| In the mid-19 th century,Japan was at the last state of the rule of the shogunate,facing the shaking of the bakuhan system inside and the entering of foreign powers outside.Since signing the Kanagawa Treaty with the United States in 1854,Japan had been forced to sign various unequal trade treaties with different western countries.In 1859,Sir Rutherford Alcock arrived in Japan as Britain’s first minister.He later compiled his experiences in Japan from 1859 to1862 into a book titled The Capital of the Tycoon.This work gives a detailed introduction to various aspects of Japanese society at the end of Tokugawa era,including the political system,the process of opening ports and initiating trades,the diplomatic affairs between Japan and Britain,and the daily life of the citizens.Sir Ernest Mason Satow arrived in Japan as a trainee interpreter of the British Legation in 1862,the same year that Sir Rutherford Alcock returned to his homeland.Satow later turned his experience into a book titled A Diplomat in Japan.This book mainly describes his experience of observing the British legation mediating with various political forces in Japan from 1862 to 1869.Even though the two works exhibit varied emphases of the descriptions,they provide firsthand information and personal experiences,creating a continuous and complementary narrative.Therefore,studying these two works together enriches our understanding of the social conditions in Bakumatsu period,and it is rather meaningful of exploring the root causes leading shogunate’s disintegration.Based on the analysis and interpretation of the two works,this thesis carries out research from the aspects of politics,economy,diplomacy and culture.In terms of politics,the political system in Bakumatsu period demonstrated distinctive features,such as the coexistence of the shogun and the emperor,a supervision system to ensure governance,a strict order of the hierarchy and cruel punishment of the law.Moreover,the political systems in Bakumatsu period and in European Middle Ages are similar.Regarding the economy in Bakumatsu period,two key observations can be made.First,Japan’s commodity economy had been greatly developed at that time,which is mainly reflected in the progress of commercial agriculture and rural handicraft industry.Second,the opening of trade ports had a prominent impact on Japan’s domestic economy,causing soaring price and gold outflow.These two factors greatly increased the status of the merchant class and challenged the hierarchical identity system used by the Tokugawa shogunate to maintain the rule.With respect to diplomacy between the shogunate and Western countries.The attitude of the British changed greatly from supporting the shogunate side to the emperor side because of the repeated actions of the anti-foreign party.Simultaneously,after the wars with the Western countries,the attitude towards foreign countries of powerful Daimyos changed from fighting against foreign countries to opening up.In terms of cultural life in Bakumatsu period,Japanese customs and recreational activities are colorful and fascinating.Works of art,such as novels and paintings that based on contemporary life flourished.The unique Oriental aesthetics also impressed the Western world.Finally,this thesis summarizes the main images of Japanese people,nature and urban landscapes in the two works,and points out that there is no basis for social change among the masses.The analysis of various aspects of Japanese society in Bakumatsu period reveals several key insights.Firstly,there is an enormous distance between the upper society and the underclass in Bakumatsu period,which makes it difficult to emerge any bottom-up revolution.Secondly,the timely awakening of the retainers of Daimyos is a crucial factor for the collapse of bakuhan system.Thirdly,although bakuhan system has a tendency of self-collapse in Bakumatsu period,the impact of western forces promotes the reform of Japan objectively and considerably,their roles should not be underestimated. |
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