Yuliya Osadcha Ferreira – Eastern Civilization and Western Enlightenment in Ariga Nagao’s Bungakuron
Channel: European Network of Japanese Philosophy
Date: 16/05/2023

6th Annual Conference of the 
European Network of Japanese Philosophy 
"(Counter)influences" 
Budapest, 2021


Eastern Civilization and Western Enlightenment in Ariga Nagao’s Bungakuron

Ariga Nagao (有賀長男 , 1860–1921) wrote his On Writings or Bungakuron (「文学論」, 1885) in the period of vigorous discussion by Meiji scholars on how to develop further Japanese society. He focuses on harmonious combination of the Chinese spiritual tradition and the European technical progress in the sphere of state management, social activities as well as fine arts, and philosophy. In comprehension of the Western and Eastern civilizations, Ariga observes two fundamental world-view principles. The first is analysis ( 分解) as a scientific approach to understand the material world; the second is synthesis ( 保合) as a method to perceive the essence of various phenomena and things. He concludes that the ancient Japanese culture and the forthcoming Western enlightenment are “not incompatible with each other like fire and ice” (by Ariga). Moreover, their integration might be fruitful for Japan: the energy of European science ( 理学の精) counterparts the beauty of Chinese text ( 文章の美), and their synthesis will result in great harmony ( 大和) in many domains. Ariga eventually
states that this could serve for the unrivalled-before-upcoming-prosperity of the Japanese society.

Yuliya Osadcha Ferreira graduated from the Kyiv National Linguistics University (2001); received PhD in theory of literature (2006) from the Taras Shevchenko Institute of Literature (the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine). Currently works on the topic Mechanisms and Strategies of Literary Canon Formation in the Early Meiji Literary Criticism. Author of the monograph Ego-prose watakushi-shōsetsu in Japan: Theory, Genesis, Modern Context (2013) and the full translation into Ukrainian of Tsubouchi Shōyō’s The Essence of the Novel (2015).

Conference Program:
https://enojp2021.elte.hu/program


European Network of Japanese Philosophy:
http://enojp.org/


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