The Myth of Bushidō: Print Culture and the Reinvention of Samurai Values in Modern Japan and China Restricted; Files Only

Abstract

This thesis explores the reinvention and dissemination of bushidō, the “Way of the samurai,” in Japan and China through print culture between 1890, the beginning of bushidō enthusiasm, and 1912, the end of the Meiji period. Bushidō, according to its advocates, is a centuries-long code of honor, loyalty, and discipline observed by the samurai. Previous research, however, has established bushidō as a modern invented tradition. The samurai class had ruled over Japan for about seven centuries before the Meiji government abolished its privileges in the 1870s. In the 1890s, intellectuals invented modern bushidō based on historical traces of samurai ethics and promoted it in Japan to create a national ideology. This thesis focuses specifically on the role of the printing press in shaping and spreading bushidō narratives. It examines select newspapers published between 1890 and 1912 and demonstrates how print culture glorified bushidō by linking it to historical figures like Saigō Takamori, to the sacrifice of soldiers in wars, and to Japan’s military successes. The accessibility of the printing press contributed to the popularization of bushidō and fostered the growth of nationalism.

Japan’s successful modernization and military victories in the Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905) drew global attention to bushidō. Chinese reformers such as Liang Qichao took inspiration from bushidō and searched for a similar martial spirit in China. In the 1900s, Chinese intellectuals from various political factions used the Chinese printing press to advertise bushidō as a weapon to attack the ruling Qing Dynasty and support modernization. The Chinese advocates’ transformation of bushidō into a symbol of reform and modernity in China illuminates the plasticity and adaptability of this invented tradition. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of how media can influence the construction of national identity.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Chapter 1: The Invention of Modern Bushidō 7

Chapter 2: Bushidō and Meiji Print Culture 20

Chapter 3: Bushidō and Chinese Print Culture 34

Conclusion 48

Bibliography 50

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	History
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	History, Asia, Australia and Oceania History, Modern
Keyword	Print Culture History of Japan Samurai Bushidō History of China
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Nenzi, Laura, Emory University
Committee Members	Bullock, Julia, Emory University Crowley, Cheryl, Emory University

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