The Forty-Seven Rōnin: The Vendetta in History

Synopsis

The Forty-seven Rōnin Vendetta Is One Of The Most Famous Incidents In Japanese History, But It Is Also One Of The Most Misunderstood. This Book Seeks To Provide, Via Critical Analyses Of Relevant Documents, A Credible Account Of The Vendetta And Its Afterlife In History. It Suggests That When Considered Historically And Holistically, The Vendetta Appears As A Site Of Contested Cultural Ground, With Conflicts, Disagreements, And Debates Characterizing Its Three-century History Far More Than Cultural Unanimity About Its Values, Virtues, And Icons -- Time And Place -- Eyewitnesses To Bloodshed -- Rōnin Schisms -- Laying Souls To Rest -- Confucian Vs. Confucian Debates -- Confucian Vs. Confucian, Round Two -- History On Stage -- Domestic, Foreign, And Anti-foreign Reflections -- Modern Revivals -- The Vendetta Through 1945 -- Domesticating The Vendetta. John A. Tucker (east Carolina University). Includes Bibliographical References (pages 300-308) And Index.