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Aki Meguri
History:
Connected Japan
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| Historical note:
The Aki Meguri site was posted on a homepage called
"Connected Japan," which used to be www-dot-connectedjapan-dot-com.
I had great plans for the site, as you can see from the sort of
"prospectus" that I posted, reproduced below.
However, as the Buddhists say, nothing
is eternal. Through an oversight, my URL fee went unpaid, and the
next thing I knew, Connected Japan, repository of the wisdom of Old
Japan, had become a porn site! I still laugh when I think of some
old priest wanting toi read what the gaijin (foreigner) wrote
about his temple, and finding instead...
Anyhow, many of the ideas and
intentions behind Connected Japan are slowly finding their way into the
light on The Temple Guy. True, nothing is permanent; but as
Einstein said, matter/energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only
transformed!
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About
Connected Japan
Connected
Japan (www.connectedjapan.com) is destined to become the premier portal
for information on the traditional culture of Japan, both as it was in
the past and as it exists today. Special
attention will be paid to:
- Religion:
Shinto, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism: these four strands
have intertwined into a uniquely Japanese world view, which embraces
everything from the most primitive myths and superstitions to the
pure, high, clean philosophy of Zen.
We will be examining the people, the practices, the ideas,
and the modern impact of these ancient belief systems.
- Art:
From the originally practical arts of calligraphy and
fighting, to the more “aesthetic” arts of bonsai, tea ceremony,
and print-making, there is a common thread of restraint and
refinement running through the arts of Japan.
We will consider these various arts, both in their aesthetic
intent and in their impact on the life of the people.
- History:
Beginning with the legendary emperor Jimmu, directly
descended from the Sun Goddess, Japan has had roughly two millennia
of rule by men and woman, emperors and generals—and career
politicians. Simultaneously,
there have always been grassroots heroes, common people who rose
from relative obscurity to near-god status.
Saints and traitors, fishermen and philosophers, soldiers and
scholars—all contributed to the Japanese experience.
- Literature:
Virtually every American school child learns the Haiku form
of 5-, 7-, and 5-syllable lines; children’s folk-tales and major
novels have been widely popular outside of Japan, some even being
made into Hollywood films. We’ll
provide reading guides and background materials for a well-rounded
selection of poems, stories, plays, and novels.
Connected
Japan will do this through
- Original,
encyclopedic content
- In-depth
articles, essays, and personal perspectives on Japanese culture
- Extensive,
annotated links to other materials available on the web
- Ample
opportunities for participation by experts, readers, and others, in
addition to our staff
Some
of the site’s future contents will include such topics as:
- a
guide to Japan’s national symbols
- Japan’s
religions, mythology and folklore, philosophy, and psychology
- biographies
of cultural “heroes” history, art, literature, etc., and an
examination of their work
- the
influence of tradition on modern Japanese film, television shows,
literature, art, music, and pop culture
- sacred
and historical places, and the deep-cultural aspects of sites on
UNESCO’s “World Heritage” list
- field
trips to museums, gardens, historic sites, and other places
- an
almanac of holidays
- recommended
reading lists on these and many other topics
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| As a final bit of hubris,
here's a "letter" I posted:
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HISTORY
