Enigma of the Emperors [Hardcover]

Ben-Ami Shillony (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 2005

This important new and original study on the institution of the Japanese emperors, from their mythological beginnings to the present day, focuses on the enigma of the institution itself, namely, the extraordinary continuity of the Japanese dynasty, which is unknown anywhere else in the world, yet which is now at risk on account of more recent laws of succession. The prisms through which this remarkable achievement is examined are the notions of divinity, gender and subservience. The volume is divided into nine sections: Strange Survival; The Feminine Beginnings of the Japanese Monarchy; Empresses and Consorts; Subservience as Power; Rising Fortunes in an Era of Peace; Meiji: the National Father Figure; The Elusive Divinity of the Modern Emperors; Return to Sacred Subservience; and, Continuity in Danger. Based on earlier research first published in Japanese ("Haha Naru Tenno"), "Enigma of the Emperors" adds significantly to the existing corpus of work on this subject, addressing many traditional preconceptions and misconceptions along the way. Accordingly, it will undoubtedly be welcomed within scholarly circles, as well as being of particular interest to a wider readership, not least because of its relevance in the context of the major contemporary issues surrounding the future of the dynasty in the twenty-first century.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ben-Ami Shillony is Louis Frieberg Professor of East Asian Studies at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, specializing in Japanese history and culture. He is a former Chairman of the university's Harry S.Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace. His writings on Japan are extensive in English, Hebrew and Japanese, with many of his essays in English appearing in Collected Writings of Ben-Ami Shillony (Japan Library, 2000). His other major works in English include Revolt in Japan (1973), Politics and Culture in Wartime Japan (1981 and 1991) and The Jews and the Japanese (1992).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: BRILL/Global Oriental (June 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1901903346
• ISBN-13: 978-1901903348
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,940,031 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)