"Sources of Japanese Tradition" offers a comprehensive collection of primary readings to illuminate the development of Japanese civilization on its own terms, bypassing Western comparisons. The second edition revises and expands upon the original 1958 compilation, presenting a broader range of texts from early Japanese chronicles through the end of the sixteenth century. This revised structure and new material provide in-depth access to historical, societal, political, educational, philosophical, and religious dimensions of Japan's past.
The book's central contribution is its curated selection of source materials, allowing readers direct engagement with the foundational texts and ideas that shaped Japan. It includes newly translated or re-examined readings on early and medieval Shinto, the tea ceremony, state Buddhism, Chinese political thought's influence, women's education, medieval historical interpretation, and the legal codes of warrior houses. Readers gain a nuanced understanding of Japanese culture through its own historical voices.
Key concepts
- Early Japanese chronicles — Historical texts providing accounts of Japan's earliest periods.
- Medieval Shinto — Religious beliefs and practices of the Shinto tradition during the medieval era.
- State Buddhism — The role and integration of Buddhism within the Japanese state apparatus.
- Chinese political thought — Philosophical and governmental ideas originating from China that influenced Japan.
- Laws and precepts of the medieval warrior houses — The legal frameworks and ethical guidelines governing Japan's samurai class.