another—you don’t even need to be a po- etry lover. Even people who don’t like poetry, like haiku. Poetry 5 ½ x 6 ¼, 240 pages the irises— 4-color throughout I break off a stem $16.00 hardcover and go to my love (Canada $19.95) —Kiyoko Uda ISBN 978-1-59030-629-1 Shambhala On sale December 29, 2009 Foreign rights: Shambhala P ROMOTION • Valentine’s Day gift campaign Patricia Donegan teaches creative writing at Keio University in Tokyo and is the author of Haiku Mind. For a decade she taught East-West Poetry at Naropa University, in the writing department’s early years under Allen Ginsberg and Chögyam Trungpa.
    [Show full text]
  • Foreign Policy Research Institute
    Foreign Policy Research Institute FOOTNOTES Vol. 12, No.21 The Newsletter of the Marvin Wachman Fund for International Education October 2007 WAR AND THE EAST By Andrew R. Wilson Andrew R. Wilson is Professor of Strategy and Policy at the venue for the West’s wars or to reduce Asian strategic U.S. Naval War College. This essay is based on his address at cultures, military traditions and experiences with war to FPRI’s History Institute for Teachers, “Teaching Military stereotypes or simply the antithesis of the Western History: Why and How,” held at the First Division Museum in experience. Better is to look at War and the East as Wheaton, Illinois and co-sponsored by the Cantigny First primarily an indigenous phenomenon. Division Foundation. Core support for the History Institute is In our own times, crises in the Middle East and Central provided by The Annenberg Foundation; support for this Asia, the rise of China and India, the future of Japan and weekend conference was provided by a group of FPRI the resolution of the Korean stand-off will be defining events trustees, including W. W. Keen Butcher, Robert L. Freedman, of the twenty-first century. Not only has the U.S. shifted its Bruce H. Hooper, and John M. Templeton, Jr. A conference military assets decisively from the West to the East, but the report, videotapes, and other papers are being posted at: military competition and dynamism that once characterized http://www.fpri.org/education/ teachingmilitaryhistory/ Europe have been supplanted by an apparent rush to Teaching East Asian, South Asian or Middle Eastern demilitarize, whereas in Asia opposite trends are emerging.
    [Show full text]
  • Once Upon a Time in Japan (NHK), Japan Broadcas Ng Corpo
    cover tle author isbn13 num pages date pub Once Upon a Time in Japan (NHK), Japan 9784805313596 120 pp Sep 22, 2015 Broadcasng Corpo T is for Tokyo Akio, Irene 9781934159231 36 pp Jun 01, 2010 The 47 Ronin Story Allyn, John 9780804838276 224 pp 1970 The Tale of the Bamboo Anonymous 9784770023292 180 pp 900 Cuer Peacebound Trains Balgassi, Haemi 9780395720936 48 pp Aug 16, 1996 The Osamu Tezuka Story: A Ban, Toshio 9781611720259 928 pp Jul 12, 2016 Life in Manga and Anime Buddha in the Garden Bouchard, David 9781551924526 32 pp May 03, 2002 So Far from the Sea Bunng, Eve 9780395720950 32 pp Apr 20, 1998 Tang Monk Disciples Chen, Debby 9781572270862 unknown unknown Monkey King: English/Chinese Monkey King wreaks havoc Chen, Debby 29 pp Aug 05, 2015 in Heaven: Bilingual - English and Tradional Chinese Characters (Adventures of Monkey King Book 2) Three Kingdoms, Volume Chen, Wei Dong 9788994208893 176 pp Aug 01, 2015 01: Heros and Chaos (Three Kingdoms, #1) cover tle author isbn13 num pages date pub Monkey King: Birth of the Chen, Wei Dong 9788994208459 176 pp Sep 01, 2012 Stone Monkey Echoes of the White Giraffe Choi, Sook Nyul 9780440409700 144 pp 1993 Behind the Mask Choi, Yangsook * 9780374305222 40 pp 2006 The Name Jar Choi, Yangsook * 9780440417996 40 pp 2001 Peach Heaven Choi, Yangsook * 9780374357610 32 pp May 06, 2005 Sadako Coerr, Eleanor 9780399217715 48 pp Jan 01, 1977 Revoluon Is Not a Dinner Compesne, Ying 9780312581497 272 pp Aug 14, 2007 Party Chang * The Chinese Emperor's New Compesne, Ying 9781419725425 32 pp unknown Clothes
    [Show full text]
  • A Book of Five Rings
    < 'flzSKII mx n&m Hi ' Wk *mt Wvh fifu'Jf ;:':' /.v.-. tttfflM I/iluK'Av'f ssm «VTi* i V I t/r5 J 'A 1 1 ' : ' '. ''''' A BOOK OF FIVE RINGS Translated from the Japanese by VICTOR HARRIS fiv: MIYAMOTO MUSASHI TRANSLATED BY VICTOR HARRIS The Overlook Press Woodstock, New York First published in the United States of America in 1974 by The Overlook Press Lewis Hollow Road Woodstock, New York 12498 © 1974 by Victor Harris Ninth Printing All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address The Overlook Press. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 73-83986 SBN: 0-87951-018-8 Printed in the USA CONTENTS List of illustrations / vi Translator's Introduction / 1 Japan during Musashi's lifetime / 1 Kendo / 4 Kendo and Zen / 6 Concerning the life of Miyamoto Musashi / 7 The Works of Miyamoto Musashi / 23 A Book of Five Rings (Go Rin No Sho) I 3 3 Introduction / 34 The Ground Book / 37 The Water Book/ 53 The Fire Book / 69 The Wind Book/ 85 The Book of the Void/ 95 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Map of Japan during Musashi's lifetime / viii 1. A Japanese "Long Sword" and "Companion Sword" / 4 Collection: Mr. A. Stride 2. Tosei Gusoku style red-lacquered armour / 5 Collection: Mr. L.J. Anderson 3. An eighteenth-century version of a famous portrait of Musashi / 8 By courtesy of Dr. K. Sato of Nippon Bijutsu Hozon Kyokai 4.
    [Show full text]
  • The Chinese Knights-Errant in the Period from 700 to 200 B.C., Chinese Society Was Wracked by Turmoil and Internal Warfare
    2674 B.C., when the near-mythical emperor Huang Ti won an important battle using martial artists. This proto-Kung Fu seems to have consisted mainly of weapons training, but it was a regimented system of combat much like later styles. The Chinese Knights-Errant In the period from 700 to 200 B.C., Chinese society was wracked by turmoil and internal warfare. Local lords were the supreme rulers of their domains, unconcerned about the country as a whole and constantly warring with their neighbors. In these troubled times, a new group appeared - wandering warriors who traveled through the small feudal states and fought for noblemen and common- ers alike. Their strict chivalric code would have satisfied a Knight of the Round Table; they had to succor the helpless and stand for right above all things. Their lofty ideals were matched by a high degree of martial skill. The Chinese knights-errant, also known as chun-tzu or gentlemen, were said to be superb swordsmen and masters of other arts, probably including early forms of empty- hand combat. Their philosophy was shaped by Confucianism, a philosophy that promotes public service, unselfishness and impartiality. As in medieval Europe, however, the ideals of the Chinese knights were not always followed, and some historians state that they rarely lived up to their leg- endary reputation. In some instances, they became nothing more than glorified mercenaries; in others, they themselves became feudal lordlings, contributing to the problem. Still, the ideal knights became models of good behavior and set the standards for many later would-be heroes.
    [Show full text]
  • The Book of Five Rings a Graphic Novel 1St Edition Pdf, Epub, Ebook
    THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS A GRAPHIC NOVEL 1ST EDITION PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Sean Michael Wilson | 9781611800128 | | | | | The Book of Five Rings A Graphic Novel 1st edition PDF Book Then his mind should adjust accordingly. Shelve Game Master's Pack and Screen. Being a buddhist, most of what is written in the section concerning spirituality refers to principles of calmness, tranquility and spiritual balance;. Left Side and Right Side attitudes are fluid. I'd recommend this to people interested in martial arts, the Japanese "way," Japanese history, "traditional" ideas of Japanese culture, and maybe business strategy. Amazing book - if you are 16 the century samurai, otherwise limited use for its applications into a modern world. As the… More. An elevated spirit is weak and a low spirit is weak. Bushido The Soul of Japan was also written in English, which may aid its portability. Details if other :. In strategy your spiritual bearing must not be any different from normal. I realized that the purpose could save my life, that the art becomes a mode of self-defense, for harming someone who intends to harm you, perhaps even to death. The author advises to focus on the peripheral, to see everything, and not to be distracted by one focus-point. I will recommend it to advanced students, because on the whole it is a bit much for beginners. Musashi states within the volume that one should train with a long sword in each hand, thereby training the body and improving one's ability to use two blades simultaneously. Though ideas are taken from other sources, the text is predominantly seminal.
    [Show full text]
  • Excerpt: a Biography of Miyamoto Musashi from the BOOK of FIVE RINGS: a Practical Guide to Strategy by Miyamoto Musashi by Theresa M
    Excerpt: A Biography of Miyamoto Musashi from THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS: A Practical Guide To Strategy by Miyamoto Musashi by Theresa M. Moore ©2018, all rights reserved. Shinmen Musashi No Kami Fujiwara No Genshin, or Miyamoto Musashi as he is now known, was born in 1584 to a noble but somewhat middle-class family. “No Kami” means a noble person (samurai), while “Fujiwara” is the name of a noble family well known in Japan. His ancestors came from a branch of the Harima clan in Kyushu, the southern island of Japan. Hirada Shokan, his grandfather, was a retainer of Lord Shinmen Iga No Kami Sudeshige of Takeyama Castle. His mother died shortly after he was born but he was raised by his stepmother and his notoriously harsh and distant father, who was an expert with the jitte, an iron truncheon with a tongue for catching blades. In this hard and ascetic environment Musashi was led to study Kendo as an outlet for his own violent nature. He was quite tall and had facial scars from a childhood illness (measles or smallpox) that were hard to conceal. His lack of beauty, his violent life on the road and his innate paranoia at being caught unarmed in the bath conspired to make him live the life of an itinerant hobo, unkempt and unwashed most of the time, and made him a spectacle in noble circles. This in spite of the Japanese tradition of cleanliness which at the time was far beyond the grooming habits of Europeans of that period. However, he was also said to take showers under waterfalls like some Buddhist monks, so the description of his shabbiness may have been an exaggeration supplied by his growing list of both enemies and admirers.
    [Show full text]
  • 565:320 the Samurai Tradition in Japanese Literature and Film
    Rutgers University Spring 2018 565:320 The Samurai Tradition in Japanese Literature and Film Course Syllabus Lecture: TTH (1:10-2:30) Hardenbergh Hall A-6, CAC Instructor: Haruko Wakabayashi E-mail: [email protected] Office: Scott Hall Rm. 222 Office Hours: Th (10:00-12:00) or by appointment Course Description The course explores the literary and philosophical traditions of the samurai warrior in Japanese history and the ongoing meaning of those traditions in contemporary Japanese culture. Coursework consists of analysis and discussion of two canonical warrior tales, The Tale of the Heike and Chūshingura (commonly known in the Western world as the “Tale of the 47 Samurai”) and other war tales and primary sources (in translation), as well as theatrical reproductions and contemporary visual media/films on warriors and swordsmanship. All readings are in English translation. Requirements • Ten 1-page responses (3 pts. each) must be posted online on Sakai Forum before the discussion class for readings and films as indicated in the syllabus. Late posting will be accepted until the last day of each unit for a maximum of 1 point. = 30% • Eight “Film Forums” (post a question/answer a question; 2 pts. Each) must be completed within 3 days after the viewing of the film. =16% • Two 5-page Unit Papers (20 pts. each) must be submitted in word file on Sakai. = 40% • Class Participation = 14% Required Text (available for purchase at Barnes and Noble Rutgers Bookstore) • Donald Keene, Chūshingura: The Treasury of Loyal Retainers (Columbia, 1971) **All other readings will be posted on the Sakai Resources.
    [Show full text]
  • Heart of the Ronin the Ronin Trilogy: Volume I a Novel by Travis Heermann
    Heart of the Ronin The Ronin Trilogy: Volume I A Novel by Travis Heermann Heermann/Heart of the Ronin Copyright © 2009 by Travis Heerman recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the All rights reserved. express written permission of the publisher, except where permitted by law. Excerpts from Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai by Yamamoto Tsunetomo First Edition Translated by William Scott Wilson First Printing: February 2009 Copyright © 1979 and 2002 by William Scott Wilson and Kodansha International Ltd. Published in 2009 in conjunction with Tekno Books and Ed Published by Kodansha International Ltd. Gorman. Reproduced by permission. All rights reserved. Set in 11 pt. Plantin. Excerpts from The Life-Giving Sword by Yagyu Munenori Translated by William Scott Wilson Printed in the United States on permanent paper. Copyright © 2003 by William Scott Wilson and Kodansha International Ltd. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Published by Kodansha International Ltd. (attached) Reproduced by permission. All rights reserved. Excerpts from The Unfettered Mind by Takuan Soho Translated by William Scott Wilson Copyright © 1986 by William Scott Wilson and Kodansha International Ltd. Published by Kodansha International Ltd. Reproduced by permission. All rights reserved. Excerpts from The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi Translated by Nihon Services Corporation Copyright © 1982 Published by Bantam Books, a division of Random House Reproduced by permission. All rights reserved. This novel is a work of
    [Show full text]