60ty's strolling

The Light and Shadow of History History is often told from the perspective of the victors. In modern Chinese history after the Xinhai Revolution, while Miyazaki Toten, who supported Sun Yat-sen’s revolutionary movement, is widely known, the stories of those who remained loyal to the Qing Dynasty are rarely told. Today, we introduce the life of Kodaira Soji, a figure hidden in the “shadows of history.” Devotion to the Qing Dynasty Born in 1876 in Hotaka Village (present-day Azumino City),…

Organizing the Facts On the night of November 10, 1931, Puyi escaped from Tianjin and arrived in Yingkou on the 13th, heading toward Manchukuo. Sixteen days after Puyi’s departure, on November 26, an escape operation for Empress Wanrong was executed. The Operation Team – Planner: Yoshida Chutaro, translator for the Tianjin Garrison – Accompanying members: – Kawashima Yoshiko – Mrs. Yoshida Chutaro – Wanrong’s brother – Imperial eunuch – Lady-in-waiting – Japanese Army Colonel The Moment of Decision About ten…

The Beginning of Turmoil In 1911, with the outbreak of the Xinhai Revolution, the Qing Dynasty faced a crisis of survival. Taking advantage of this situation, Yuan Shikai, who held military power, plotted to force the young Emperor Puyi to abdicate and seize power for himself. The Final Resistance In this critical situation, two important royal figures stood firmly against the emperor’s abdication until the end of the imperial conference: – Prince Gong (Puwei) – Prince Su (Shanqi) They advocated…

Why was Puyi given special protection? After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the privileges of the imperial family and aristocracy during the Qing Dynasty were supposed to have been completely denied, restoration of honor and special protection were given to Emperor Puyi and the mellow imperial family. Why is that? Sun Yat-sen’s “Republic of the Five Tribes” In the early stages, the revolutionaries adopted an extreme Manchurianism that regarded the entire Manchu tribe as the enemy and…

Rikugien Rikugien is a garden in Kita-ku, Tokyo that is considered a masterpiece of the Edo period in Japan. Its name comes from The Six Elements of Poetry, a description of the classification of poems and their techniques of expression derived from the Chinese Shijing. It is not, however, a Chinese garden. The garden was created by Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, who has reflected scenes from ancient Japanese waka poems in his garden. We hope that visitors to the garden will be…

Excellence in Visual Expression This work features exquisitely refined imagery and Japanese dialogue, conveying deep cultural meanings that cannot be fully captured through English subtitles alone. Through the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, it masterfully expresses the complex psychology of two characters. The Significance of the Tea Room Space The path to the tea room is carefully depicted in the visuals: – Stepping stones: A bridge to the sacred world – Tsukubai (washing basin): A ritual place for cleansing hands and…

If you’re traveling to Japan in the summer and visiting a sushi restaurant, I highly recommend you to try “Suzuki” (Japanese seabass). Seabass, along with other white-fleshed fish such as snapper and flounder, is characterized by its pale color and subtly rich flavor. The meat of the seabass is soft, light, and savory. Not only is seabass delicious when eaten raw, it’s also delightful when grilled. You might enjoy it in Italian restaurants in Japan where it’s served in dishes…

The National Palace Museum in Taiwan houses outstanding historical artifacts and treasures from China. In ancient China, there was a strict class distinction in rituals. Only the emperor could worship the gods of heaven and earth. Vassals and dignitaries were allowed to worship the mountains and rivers. The common people could worship their ancestors. This is a jade book, known as a “jade tablet”, modeled after the bamboo slips used for writing in ancient times. This jade tablet was used…

The majority of the vassals who built the Kamakura Shogunate with Yoritomo were of common origin. In other words, they did not come from traditional aristocratic families or those related to the Emperor. They later came to be known as samurai. They held values distinct from the ruling class in Kyoto. They valued loyalty to their superiors, honor, and frugality. Originally members of trained armed groups, they gradually began to play the role of administrative officials under the Kamakura Shogunate.…

For the samurai class, supporting artists became one way to gain cultural and social prestige. This support served to bridge the gap between the samurai class and the court nobility centered around the emperor in the capital. Among those whom the Ashikaga Shogun Yoshimitsu protected, the most significant artists were Zeami and his father Kan’ami, who were not only actors who performed on stage themselves but also outstanding playwrights. They combined acrobatics, circus acts, magic, slapstick imitation, and so on,…

In 538 AD, Buddhism was introduced to Japan. Prince Shotoku promoted Buddhism as a political directive. This was because sharing a single teaching could contribute to the formation of the concept of a “nation”. At that time, Buddhism was meant to protect the country, that is, to shield against rampant diseases that humans could not handle and natural disasters. And that Buddhism was also something of the privileged class. First, only the emperor and the ruling class could pray for…

 Writing has played a crucial role in preserving Japan’s rich cultural heritage. Let’s explore how Japan developed its distinctive writing system and literary traditions.  The Beginning: A Culture Without Writing Before developing their writing system, Japanese society relied entirely on oral tradition. Skilled storytellers passed down important legends and cultural stories from generation to generation, keeping their history alive through spoken word. The Chinese Influence When Japan began establishing connections with mainland China, they made a significant cultural borrowing: the…