A Climate: a Philosophical Study
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A CLIMATE A Philosophical Study by WATSUJI TETSURO translated by GEOFFREY BOWNAS Lecturer, Oxford University Published by PRINTINGBUREAU, JAPANESE GOVERNMENT A CLIMATE A Philosophical Study by WATSUJI TETSURO translated by GEOFFREY BOWNAS Lecturer, Oxford University Published by PRINTINGBUREAU, JAPANESE GOVERNMENT Unesco, at the 9th session of its General Conference held in New Delhi in 1956, decided to launch the Major Project on the Mutual Appreciation of Eastern and Western Cultural Values. In accordance with this decision this Commission has been carrying on since 1958, within the framework of the project, a programme of publishing modern Japanese philosophical works into foreign languages. In 1959, we put out an English translation of "The Ways of Thinking of Eastern Peoples" by Nakamura Hajime; and in 1960 "A Study of Good" by Nishida Kitaro. The present 7101- ume, "A Climate" by Watsuji Tetsuro, is the third of the series and is to be followed in 1962 by an English version of "Time and Eternity" by Hatano Seiichi. Watsuji Tetsuro, one of the foremost scholars in the field of ethics in Japan, attempted in his present book to expound his views in concrete and easy terms on "the function of climate as a factor within the structure of human existence", which represents an aspect of his profound thought. It is our sincere wish that this programme will prove to be a contribution to the development of mutual understanding among the peoples of the world, as well as a closer cultural link between the East and West. Japanese National Commission for Unesco Unesco, at the 9th session of its General Conference held in New Delhi in 1956, decided to launch the Major Project on the Mutual Appreciation of Eastern and Western Cultural Values. In accordance with this decision this Commission has been carrying on since 1958, within the framework of the project, a programme of publishing modern Japanese philosophical works into foreign languages. In 1959, we put out an English translation of "The Ways of Thinking of Eastern Peoples" by Nakamura Hajime; and in 1960 "A Study of Good" by Nishida Kitaro. The present 7101- ume, "A Climate" by Watsuji Tetsuro, is the third of the series and is to be followed in 1962 by an English version of "Time and Eternity" by Hatano Seiichi. Watsuji Tetsuro, one of the foremost scholars in the field of ethics in Japan, attempted in his present book to expound his views in concrete and easy terms on "the function of climate as a factor within the structure of human existence", which represents an aspect of his profound thought. It is our sincere wish that this programme will prove to be a contribution to the development of mutual understanding among the peoples of the world, as well as a closer cultural link between the East and West. Japanese National Commission for Unesco Translator's Preface It was on my third day in Japan-on Culture Day, 1952, in fact-that I first heard the name of Professor Watsuji. A goodly gathering of Japanese Orientalists was celebrating the end of a Cul- ture Day Conference in Kyoto and, across the table, there floated this name, coupled with the question, "Have you ever read any of his works?" The questioner was Professor Kaizuka, the great Japa- nese historian of ancient China, my teacher and sponsor in Japan. Since that evening, I have often linked these two names in my memories of Japan. Those who knew Professor Watsuji may well regard this association as a little forced and if they do I cannot but bow to their judgement, for it will be my eternal and sad regret that, from the time when I was commissioned by the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO, early in 1960, to translate Fudo, its author never recovered sufficiently from his long ailment to be able to see or talk to me. It is natural, I suppose, that a translator should build some image, however indistinct, of the author he translates: because of this early episode that connected the two, and because of what I regard as a similar breadth of outlook, a similar sympathetic and gentle humanity and a similar incisiveness of thought, I came to construct my image of the unknown in part from my memories of the known. Professor Watsuji's sharp eye and broad understanding class him among the rarest and most precious of travellers. Again and again, as I worked on my translation and read his accounts of the sights and sounds of Europe often so familiar to me, did I notice something new or come to understand more fully some puzzling aspect of the Japan I saw about me. Even today, eighteen months on, I find my- 1 Translator's Preface It was on my third day in Japan-on Culture Day, 1952, in fact-that I first heard the name of Professor Watsuji. A goodly gathering of Japanese Orientalists was celebrating the end of a Cul- ture Day Conference in Kyoto and, across the table, there floated this name, coupled with the question, "Have you ever read any of his works?" The questioner was Professor Kaizuka, the great Japa- nese historian of ancient China, my teacher and sponsor in Japan. Since that evening, I have often linked these two names in my memories of Japan. Those who knew Professor Watsuji may well regard this association as a little forced and if they do I cannot but bow to their judgement, for it will be my eternal and sad regret that, from the time when I was commissioned by the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO, early in 1960, to translate Fudo, its author never recovered sufficiently from his long ailment to be able to see or talk to me. It is natural, I suppose, that a translator should build some image, however indistinct, of the author he translates: because of this early episode that connected the two, and because of what I regard as a similar breadth of outlook, a similar sympathetic and gentle humanity and a similar incisiveness of thought, I came to construct my image of the unknown in part from my memories of the known. Professor Watsuji's sharp eye and broad understanding class him among the rarest and most precious of travellers. Again and again, as I worked on my translation and read his accounts of the sights and sounds of Europe often so familiar to me, did I notice something new or come to understand more fully some puzzling aspect of the Japan I saw about me. Even today, eighteen months on, I find my- 1 self smiilng as I recall the room in which most of this translation we had seen the night before. Mr. Minamoto of the Education was completed, so close to the denshn route that, as Watsuji arpues, Section in the Shiga Prefectural Office gave much help; Mr. Michael the tiny house seemed to be rocked as if by an earthquake and to Brown of the Department of Education in the University of cower and grovel in the path of the huge onrushing monster of an Nottingham offered valuable criticism and Mrs. Ruth Sellers typed electric train. Even now I wince as I remember the brash braying the manuscript with her customary and outstanding dependability. of the train horns, so strident in comparison with the poignant sadness I thank them all, along with others too numerous to mention, but inherent in most home-made Japanese noises. And last summer, in I claim for myself all responsibility for errors. England, I felt, for the first time, the "loneliness" of the north Euro- Oxford. pean summer evening-no frogs, no cicadas! Cllmate and Culture, December, 1961. I would argue, would be valuable if read merely as a general guide to Japan and her culture and would well repay reading by all intel- ligent would-be visitors. For one of Professor Watsuji's unique qualities was his deep affection for and sympathetic comprehension of his own Japan, both of which grew w~thhis ever-widening erudi- tion. I feel that perhaps I woultl not lack supporters if I were to argue that so many of the Japanese I have met,-particularly those of the generations that follow Watsuji's-while they may know just ahorit all there is to be known about their own particular interest in the M:est, in process of acquiring this alien knowledge have yet grown quite out of touch with their own culture. SVatsuji's roots, ant1 those of scholnrs like him, are all the stronger for the nourish- ment they gain from a familiar soil. There are a great many whose assistance I must acknowledge. .The staff of the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO were a joy to work with and, from Mr. Muto and Mr. Yamashitla down, never regarded any request as too burdensome or trivial; Professor Furukawa of Tokyo University was always ready to spare time and hclp in the interpretation of some of the more obscure problems. I remember particularly how we met on the morning after the worst of the student riots in June, 1960, (the girl who died was a member) of his department) and wondered how Watsuji would interpret what iii self smiilng as I recall the room in which most of this translation we had seen the night before. Mr. Minamoto of the Education was completed, so close to the denshn route that, as Watsuji arpues, Section in the Shiga Prefectural Office gave much help; Mr. Michael the tiny house seemed to be rocked as if by an earthquake and to Brown of the Department of Education in the University of cower and grovel in the path of the huge onrushing monster of an Nottingham offered valuable criticism and Mrs.