Chrysanthemum and the Sword

Author: Benedict R. Anderson / Tang Xiaopeng / Wang Nan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-02-01
Features: Regardless of what you think about Japan, this book will captivate you. Even as it evolved from a cutting-edge military analysis to a classic in the library, its wisdom and humor remain undiminished—and have even become more evident, showcasing the well-trained foresight of scholars half a century ago. "Chrysanthemum" is the emblem of the Japanese imperial family, while "Sword" symbolizes the culture of Bushido. American anthropologist Ruth Benedict used The Chrysanthemum and the Sword to reveal the contradictory nature of the Japanese, or the dual nature of Japanese culture (such as loving beauty yet being militaristic, valuing etiquette yet being aggressive, embracing novelty yet being stubborn, and being obedient yet rebellious, etc.). Before World War II, the United States formulated its foreign policy toward Japan based on conventional thinking, but the Pearl Harbor attack declared these policies a complete failure. Therefore, the U.S. wartime intelligence agency commissioned anthropologist Benedict to write a report on the national character of the Japanese. Published publicly in 1946, the book was titled The Chrysanthemum and the Sword. More than half a century later, it is still widely cited as an important work on the national character of the Japanese, demonstrating its enduring academic vitality. The collector's edition of The Chrysanthemum and the Sword, jointly launched by Xianheng Library and Sina Network, has specially invited the renowned painter and expert in Japanese art history, Mr. Mei Zhongzhi, to select over a hundred rare and exquisite Japanese paintings. These works are presented in chronological order to showcase the development of Japanese painting and to provide a purely sensory corroboration for some of the book's famous arguments.