Lust, Commerce, and Corruption

An Account of What I Have Seen and Heard, by an Edo Samurai

Nonfiction, History, Asian, Japan, Military
Cover of the book Lust, Commerce, and Corruption by , Columbia University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: ISBN: 9780231535977
Publisher: Columbia University Press Publication: February 4, 2014
Imprint: Columbia University Press Language: English
Author:
ISBN: 9780231535977
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Publication: February 4, 2014
Imprint: Columbia University Press
Language: English

By 1816, Japan had recovered from the famines of the 1780s and moved beyond the political reforms of the 1790s. Despite persistent economic and social stresses, the country seemed to be approaching a new period of growth. The idea that the shogunate would not last forever was far from anyone's mind.

Yet, in that year, an anonymous samurai author completed one of the most detailed critiques of Edo society known today. Writing as Buyo Inshi, "a retired gentleman of Edo," he expresses a profound despair with the state of the realm and with people's behavior and attitudes. He sees decay wherever he turns and believes the world will soon descend into war.

Buyo shows a familiarity with many corners of Edo life that one might not expect in a samurai. He describes the corruption of samurai officials; the suffering of the poor in villages and cities; the operation of brothels; the dealings of blind moneylenders; the selling and buying of temple abbotships; and the dubious strategies townspeople use in the law courts. Perhaps the frankness of his account, which contains a wealth of concrete information about Edo society, made him prefer to remain anonymous.

This volume contains a full translation of Buyo's often-quoted but rarely studied work by a team of specialists on Edo society. Together with extensive annotation of the translation, the volume includes an introduction that situates the text culturally and historically.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

By 1816, Japan had recovered from the famines of the 1780s and moved beyond the political reforms of the 1790s. Despite persistent economic and social stresses, the country seemed to be approaching a new period of growth. The idea that the shogunate would not last forever was far from anyone's mind.

Yet, in that year, an anonymous samurai author completed one of the most detailed critiques of Edo society known today. Writing as Buyo Inshi, "a retired gentleman of Edo," he expresses a profound despair with the state of the realm and with people's behavior and attitudes. He sees decay wherever he turns and believes the world will soon descend into war.

Buyo shows a familiarity with many corners of Edo life that one might not expect in a samurai. He describes the corruption of samurai officials; the suffering of the poor in villages and cities; the operation of brothels; the dealings of blind moneylenders; the selling and buying of temple abbotships; and the dubious strategies townspeople use in the law courts. Perhaps the frankness of his account, which contains a wealth of concrete information about Edo society, made him prefer to remain anonymous.

This volume contains a full translation of Buyo's often-quoted but rarely studied work by a team of specialists on Edo society. Together with extensive annotation of the translation, the volume includes an introduction that situates the text culturally and historically.

More books from Columbia University Press

Cover of the book Soviet Fates and Lost Alternatives by
Cover of the book Zhuangzi: Basic Writings by
Cover of the book Islamic Law and Civil Code by
Cover of the book The Story of Life in 25 Fossils by
Cover of the book Nuthin' but a "G" Thang by
Cover of the book Cheese, Pears, and History in a Proverb by
Cover of the book Metaphysics of the Profane by
Cover of the book Reshaping the Holy by
Cover of the book Return of the Dragon by
Cover of the book The Faith of Biology and the Biology of Faith by
Cover of the book Theos Bernard, the White Lama by
Cover of the book China's Philological Turn by
Cover of the book Vital Conversations by
Cover of the book Marriage and Family by
Cover of the book Paleoclimates by
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy