Sacred historiography and its rhetoric in sixteenth-century Japan : an intertextual study and partial critical edition of Principio y progresso de la religión christiana en Jappón (--) (1601-1603) by Alessando Valignano
<p>This thesis investigates the polemical and deliberative functions that <i>sacred history</i> came to serve among European Jesuits in late sixteenth-century Japan, and the way in which this new genre of ‘mission histories’ reflected developments in European historiography. Focus...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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1998
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| _version_ | 1817932737349156864 |
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| author | Üçerler, MA |
| author2 | Wilkes, R |
| author_facet | Wilkes, R Üçerler, MA |
| author_sort | Üçerler, MA |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | <p>This thesis investigates the polemical and deliberative functions that <i>sacred history</i> came to serve among European Jesuits in late sixteenth-century Japan, and the way in which this new genre of ‘mission histories’ reflected developments in European historiography. Focus is provided by the work of the Italian Jesuit missionary, Alessandro Valignano (1539-1606), who was one of the most influential foreigners in Japan in his day. In 1601-03 he produced his last major work, <i>Del principio y progresso de la religion christiana en Jappón</i> [...], whose purpose was to vindicate the Jesuit enterprise by offering an authoritative interpretation of the mission’s history. This came in response to the criticisms of the Spanish Franciscan Friars, who challenged the Jesuit and Portuguese monopoly over the mission. In his <i>Principio</i>, Valignano set out to persuade his European audience as to the ‘right’ interpretation of the present turmoil in the East by calling the past to the witness-stand. This strategy, taken from forensic rhetoric, is the most original feature of his work.</p>
<p>The present thesis provides for the first time a <i><u>ritical edition</i></u>,of a substantial part of his history (<i>ca.</i> 60% or 65000 words), presented in general accordance with the criteria of the Anglo-American school of textual criticism. An editorial essay precedes the edition of the text in volume 2. Volume 1 consists of an historical/literary study of Valignano’s history and is divided into four chapters. The Introduction examines the problematic relationship between ‘fact’ and ‘fiction’ and proposes rhetoric as a valid tool of analysis of a work like Principio. Chapter Two deals with the life and times of the author, whereas Chapter Three concentrates on the historical context in which Valignano’s history was actually composed and the <i>intertextual</i> relationship between Principio and the polemical writings of his adversaries. Finally, the fourth chapter analyses the rhetorical techniques employed by Valignano in his chronicle and relates them to the <i>loci communes</i> associated with historiography in the aftermath of the Reformation and the Council of Trent.<p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T20:51:21Z |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oxford-uuid:37b08e45-9f84-43a6-922e-5909060e9e94 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-09T03:42:40Z |
| publishDate | 1998 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:37b08e45-9f84-43a6-922e-5909060e9e942024-12-07T13:50:26ZSacred historiography and its rhetoric in sixteenth-century Japan : an intertextual study and partial critical edition of Principio y progresso de la religión christiana en Jappón (--) (1601-1603) by Alessando ValignanoThesishttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_db06uuid:37b08e45-9f84-43a6-922e-5909060e9e94Japan -- Church history -- 16th centuryJesuits -- Japan -- History -- 16th centuryValignano, Alessandro, 1538-1606. Del principio y progresso de la religión christiana en Jappón, y de la especial providencia de que nuestro Señor usa con aquella nueva IglesiaEnglishHyrax Deposit1998Üçerler, MAWilkes, R<p>This thesis investigates the polemical and deliberative functions that <i>sacred history</i> came to serve among European Jesuits in late sixteenth-century Japan, and the way in which this new genre of ‘mission histories’ reflected developments in European historiography. Focus is provided by the work of the Italian Jesuit missionary, Alessandro Valignano (1539-1606), who was one of the most influential foreigners in Japan in his day. In 1601-03 he produced his last major work, <i>Del principio y progresso de la religion christiana en Jappón</i> [...], whose purpose was to vindicate the Jesuit enterprise by offering an authoritative interpretation of the mission’s history. This came in response to the criticisms of the Spanish Franciscan Friars, who challenged the Jesuit and Portuguese monopoly over the mission. In his <i>Principio</i>, Valignano set out to persuade his European audience as to the ‘right’ interpretation of the present turmoil in the East by calling the past to the witness-stand. This strategy, taken from forensic rhetoric, is the most original feature of his work.</p> <p>The present thesis provides for the first time a <i><u>ritical edition</i></u>,of a substantial part of his history (<i>ca.</i> 60% or 65000 words), presented in general accordance with the criteria of the Anglo-American school of textual criticism. An editorial essay precedes the edition of the text in volume 2. Volume 1 consists of an historical/literary study of Valignano’s history and is divided into four chapters. The Introduction examines the problematic relationship between ‘fact’ and ‘fiction’ and proposes rhetoric as a valid tool of analysis of a work like Principio. Chapter Two deals with the life and times of the author, whereas Chapter Three concentrates on the historical context in which Valignano’s history was actually composed and the <i>intertextual</i> relationship between Principio and the polemical writings of his adversaries. Finally, the fourth chapter analyses the rhetorical techniques employed by Valignano in his chronicle and relates them to the <i>loci communes</i> associated with historiography in the aftermath of the Reformation and the Council of Trent.<p> |
| spellingShingle | Japan -- Church history -- 16th century Jesuits -- Japan -- History -- 16th century Valignano, Alessandro, 1538-1606. Del principio y progresso de la religión christiana en Jappón, y de la especial providencia de que nuestro Señor usa con aquella nueva Iglesia Üçerler, MA Sacred historiography and its rhetoric in sixteenth-century Japan : an intertextual study and partial critical edition of Principio y progresso de la religión christiana en Jappón (--) (1601-1603) by Alessando Valignano |
| title | Sacred historiography and its rhetoric in sixteenth-century Japan : an intertextual study and partial critical edition of Principio y progresso de la religión christiana en Jappón (--) (1601-1603) by Alessando Valignano |
| title_full | Sacred historiography and its rhetoric in sixteenth-century Japan : an intertextual study and partial critical edition of Principio y progresso de la religión christiana en Jappón (--) (1601-1603) by Alessando Valignano |
| title_fullStr | Sacred historiography and its rhetoric in sixteenth-century Japan : an intertextual study and partial critical edition of Principio y progresso de la religión christiana en Jappón (--) (1601-1603) by Alessando Valignano |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sacred historiography and its rhetoric in sixteenth-century Japan : an intertextual study and partial critical edition of Principio y progresso de la religión christiana en Jappón (--) (1601-1603) by Alessando Valignano |
| title_short | Sacred historiography and its rhetoric in sixteenth-century Japan : an intertextual study and partial critical edition of Principio y progresso de la religión christiana en Jappón (--) (1601-1603) by Alessando Valignano |
| title_sort | sacred historiography and its rhetoric in sixteenth century japan an intertextual study and partial critical edition of principio y progresso de la religion christiana en jappon 1601 1603 by alessando valignano |
| topic | Japan -- Church history -- 16th century Jesuits -- Japan -- History -- 16th century Valignano, Alessandro, 1538-1606. Del principio y progresso de la religión christiana en Jappón, y de la especial providencia de que nuestro Señor usa con aquella nueva Iglesia |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ucerlerma sacredhistoriographyanditsrhetoricinsixteenthcenturyjapananintertextualstudyandpartialcriticaleditionofprincipioyprogressodelareligionchristianaenjappon16011603byalessandovalignano |