Dedicated to the languages, literatures, linguistics, and cultures of East Asia
The Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures prepares students for B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and trans-Asian studies.
Don’t worry about not being acknowledged by others; worry about failing to acknowledge them.
In the Spotlight
Professor James Reichert Publishes New Book "Literature for the Masses: Japanese Period Fiction, 1913–1941"
Literature for the Masses is the first English-language book on popular stories known in Japan alternatively as period fiction or mass literature. It highlights the important cultural and ideological work performed by this ubiquitous, yet overlooked, literary form. Focused on the years 1913 to 1941, which coincide exactly with the rise of industrial capitalism and mass culture in Japan, the book challenges the conventional wisdom that period-themed entertainment was an anachronistic holdover from the past. Through a close analysis of well-known examples of the genre, such as Nakazato Kaizan’s The Great Buddha Pass (1913–1921), Yoshikawa Eiji’s Miyamoto Musashi (1935–1939), and Mikami Otokichi’s The Transformation of Yukinojō (1934–1935), James Reichert shows how these materials were thoroughly integrated into both the modern media ecosystem and the creative sphere of the written arts.
Literature for the Masses: Japanese Period Fiction, 1913–1941- UH Press
"I grew up in Finland during the Cold War and I came to Stanford as an undergraduate in the mid-80s, before the current era of globalization. I received my B.A. in East Asian Studies in 1990. I can say without hesitation that my undergraduate years and my study of East Asia in general, and China in particular, constituted the single most formative intellectual experience of my life—even more so than my subsequent graduate studies. I returned to Stanford again in the late 90s to do an M.A. in East Asian Studies. Initially, I had no idea what I wanted to do when I was at Stanford. First, I contemplated a Ph.D in Chinese philosophy. Then, I decided against it and ended up going to law school for all the wrong reasons—like so many liberal arts graduates who are unsure what to do. Luckily, I realized subsequently that the study of Chinese law is a fascinating scholarly pursuit, and I ended up becoming a law professor."
- Teemu Ruskola, B.A. in East Asian Studies '90 & M.A. in East Asian Studies '99 Professor of Law and Professor of East Asian Languages & Civilizations at the University of Pennsylvania
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InclusiviTea gathering, featuring master potter Shinohara Nozomu. Photo courtesy of EALC PhD student, Jason Beckman.
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Preparing the Grounds for Buddha's Birthday in South Korea. Photo courtesy of Professor Dafna Zur