Report on Kanbun Courses and Workshop at the University of Oxford and Ca' Foscari University
Yamabe Susumu (Overseas Kanbun Course Section)
University of Oxford
A kanbun course was held as follows on 18-21 February 2009.
- 18 Feb.: 14.00-16.00 (Yamabe)
- 19 Feb.: 14.00-16.00 (Yamabe)
- 20 Feb.: 14.00-16.00 (Machi)
- 21 Feb.: 10.00-12.00 (Machi), 14.00-16.00 (Yamabe)
- 19 Feb.: 14.00-16.00 (Yamabe)
The course was attended by Prof. Bjarke Frellesvig of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, who had invited us to run the course, and ten others, and participation by teaching staff, academic librarians, and so on rather than graduate students was noticeable. This was because the course was run to a large extent as an experiment. After the conclusion of the course, Prof. Frellesvig made the following proposals:
- A kanbun course should be run again the next year.
- Separate classes should be held for third-year students and graduate students.
- Classes would be held at the university for one week and then continued via the Internet using Skype.
- The course would run during the second term (eight weeks) from mid-January to mid-March.
- In the future, it would be desirable to be able to run the course as part of the regular curriculum, as in the case of Ca' Foscari University.
Ca' Foscari University
A kanbun course was held as follows on 23-26 February 2009.
- 23 Feb.: 9.00-10.45, 11.00-12.45 (Yamabe)
- 24 Feb.: 9.00-10.45, 17.00-18.45 (Machi)
- 25 Feb.: 15.00-16.45 (undergraduate class, Yamabe)
- 26 Feb.: 9.00-10.45 (Machi), 11.00-12.45 (Yamabe)
- 24 Feb.: 9.00-10.45, 17.00-18.45 (Machi)
Starting from this year, the course became part of the regular curriculum, and it was attended by eleven first-time students. The course was continued in the form of ten Internet-based classes, starting on 5 March (Thurs.) (105 minutes, beginning at 8.00 p.m. Japanese time).
In addition, a single class on Chinese characters (kanji) (105 minutes; instructor: Yamabe) was held by way of an experiment in the Japanese course for senior undergraduate (third-year) students.
On 27-28 February a workshop on "Kanbun Education: Its History and Future Issues" was held at Ca' Foscari University.
27 Feb.,10.00-12.00
- Yamabe Susumu, “The Approach to Kanbun Courses in the Nishōgakusha University COE Program.”
- Ono Keiko, “The Kanbun Program at Princeton University and Related Issues.”
- Kōno Kimiko, “Kanbun Education in the Nara and Heian Periods” (paper only).
- Machi Senjurō, “A Historical Survey of Kanbun Education in the Modern Period.”
- Aldo Tollini, “A Basic Approach for Teaching Kanbun and Kanbun Kundoku to University Students in Italy.”
- Machi Senjurō, “A Historical Survey of Kanbun Education in the Modern Period.”
28 Feb.,
10.00-12.00
- Discussion about questions pertaining to kanbun education and future issues (Willy Vande Walle, Ono Keiko, Guido Colleni, Aldo Tollini, Laura Moretti, Machi Senjurō and Yamabe Susumu).
Participants
| Overseas leaders | Aldo Tollini Willy Vande Walle |
|---|---|
| Collaborating researchers | Kōno Kimiko (paper only) Laura Moretti |
| Princeton University | Ono Keiko |
| University of Rome | Guido Colleni |
| Nishōgakusha University | Machi Senjurō, Yamabe Susumu |
| Graduate students | 6 (Ca' Foscari University) |
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Department of Japanese Kanbun Instruction and Research Program, Nishogakusha University