Japanese Books: Exploring Manuscripts to Print
Discover the evolution of Japanese books from scrolls to prints, examining their formats, storytelling techniques, and cultural significance.
Discover the evolution of Japanese books from scrolls to prints, examining their formats, storytelling techniques, and cultural significance.
Embark on a fascinating journey through the history of Japanese books with this comprehensive course from Harvard University. Over nine weeks, you'll explore the rich tapestry of Japanese literary formats, from ancient scrolls to modern prints. The course delves into the material properties of books, binding techniques, and storytelling methods, using rare manuscripts and illustrated scrolls from Harvard's prestigious collections. You'll examine religious texts, short stories, and the iconic Tale of Genji, gaining insights into how these works were created, read, and preserved across centuries. This course offers a unique perspective on Japanese culture, art, and literature, showcasing how the physical form of books has shaped our understanding of narratives and history.
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What you'll learn
Examine and analyze Japanese books and scrolls, understanding their material properties and cultural significance
Identify different types of bindings, scroll formats, and printing techniques used in Japanese book production
Understand the basic terminology associated with Japanese book and manuscript studies
Analyze various approaches to visual and textual storytelling in Japanese literature
Explore the plots, characters, and illustrative devices used in Japanese short stories and epic tales
Develop skills to appreciate and interpret illustrated narratives in Japanese books
Skills you'll gain
This course includes:
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Graded assignments, exams
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Limited Access access
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There are 3 modules in this course
This course offers a comprehensive exploration of Japanese book history, focusing on the evolution from manuscripts to printed books. It covers three main modules: Books, Scrolls, and Religious Devotion; Visual and Textual Storytelling in Short-Story Scrolls; and "Multimedia" Books exemplified by The Tale of Genji. Students will examine rare manuscripts and scrolls from Harvard's collections, learning about binding techniques, scroll formats, and printing methods. The course emphasizes the interplay between text and image in Japanese storytelling, and how different book formats have influenced reading experiences over time. It also explores the cultural and religious contexts of book production in Japan, from Buddhist devotional texts to popular literature.
Books, Scrolls, and Religious Devotion
Module 1
Visual and Textual Storytelling: Short-Story Scrolls
Module 2
Multimedia Books: The Tale of Genji
Module 3
Fee Structure
Instructor
1 Course
Leading Scholar Transforming Japanese Art and Visual Culture
Melissa McCormick is a Professor of Japanese Art and Culture at Harvard University, specializing in the relationship between art and literature, as well as forms of visual storytelling in Japan. She earned her BA from the University of Michigan in 1990 and her PhD in Japanese Art History from Princeton University in 2000. Before joining Harvard in 2005, she served as the Atsumi Assistant Professor of Japanese Art at Columbia University. Her influential works include "Tosa Mitsunobu and the Small Scroll in Medieval Japan," which explores the emergence of a new picto-literary genre, and "The Tale of Genji: A Visual Companion," which provides a comprehensive visual analysis of this classic text. McCormick's research has focused on reconstructing the interpretive communities of female readers and artists in late medieval Japan, emphasizing alternative spaces for creative expression. In addition to her scholarly publications, she has curated exhibitions such as "The Tale of Genji: A Japanese Classic Illuminated" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Through her teaching and research, she continues to advance the understanding of Japanese art and its cultural significance across different historical contexts.
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