tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post1021446290647679821..comments2023-09-16T10:53:49.712-05:00Comments on Round and Square: Asian Miscellany (13)—Food and Drink in Heian JapanRound and Squarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-88380405526057688832013-01-10T19:21:45.331-06:002013-01-10T19:21:45.331-06:00Thanks, Karen. I apologize for not replying earlie...Thanks, Karen. I apologize for not replying earlier, but I just noticed this (for some reason, the software doesn't tell me when there is a new comment). This is, of course, the nightmare of anyone who tries to write for a general audience. As I do even more of that in the coming months, this is a very useful cautionary note. The one thing you won't hear me say is that "it's for a general audience...so it doesn't matter." No, I hold myself to higher standards than that, and generally accept your criticisms. I especially regret not making the rice discussion more complex. I only had 1,000 words with which to work, but I could well have at least mentioned the great scene in Seven Samurai when the farmers are eating millet. It is ironic that a huge part of my teaching on Japan emphasizes the subtleties of rice as symbol and (perceived, imaginary) staple. In fact, my entire midterm assignment is based on this. Alas. As for fish, I'll just take my knocks. I could try to defend it, but you've anticipated (rightly) some of the angles. I would say, finally, that the pictures have more to do with copyright laws than anything else. I never even thought of them as trying to back up my argument. I only can use free images, so all of them are meant more as little baubles than attempts to augment the argument. Absolutely you are right about wagashi. It hadn't occurred to me that the pictures were anything but occasionally anachronistic little figurines. <br /><br />I do think that your points are well taken. I would recommend the Lu source reader, even though it is (as my students always say) very "dry." I really have to think about general readership writing, though. This is truly a cautionary tale for me. Thanks again, Karen. This is helpful (and necessary).Round and Squarehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12034747929658750371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263183685364131312.post-84170732115773788382013-01-07T19:53:55.973-06:002013-01-07T19:53:55.973-06:00Hi Robert, You will hate me for writing and I prob...Hi Robert, You will hate me for writing and I probably should not hit the send button but I always react to food articles…you know I always was interested in food culture. You’ve written a delightful series on the H period and it sounds very glorious….perhaps too glorious? I see that you cite David Lu and I haven’t read his book, nor do I have any citations to offer, nor am I interested in pursuing a research project. That being said, I question whether some of the assertions are really substantiated by evidence or, like so much of Japanese history, based on common mythology. I read this as if I were helping my kid do a report on the H. period and asked myself if I am walking away with an accurate portrayal of Japanese culture. Being the skeptic I am, and fed up with Japan, I felt like it painted a more grandiose image than is justified. <br />As you said, most of the written evidence of the era comes from the aristocracy, so it has to be clear to the average reader, who might consult this site for information, that these descriptions apply to a very small percent of the population – one percent? That begs the question, what was H. Japan like for everyone else? If there isn’t enough documentation to write about the general population, then the title should reflect that this is about the court life during the H. era. <br />KaLaNihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17917131006422651419noreply@blogger.com