Special seminar: Confucius and burakumin: celebrating two books

Tuesday, 3rd March 2020, 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm
Pavilion Room, 4th Floor, Gateway Building, St. Antony’s College

A special seminar will be held on Tuesday, 3rd March 2020 at 5:00pm in the Pavilion Room, 4th Floor, Gateway Building, St. Antony’s College, celebrating the recent publication of (at least) two books by our colleagues Dr Jame McMullen, Oriental Studies Faculty and Professor Ian Neary, Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies.  Hopefully the seminar will be followed by an opportunity to taste a range of o-sake.

 

James McMullen (author)

The Worship of Confucius in Japan (Harvard East Asian Monograph, 2020)

The book traces the development of the ritual to sacrifice to Confucius through its vicissitudes from the early eighth century to the Meiji Restoration.  It focusses on the performance tradition at successive centres of power.  An epilogue brings the story up to date.

Ian Neary (translator)

A History of Discriminated Buraku Communities in Japan (Renaissance Books, 2019)

Originally titled Nyumon hisabetsu burakuno rekishi and written by two of the most experienced writers working in the field, Teraki Nobuaki and Kurokawa Midori, this volume draws on recently published research to provide a new overview of Buraku history.  It starts with the pre-modern period but follows the story through into the late twentieth century.

It is the first time that this research has been made available to an English speaking readership.