Title:
"The Zen of Japanese Colonialism, with a focus on Korea"

Summary:
The use of Christian missionaries to promote Western colonialism is well known. Less well known is the role played by Japanese Buddhist sects in the promotion of Japanese imperialism in such colonized countries as Taiwan, Korea and Manchuria. This talk will therefore focus on the attitude of Zen and other Japanese Buddhist leaders towards Japan's colonial undertakings.  Zen-related figures like the well known D.T. Suzuki and many others, including Soto Zen priest Takeda Hanshi, will be shown to have been strong supporters of Japan's colonial efforts. In particular, this lecture will focus on Takeda Hanshi's influence on the development of Japan's colonial policies in Korea.

Short-bio:
Brian Daizen Victoria is a native of Omaha, Nebraska and a 1961 graduate of Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Nebraska.  He holds a M.A. in Buddhist Studies from Sōtō Zen sect-affiliated Komazawa University in Tokyo, and a Ph.D. from the Department of Religious Studies at Temple University. In addition to a 2nd, enlarged edition of Zen At War (Rowman & Littlefield, 2006), Brian's major writings include Zen War Stories (RoutledgeCurzon, 2003); an autobiographical work in Japanese entitled Gaijin de ari, Zen bozu de ari (As a Foreigner, As a Zen Priest), published by San-ichi Shobo in 1971; Zen Master Dōgen, coauthored with Prof. Yokoi Yūhō of Aichi-gakuin University (Weatherhill, 1976); and a translation of The Zen Life by Sato Koji (Weatherhill, 1972). Brian is professor of Japanese Studies and director of the AEA “Japan and Its Buddhist Traditions Program” at Antioch University in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

Time: 18:00 Uhr (6 pm)

Location: Institute of Korean Studies @ FU Berlin (Fabeckstraße 7, 14195 Berlin), Room 5 (Sitzungsraum)