Open Talk “Meeting the Empress Dowager: Hattori Shigeko and Western Cuisine”
In this event, through a dialogue with Professor Chen Jie, a researcher in the fields of book culture, museology, and academic exchange between Japan and China, we explore the source of Western etiquette and loanwords in modern novels. The focus is on Hattori Shigeko, the wife of Hattori Unokichi and daughter of the renowned sinologist Shimada Shigeyoshi. She was known for her groundbreaking research in Chinese philosophy and authored the book “Housekeeping Studies,” which covers topics such as clothing, food, housing, social etiquette, women’s entertainment, and household economy. The discussion delves into the encounters with Empress Dowager Cixi of Qing China, their shared meals, and examines historical materials such as manuscripts, letters, and old photographs to recreate the splendor of the banquets hosted by the Ōkuma, Shimada and Hattori family, foreign envoys, and prominent figures of the time. Additionally, we gain insights into the aspirations of scholars in the field of Chinese studies during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and explore the daily lives of talented and influential women during the Meiji era and beyond.
- Day & Time：June 26th, 2023 (Monday), 14:00-15:00
- Venue：Lab (2nd floor of WIHL)
- Language：Japanese (Q&A: Japanese/English)
- Participation：Free, We encourage participants who would like to join this event to make a reservation(C) in advance. Reservation
- Presented by the Yanai Initiative for Globalizing Japanese Humanities, with support from the Waseda International House of Literature
Lecture
Chen Jie
Professor at the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, University of Tokyo
https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/focus/en/features/voices082.html
Facilitator
Lin Wenjiun
Yanai Initiative Postdoctoral Research Fellow
contact
Yanai Initiative for Globalizing Japanese Humanities : [email protected]
