Conférence d’Edoardo Gerlini (Ca’ Foscari University of Venice)
In many public spaces of contemporary Japan–such as streets, parks, and temples–it is not uncommon to come across stone inscriptions commemorating a historical event that took place at that location. Quite famous are the memorial stelae marking the visits of Emperor Meiji to specific sites, the so-called seiseki. In some cases, these monumental inscriptions feature literary or poetic texts, such as haiku by Matsuo Bashō or tanka poems from the eighth-century anthology Man’yōshū. The stelae inscribed with poems from the Man’yōshū are particularly interesting because they have become destinations for visits and itineraries, especially among Japanese visitors.
Although the custom of inscribing stones with literary texts has a long history in China and other parts of East Asia, in Japan there are relatively few examples of stelae predating the end of the early modern period. The practice of carving poems into stone monuments, especially from the second half of the twentieth century onward, may be seen as an attempt to reuse and re-evaluate classical literature, enriching these texts with new contexts and new readers. This represents a perfect example of what is called “textual heritage,” namely the cultural practice of recreating textual sources to meet the needs of people in the present.
Vendredi 3 octobre de 10h15 à 12h15
Amphithéatre 5C de la Halle aux Farines, Campus des Grands Moulins, Université Paris Cité, (10, rue Françoise Dolto 75013 Paris, RER et métro : Bibliothèque François Mitterrand).
Organisé par l’Université Paris Cité et le CRCAO en collaboration avec l’Inalco et avec le soutien de la Meiji Jingu Intercultural Research Institute
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