The Modern Cities of East Asia Arnold J. Toynbee Had Seen in 1929
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Journal of East-Asian Urban History, Vol. 1, December 2019. pp. 7-24 https://doi.org/10.22769/JEUH.2019.1.1.7 Original Article The Modern Cities of East Asia Arnold J. Toynbee Had Seen in 1929 Young-Suk Lee Gwangju University, Rep. of Korea, Emeritus Professor E-mail: [email protected] (Received 20 April, 2019; Accepted June 12, 2019) ABSTRACT A. J. Toynbee published a book called Travel to China(1931) after traveling around the Asian continent in 1929. The book mostly focuses on Japan, China and the relationship between the two countries. Toynbee visited major cities in Japan and China by train. Most of the Japanese cities he saw were turning into modern cities in the process of spontaneous modernization mixed with its tradition. On the other hand, Chinese cities that he visited showed him various characteristics, including traditional, colonial, or semi-colonial cities. The modern cities of Japan and China in the late 1920s were transformed into various aspects under the influence of tradition, spontaneous modernization, colonial or anti-colonial modernization. How did Toynbee look at cities in East Asia? How did he recognize the relationship between tradition, modernization and colonization while visiting this area? Toynbee emphasizes the weight and influence of tradition especially in the development of modern cities in Japan and China. So, are modern European cities born out of their own traditions? Modern cities everywhere in the East and West were newly developed under the influence of tradition. Toynbee’s attitude, which emphasizes especially its tradition in the modern cities of East Asia, seems to reflect his Orientalistic view. Key Words: Arnold J. Toynbee, Coloniality, Efficiency, Imperialism, Migration, Modern city, Modernity, Tradition -7- J East-Asian Urban Hist, Vol 1, Dec 2019, pp. 7-24 Ⅰ. Toynbee’s Journey to East Asia Arnold J. Toynbee traveled round the Asian Continent for six months from July 29, 1929. His itinerary from Turkey to East Asian countries was very long. He contributed a serious of travel essays to some famous magazines, and after returning home, he collected these essays to publish a travel writing titled A Journey to China1), which focused especially on China, Japan and the relation between the two countries. What was the itinerary of his journey to East Asia? The purpose of his travel was to attend the third conference of the Institute of Pacific Relations which would be held in Kyoto between October 28 and November 9 in 1929.2) But the opportunity made him start early to explore the continent further. Toynbee traveled overland through the heart of Europe and Western Asia from London to Bombay. During his journey to Bombay, he visited the old cities and regions such as Istanbul, Damascus, Angora, Baghdad and Basra. And he took a passenger ship in Bombay. His ship visited Colombo, Penang, Singapore, Hong-Kong, Shanghai, and Kobe in order. After attending the conference he again traveled round Japan, Korea, Manchu and China, and returned home by Siberian railway train.3) Toynbee’s trip depended largely on visiting major cities of Japan and China by train. Most of the Japanese cities he had visited were becoming modern cities with their strong tradition in the process of modernization. On the other hand, cities in China and Manchu showed different characteristics. For example, Beijing has slowly been formed a modern city under the influence of the Chinese tradition. Shenyang was influenced by colonization, and at the same time, was rapidly growing with Chinese immigrants from the beginning. Some cities such as Shanghai, Dalian and Port Author were growing modern cities as foreign settlements under the initiative of European countries and Japan from the 1) A. J. Toynbee (1931), A Journey to China or Things Where Are Seen (London: Constable & Co.,). 2) The Institute of Pacific Relations established in 1925 held an international conference to discuss issues and international relations among countries around the Pacific Basin. The Ford Foundation sponsored the conference. 3) Toynbee’s itinerary as follows; Hong Kong(October 10, 1929) - Shanghai(Oct. 14-16) - Kobe(October 18) - Nara(October 19, October 22-25) - Kyoto(October 26-November 9) - Nagoya(November 10) - Tokyo(November 12) - Shimonoseki(November 13) - Pusan(November 14) - Seoul(November 15) - Shenyang(November 17- 18) - Harbin(November 20-21) - Dalian(November 23-25) - Beijing(November 27-December 13) - Tientsin and Weihaiwei(December 15-20) - Shanghai(December 23-25) - Nanjing(December 27) - Shanghai(December 29-January 2, 1930) - Kobe(January 5, 1930) - Nara(January 6-9) - Kyoto(January 10) - Vladivostok(January 11- 12) - Moscow(January 24-25) - London(January 29). -8- Young-Suk Lee, The Modern Cities of East Asia Arnold J. Toynbee Had Seen in 1929 start. Even from today’s perspective, modern cities in East Asia were transformed into diverse forms in the late 1920s under the influence of tradition, spontaneous modernization, and colonial modernization. How did Toynbee look at East Asian cities? How did he recognize tradition, modernization and colonization while visiting these cities? This paper focuses on these problems. Ⅱ. The tradition and modern cities of Japan Modern cities are representative of ‘civilization’. The origin of the word ‘civilisation’ in both English and French is related to the word ‘city’.4) Bombay, Colombo, Penang, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, where Toynbee stopped by passing through the Indian Ocean, the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea, were all newly formed modern cities by the British leadership. Toynbee, however, now visits the modern Japanese cities developed by the process of self-modernization without the involvement of Britain or other Western countries. In Kobe, Toynbee missed an express train to Kyoto three times, while immigration officials carefully examined his passport, various documents and pamphlets. In addition, due to the long customs inspection of his luggage, he was unable to catch a daytime train. He hesitated whether to leave the next day after staying in Kobe one night or to take the night train until he finally got on the night train. He hesitated to use the night train because he thought he would not be able to see the city and countryside of Japan outside windows. But when he gets on the train for Kyoto, he realizes that it is nothing more than an accident. When at last my slow train moved out of Kobe station, I no longer regretted that I was not travelling in an express by day-light. The whole country was lighted up by electricity. Kobe melted into Osaka, Osaka into Kyoto, and still the galaxy of lights stretched on without a 4) In French and English, the word ‘civilisation’ came from the Latin word ‘civilis’. This word is related to two words at the same time. One is ‘civis’ and the other is ‘civitas’. The former represents public civil life participating in politics and debating. The latter is related to urban life of the city as a place that is completely different from an agricultural village. Since the word ‘civilization’ first appeared in the mid-18th century, it has been used as a term for the level of Western European countries contrary to rural areas or barbarism in other world. In short, the self-consciousness that Europe is civilization and the other world is barbarism has been shaped. -9- J East-Asian Urban Hist, Vol 1, Dec 2019, pp. 7-24 break. Was Japan one continuous city?5) In today’s view, Toynbee traveled to the area that became Mega-polis. If a Mega-polis is the symbol of modernization, the basis of its achievement is scientific explorations and pursuits of efficiency. Japanese intellectuals in the late 19th century described their modernization as the slogan of ‘civilization and enlightenment’(文明開化). Toynbee realized this in Kobe. When he first stopped by a bank to exchange money, he watched a bank-clerk wrestling with a letter of credit. The clerk read the letter of credit over and over again. He reminded the clerk of “an European Assyriologist deciphering some half-effaced cuneiform inscription.”6) He felt the slow, deliberate and academic attitude of the Japanese working in modern organizations and institutions was related to their newly formed tradition since the early days of modernization. A generation ago, their seniors were able to overcome their difficulties by continuously repeating and verifying the methods of Western civilization. From Toynbee’s perspective, the Japanese are actually the people with nimble gestures. Otherwise, “Such fine artists, and such fine soldiers, and above all, such fine swordsmen” would not have been produced.7) On November 23, Toynbee left Tokyo by train for Shimonoseki. He was going to take a ferry to Pusan, and then to transfer to a train bound for Manchu. He recalled the former trip from Victoria Station in London, passing Dover to the Continent. This journey, to him, seemed like Deja Vu of the travel to the European Continent. He is to start with Shimonoseki and finally enter Manchu and China. Here, Toynbee revives the efficiency of Japan again. Passengers’ luggage was being sorted out securely and carried to the conveyor belt. “The smartness and speed of the steamer put the English and Belgian channel-steamers to shame.”8) During his visits to Kyoto and Tokyo, however, Toynbee realized that these modern cities were strongly ruled by Japanese tradition because they grew on its solid foundation. The strong influence on Kyoto was temples everywhere, and the city planning in Tokyo was built around the king’s palace. After the king officially declared Edo as the capital of new Japan, Tokyo in 1869, this traditional city grew rapidly. Tokyo was transformed into a modern city with the royal palace at its center.