JinJin Xu

[1]

MEIJI PERIODICAL1868-1912

KOREA DECLARED INDEPENDENCE FROM CHINAAfter centuries of paying tribute to China, Japan had helped Korea gain Independence. By JinJin Xu

ATDAWNtoday,23July,1894,JapanesetroopsseizedtheKoreanking’spalaceandorderedthekingtodeclareKorea’sindependencefromChina.ThekingwasforcedtoagreeandHinally,afterbeinga“hermitcountry”andpayingtributetoChinaformanyyears,KoreadeclaredindependencefromChinaandexpelledtheChinesefromKorea.Japanassistedinthe

establishmentofKorea’sindependenceandchangeswillsoonbemadetotheKoreangovernmentfollowingItoHirobumi’sorders.AccordingtotheleaderoftheJapansesearmy,YamagataAritomosaidthatforitsownsecurity,JapanneededsomemeasureofcontroloverKorea,evenifitmeantwarwithChina.

(Continuedonpg2)

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TABLE OF CONTENTSKorea Declare Independence from China---- (p 1)

Changes to Education a Great Success ------(p 3)

LifestyleBallroom dancing etiquette & tips ---------(p 4)

EditorialWesternization for better or worse? -------(p 5)

InterviewThrough a Samurai’s Point of View-------- (p 6)

Political Cartoon------------------------(p 6)

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KoreaDeclareIndependenceFromChina(Cont.fromPg1)

YamagataAritomosawconHlictoverKoreaasinevitableandstatedthat

“thehighhandedattitudeoftheChinesetowardKorea,whichwasantagonistictotheinterestsofJapan,showedourofHicersthatagreatwarwastobeexpectedsoonerorlateronthecontinent…”

Atthebeginningofthisyear,theKoreankingrequestedChinaandJapantosendtroopsto

helpquashtherebellionofapopularreligiousgroup,theTongHaksociety‐whichaimedtoridthecountryofallforeigninHluence.Bythetimethereinforcementarrived,therebellionhadalreadybeenputdownbyloyal

Koreanforces.However,bothcountriesrefusedtowithdrawtheirtroops,andtheChineserefusedItoHirobumi’srequestofsweepingchangestotheKoreangovernment.Thus,withthesignedorderfromtheKingofKoreaexpellingtheChinese,thestatebetweenChinaandJapanistenseandmightignitewarfare.

“thehighhandedattitudeoftheChinesetowardKorea,whichwasantagonistictotheinterestsofJapan,showedourofHicersthatagreatwarwastobeexpectedsoonerorlateronthecontinent…”

Above: Leader of Japanese army, Yamagata Aritomo.

Changes to Education a Great SuccessBrookWorme10,July1910

AMinistryofEducationwasestablishedin1871toprovideeducationtoallpeople,astheMeijigovernmentbelievedthatamodernizedsocietyneededanorganizedsystemofeducation.Followingthemanychangesmadeineducation,EmperorMeijialsointroduceda“RescriptonEducation”,whichstressedtheimportanceofharmonyandloyaltytothethrone.Now,50yearslater,theamountofsigniHicantchangesmadetoeducationisobvious,andtheresults,moreoptimisticthanever.

1910,marksanewhighforeducation‐morethan98%ofJapanesestudentsarereceivingcompulsoryeducation,theRescriptonEducationstillgivengreatreverencethroughoutthelandandcopiesdisplayedineveryschool,andithadformedthebasisofJapan’sphilosophyoneducation.Before,Japanhadaterakoya

educationalsystem—smallmakeshiftclassroomsinpeople’shouses.ButwiththeestablishmentoftheMinistryofEducation,educationwasprovidedtoallpeople,regardlessoftheirsocialclassorgender.Underthesystem,ordinarypeopleweretaughtreading,writingandtheabacus.(Continuedonpg7)

Below: A traditional Terakoya

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The only way to get out on the dance floor at a ballroom dance is for one person to ask another to dance. When dancers have regular partners, this part is easy. However, dancers who are alone may find it difficult at first to ask others to dance.While in long-ago times it was considered forward for women to ask men to dance, it is now very commonplace and expected. At most ballroom dances, men and women ask each other to dance alternately—and it is also very common for couples who attend together to split up and dance with other people as well as each other.If a dancer does not know who to ask for a dance or wants to wait to be asked, they should stand near the dance floor, looking relaxed and happy—like they want to dance. Sulking in a corner is a great way to scare off potential partners. Body language is an important indicator of whether a person wants to dance.It is generally considered bad manners to decline a dance invitation. Each song only lasts for about three minutes, so unless the asker is physically painful or otherwise upsetting to dance with, the askee should accept—or avoid the asker subtly before being asked so as not to hurt their feelings.

Not wanting to dance with beginners simply because it is boring is not very nice—and another way to scare off potential partners.

Because dance floors can be very crowded, it is important to use good floorcraft—the art of moving around the floor without crashing or cutting anyone off. This is the leader’s job, although if the follower can see that the leader is about to back into someone, she can warn him or squeeze his shoulder to stop it from happening.Traffic flows in a counter-clockwise direction, with faster dancers generally staying on the outside of the track and slower dancers toward the middle, although there is often some zig-zagging involved. Dancers who are not traveling very much at all should be in the center of the floor. Those who wish to interrupt their travel around the floor to do a picture line, such as an oversway or dip, should either do so deep in the corner or in the middle of the floor where they will not be in anyone’s way.Ballroom dancing is a wonderful, fun social hobby that is best enjoyed when everyone learns and employs a few simple rules of dance etiquette.

PUT HAIR UP BREATH MINTS BE PUNCTUAL INTRODUCTION MEN LEAD

For both men and women, if you have long hair, be sure to pin it up because during twirls, the hair can whip your partner in the face and eyes.

There is nothing worse than being stuck with a partner with bad breath. However, too much perform/ cologn is a no-no as well.

You don't want to let your partner miss out because of your tardiness, or worse, arrive and your partner has found another person to dance with for the evening.

Introduce yourself immediately upon asking someone to dance, or just after. It is nice to be able to know the person's name that you are dancing with.

Let the man lead. If a woman and a man are dancing together, you should follow proper ballroom etiquette and let the man lead.

LIFESTYLEQueenie B. Editor of Lifestyle section

As ballroom dancing becomes increasingly popular, Queenie B is here to teach you the basic etiquettes and give some tips on ballroom dancing.

TIPS

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BETTER!IwasbornandraisedinJapanandIloveJapaneseculture.Everymorning,Ipaymyrespectstomyancestors,drinkgreentea,andmakesushiformyfamily.However,asmuchasIrespectJapaneseculture,IthinkweMUSTembraceWesterncultureinordertoproceedintothefutureandtogether,becomeastrongerandmorepowerfulnation.Embracingotherculturesisthesignofatrulydevelopedcountry.Wecannotkeeponholdingontothepastandunwillingtomovepastthekimonosandswords.Instead,weshouldbewideningourhorizonswithWesternideas,satisfyingourhungerwithWesternfood(mmm,hamburgers),andtryingtolookourbestwithWesternhairstylesandtheirbeautifullacedresses.

Lifewillalwaysbeabattleforsurvivalbetweentheweakandthestrong,andiftheJapanesecultureistechnologicallyweakerrightnow,itonlymakessensethatweshouldbeacceptingthestrongerculture,andthemoreeffectiveWesternideas.

WehavetoacceptthetruththattheWesterncountriesaremoretechnologicallyadvancedthanusrightnow.ItisdifHiculttoacceptbutwehavetodealwiththetruthsoonerorlater.Inordertobeseenastheirequal,weshouldnotonlybeadoptingWesternscienceandtechnology,butalsoaspectsofWesternculture.Onlywhenwehavesuccessfullyincorporatedtheircultureintoourculture,theywouldnotlookdownatusandviewusastheinferiornation.

EDITORIAL

WORSE!Having lived in Japan for the past 50 years, I am disgusted beyond belief to witness the terrible changes that had swept over Japan. I watched as the women scrambled to get their hair curled and colored the “Western” style. I watched as they switched in their traditional Kimono for those big, shiny, dresses. I heard the school children incorporating English into our sacred language in class. I strained my ears to hear the familiar scratching of chopsticks… but could only hear the cold clinking of forks and knives. Finally, I cannot stand to watch idly by any longer! I have to warn my fellow Japanese of the doom that is impending on our culture!

The blind craze for anything, anything, western is not only foolish, but is degrading to our Japanese culture. Why are the Japanese now taking so lightly of our long and fruitful traditions? Why are they so willing to betray the culture they were raised in, and so eager to adopt the culture of foreigners they have nothing to do with? Do they want to be clones of those yellow haired monsters?

My heart cracks as I see more and more of our culture seeping away. The culture that had taken us thousands of years to perfect, perishing now in this generation spoiled rotten by blue eyed rodents.

Westernization for Better or for Worse?

Aki-Hime Age: 25Home: TokyoOccupation: Student

Kaya NakamuraAge: 52Home: NagoaOccupation: retired

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Left: guest Hairo Kureyama

Interview

Describe your life as a samurai.

Myfamilyhadbeensamuraisforcenturies.Ourtraditionshadbeenpasseddownfromgenerationtogenerationandtheartofwarfaretaughttothechosensons.Thewordsamuraimeansthosewhoserve.AtbirthweweredestinedtoHightandprotectouremperoranddaimyos.WefollowaverystrictcodeofbehaviorknownasBushido‐thewayofthewarrior,whichdemandedabsoluteloyalty,braveryandhonour.Manywillcommitritualsuicide‐seppuku,ifwefeelwehadfailedintheirduty,orwerefacedwiththeneedtosurrenderinbattle.AsinthepoemOdetoYakomochi,somethingallsamuraislearntoheart,“Leavingourbodiessoddenonthehighseasorrottinginthegrassofthewildmoor,wegladlydieforourLiegeLord.”

Committing seppuku is taking it to the extreme in modern society, isn’t it? Anyways Daimyos became nobles in 1869, and emperors have no real power, so to whom do you serve?

Seppukuisnotextremistatall,tosamurais,itisaveryhonorablewaytodie. Idonot

thinksocietyisbecomingmoremodern,incontrast,itisbacktrackingtowardslesscivilizedtimes.Now,conscriptedciviliansaretakingoverourmilitaryrolesalthoughitisnottheirdestiny.Theydonotseemtounderstandthatwarisanartthatintertwineswithonesdestiny.Notjustlearningtoshoota…gun.

So how do you feel about modern weaponry such as guns? I see you are not wearing your swords.

Gunsarecheatingreplacementsofswords.Swordsaretheonlyrealweaponandthetruesignofasamurai.However,sinceMarch,wesamuraishavebeenbannedfromwearingswordsinpublicexceptonceremonialoccasions.Thatruleisstrictlyunfair!Mysidesfeelbarewithoutmyswords.Myfamilyhadalongtraditionofwearingswords,andIfeelabsolutelyashamedthatIwillbetheHirstonetodiscontinueourtradition.

 The government was only thinking of other civilians’ safety when they banned swords. Samurais do look strange walking next to other Japanese in Western style clothing.

Youcallthoseragstheywear…clothing?Iamveryworriedaboutwhatwillcomeofourrace.ThecrazeforallthingsWesternisslowlybringingupondeathtoourlongandbeautifulcultureandtraditions.

How do you feel about the Satsuma Rebellion?

IdeeplyregretthefactthatIwasnotpartoftherebellionandIwishIhadbeenpartofthe30,000samuraisthatwereledintobattlebySaigoTakamoriagainstgovernmentforces.Icannotbelievetheyweredefeatedbythenewlyconscriptedimperialarmy.Whatdotheyknowaboutwaranyways?Itallmustbeascam,becausethereisnowaywesamurais,whosebloodHlowswiththeartofwarfare,wouldloseagainstlowlyconscriptedcommoners!

The government are steadily removing samurai privileges they have enjoyed for centuries. We are honored to have Haiyo Kureyama here with the MeiJi Periodical to share his view point as a samurai.

Above: Political Cartoon

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(Cont.frompg3)In1872,itwasdecreedthatallJapanesechildrenmusthaveatleastfouryearsofprimaryschooling.

Asschoolsspreadacrossthecountry,Japan’sHirsttertiaryinstitution,TokyoUniversity,wasfoundedin1877.Nineyears

later,itwasreorganizedintoagenuinemulti‐facultyuniversityandbecametheprincipaltrainingcentreforfuturegovernmentleaders.OtheruniversitieswerelaterestablishedinKyoto(1897),Fukuoka(1910)andSapporo(1918).

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Above: Tokyo University

Above: Kyoto University

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Above: Fukuoka University