|
 Date
Monday, May 26th, at 6:30 p.m.
Venue
Motoazabu Gallery, 3-12-3 Motoazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0046
(opposite the Austrian Embassy; nearest subway station, Azabu-Juban (Oedo Line), exit 7. See map )
The Motoazabu Gallery has been selected as the venue as it is at present holding an exhibition of works by Yasushi Yokoiyama which include some of the illustrations to Dr. McMillan's translation of the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu. The talk will be followed by simple refreshments.
Topic
One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each: Translating the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu
About Our Speaker
Dr. McMillan comes from Ireland, where he received his B.A. from University College Dublin in 1979 and his M.A. from the same university in 1980; he received his Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of South Carolina in 1986, after concurrently working there as a teaching assistant 1981-85. He was appointed an assistant professor at Kyorin University in 1987, and as a full professor in 1995; he is teaching in both the graduate and undergraduate schools. He is also an artist and art expert, and opened his "mcmillanart gallery", which specializes in Japanese art, in Tokyo in 2005. He served on the Council of the ASJ 2002-05, and is now on the advisory board.
Abstract
Dr. McMillan writes that he became interested in Japanese classics while on a sabbatical ten years ago, when he studied under Donald Keene and others at Columbia. He decided to stay on in Japan and chose to translate the Hyakunin Isshu as a way of getting to know more about Japan. As reported in last month's Bulletin, his translation carries a foreword by Donald Keene, who praises it as "by far the best translation to date". Another recent translation of his is "Towards an Aesthetics of Tea" by Kumakura Isao, published in Monumenta Nipponica, 2002.
In his talk, Dr. McMillan will focus on the background and importance of the Hyakunin Isshu, introducing its strong imperial connections. He will speak of the difficulties and challenges of translating Japanese classical poetry, giving some examples. In conclusion he will introduce the work of Yasushi Yokoiyama, one of whose illustrations appears on the cover of Dr. McMillan's book.
Coming Meetings
June 16th (please note now, as the Bulletin will arrive late), Prof. Eiji Takemura on "The Role of Confucianism and Swordsmanship in the Bakumatsu Period", at the Tokyo University Youth Buddhist Association, Hongo-Sanchome (where we went in November, 2005, to hear Miss Sarah Moate speak on "Zen and Calligraphy").
September 22nd, speaker TBD.
October 20th, Dr. Donald Keene, once more at the New Zealand Embassy.
November 17th, Young Scholars' Programme.
December 8th, Prof. Adrian Pinnington on some aspect of The Tale of Genji (in its millennial year).
|
