Chapter V: In Exactly Twelve Hours

I'll be on JAL Flight 5, leaving from JFK. With any luck, I'll find comfort, rest and peace on the 14-hour flight.

. . . or at least a good movie!

May those who find themselves in trackless,

fearful wilderness –-

the children, the aged,

the unprotected –-

be guarded by beneficial celestials.

A Buddhist Prayer for Peace

Chapter IV: Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

Tale of Genji begins with the birth of the main character, Genji. Even at birth, everyone around the child remarked on his beauty. It was not until his seventh birthday that he was finally given a name. (Genji refers to the high post he would eventually hold in the court: prince.) The personal name that was finally bestowed upon him by a visiting Korean diplomat was Hikaru（光る） which means "to shine" or "to glow."

For centuries, this 'shining prince' would define beauty in Japan.

But what is beauty? And is it the same in all places at all times, or do people's perception of beauty differ depending on their setting?

Is beauty gender specific? In other words, is it only possible for a man or a woman to be "beautiful?" If so, why?

YOUR TASK:

1) Look at the images of Hikaru Genji posted above. The first photo is a popular boy-band from the late 90's in Japan, who adopted the name "Hikari Genji" after the main character of the famous novel. The second picture is a doll that was created after the images of Genji found in woodblock prints.

2) What do you find interesting about these pictures?

3) Judging by these images, what do you think defines "beauty/handsomeness" for young men in Japan? Would you say these characteristics the same for young men in your culture?

4) Thinking of both young men and women, what defines beauty in your culture? Why are those characteristics valued over others? Do you agree or disagree with your culture's definition of "beauty"?

5) Using Hikaru Genji as an example, write a short essay in which you interpret the phrase: "Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder."

Chapter III: Revisiting Things Past

Returning to a

place twenty years later, I

discovered it marks

history,

not in years but

in millennia

Russell Wasden

New York

To fully understand most Japanese poetry, it is best to have an idea of the context under which the poem was written. The tanka above is similar. Twenty years ago, I went to Japan for the first time. I was still a teenager then, unsure of many things. Japan helped me broaden my perspective of the world.

Twenty years later, this special place continues to help me see things differently, especially when I stop to think that Japan is currently celebrating the one thousandth anniversary of a national treasure. How many countries in the world could do such a thing?

Revisiting the past with a new perspective is very important, something that each of us should do as much as possible. For example, the Japan I experienced twenty years ago will not be the same as Japan I will experience this summer. Moreover, the person I saw in the mirror twenty years ago is not the same person I see in the mirror today.

Time gives us opportunities to learn and grow; therefore, as time passes, we learn more about ourselves and the world. Reflecting on the past is an important way to understand what we have learned over time.

As Japan reflects over the past 1,000 years of Genji, one wonders what is the same about this country, and what is different. Has it changed over time? Maybe I will find small answers to big questions like these on my trip, which officially begins tomorrow!

Your Task:

Pick a time in your life when you "revisited" something from your past. What was the same about it, and what was different? How did those changes make you feel?

OR

Look at the two images from Genji that are posted above. Where do you think they come from? Why would Japan want to immortalize Genji in these ways?

Chapter II: The Purpose of this Blog

One thousand years ago, a young woman of the court composed a narrative about a stunning boy who would grow up to be a great Japanese leader. Along the way, he would encounter dozens of different women, each with her own personality and physical characteristics.

Known as Genji Monogatari, or the Tale of Genji, this literary work is considered by many to be the world's first novel. Even today, many believe it to be one of the finest examples of romantic, introspective literature on earth.

With this blog, you will interact with Genji as I interact with it -- during the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of this beloved treasure in Japan.

As Genji has 54 chapters, so will this blog. With it will be 54 "assignments," similar to the one posted in Entry #1. Some tasks will be longer than others, but each is designed to allow you to push your thinking and lead our discussion over the course of studying this remarkable piece of literature.

I hope you enjoy your journey as much as I hope to enjoy mine!

Your Task:

You quickly identified the poem in Chapter One as a haiku. Funny enough, there aren't any haikus, per se, in Genji. There is, however, another form of Japanese poetry that is used extensively in Genji. This type of poem follows a 5 - 7 - 5 - 7 - 7 pattern.

What is the name of this type of poetry? Can you come up with your own poem following the conventions of this type of poetry?

In the next entry, I'm going to give it a try.