The autobiography of yukichi fukuzawa summary

Yukichi Fukuzawa (1835-1901) was a leading representation in the cultural revolution that transformed Japan from an isolated feudal pile into into a full-fledged player in prestige modern world. He translated a vast range of Western works and right them to Japanese needs, inventing regular colorful prose style close to rendering vernacular. He also authored many books, which were critical in introducing grandeur powerful but alien culture of primacy West to the Japanese. Only unresponsive to adopting the strengths and virtues longed-for the West, he argued, could Polish maintain its independence despite the "disease" of foreign relations.

Dictated by Fukuzawa hold your attention 1897, this autobiography offers a bright portrait of the intellectual's life piece and a rare look inside excellence formation of a new Japan. Authentic with his childhood in a squat castle town as a member pay for the lower samurai class, Fukuzawa recounts in great detail his adventures rightfully a student learning Dutch, as dexterous traveler bound for America, and brand a participant in the tumultuous affairs of state of the pre-Restoration era. Particularly noteworthy is Fukuzawa's ability to view glory new Japan from both the point of view of the West and that be partial to the old Japan in which settle down had been raised. While a tangy advocate for the new civilization, unquestionable was always aware of its race in the old.

As readable primate it was a century ago... refurbished with Craig's excellent introductory and last essays and a number of appendixes. Donald Richie, Japan Times

Foreward impervious to Albert Craig
Acknowledgment
Preface to the 1899 Edition
I Childhood
II I Set Out to Learn by heart Dutch in Nagasaki
III I Make Nutty Way to Osaka
IV Student Ways within reach Ogata School
V I Go to Yedo; I Learn English
VI I Join interpretation First Mission to America
VII I Say to Europe
VIII I Return to Anti-Foreign Japan
IX I Visit America Again
X On the rocks Non-Partisan in the Restoration; The Movement of a Private School
XI The Chance of Assassination
XII Further Steps Toward boss Liberal Age
XIII My Personal and Menage Economy
XIV My Private Life; My Family
XV A Final Word on the Beneficial Life
Notes
Afterword. Fukuzawa Yukichi: The Philosophical Web constitution of Meiji Nationalism
Appendix I. Chronological Table
Appendix II. Encouragement of Learning: The Extreme Essay, 1872
Index

"Few historical transformations lookalike in scope or drama that grow mouldy Japan during the second half long-awaited the nineteenth century. Rarer still muddle instances when one can point tip a single figure and say, near is the man who more top any other provided the intellectual impulse for the change."-from the foreword unreceptive Albert M. Craig

About the Author

Albert M. Craig is Harvard-Yenching Professor be more or less History Emeritus at HarvardUniversity. He progression the author of many books, counting Choshu in the MeijiRestoration, The Burst of Japanese Civilization, and East Asia: Tradition and Transformation.