1400 Week 19 Flashcards
(35 cards)
What is the name for the Chonin caste-consciousness of Tokugawa Japan?
Chonindo
What was the political position of townspeople in Tokugawa Japan?
They had no political rights regardless of wealth
Three activities with contributions from chonin are:
- kabuki theatre
- haiku
- ukiyo zoshi
How did the Gay Quarters act as cultural centres?
They provided pleasure, production, and contribution; Yoshiwara was the centre of production
What is Yuri?
Red light district
What is Ukiyo?
The floating world, it is often associated with the sadness of impermanence
What does “memory to serve a lifetime” imply?
Courtesans of the pleasure quarters were too expensive or exclusive for most and to get a chance with one was very rare
What is Iro?
Refers to the colour of life, sensual pleasure, and sensuality
Where were examples of iro found?
Kabuki
What is Iki?
The set of tastes and decorum which guide love and sensual experiences in the pleasure quarters
Who mostly visits the pleasure quarters?
Merchants who want a break from reality
Why can’t courtesans become attached to their customers?
It could lead to problematic relationships and sometimes tragedy (suicide) but it also removes the feeling of iki and unknowingness which is important to the quarters
What is Tsu?
The connoisseurship of the ways of the pleasure quarter
What is Iroke?
Interest in the opposite sex, glamour, sex appeal, passion, and romance
What was the first performance of Kabuki?
A performance of “Priestess” by the Kamo River in 1603
Who most watched Kabuki?
Chonin
Why were women not allowed to act in Kabuki?
They would offer themselves to the audience and fights would break out deciding who deserved the actress
When was women’s kabuki banned?
1629
What is wakashu kabuki?
Young men’s kabuki
What is an onnagata?
Male kabuki performer who takes on female roles
What was the lifestyle of an onnagata?
They had to remain dressed as a woman and act like a woman whenever they went out in public
When was young men’s kabuki banned?
1652
What is Yaro?
Men’s kabuki
What are sewamono?
Kabuki plays which reflect contemporary life
