Thursday, September 25, 2008

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To commemorate the millennium anniversary of Murasaki Shikibu’s literary classic, The Tale of Genji, we are pleased to present a series of events that celebrate this historic novel. Lecture events will include a brief overview of the major themes in the work, so prior familiarity with the story will be helpful but is not required to enjoy each presentation.

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Manga have permeated every aspect of Japanese life, teaching people to bank, new employees how to make repair estimates, and even young mothers how to network. The Tale of Genji, a one-thousand-year-old Japanese literary classic, has also had a powerful influence on Japanese society, with visual representations appearing in everything from ancient scrolls to modern yen notes. A visually evocative story about an elegant, romantic hero par excellence, The Tale of Genji has spawned over 20 manga versions—-from instructional tomes for children to shôjo girls, comics and even gag introductory manga. Dr. Lynne K. Miyake of Pomona College will introduce a selection of these graphic novels, exploring their special vision and their contemporary take on this beloved tale.

Dr. Lynne K. Miyake is a professor of Japanese, Women’s Studies, and Asian American Studies at Pomona College. Dr. Miyake works in Heian prose narratives dealing with issues of narration, gender, and cultural studies. She has published articles (in Japanese and English) on the manga versions of The Tale of Genji, the tale itself, and the impact of translation on the formulation of the canon of Japanese literature in the U.S., among other topics. She also is developing a book manuscript on the manga versions of The Tale of Genji. Dr. Miyake received her B.A. from the University of Southern California and her M.A. in Comparative Literature and Ph.D. in Japanese literature from the University of California at Berkeley.

Time:
Thursday, September 25, 2008
6:00 Registration
6:30-8:00 Program

Location:
Mechanics’ Institute
57 Post Street, San Francisco [map]

Cost:
Free for Japan Society members & members of cosponsoring organizations
$5 Students
$10 General Admission

Co-sponsored by the Institute of East Asian Studies, the Mechanics’ Institute, USF Center for the Pacific Rim, and in cooperation with the Consulate-General of Japan in San Francisco