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Européens et japonais : Traité sur les contradictions et différences de moeurs
En 1543, les Portugais sont les premiers Européens à découvrir le Japon, où ils nouent aussitôt des liens commerciaux. François Xavier y implante dès 1549 une mission jésuite. En 1597, commencent les premières persécutions. Le «siècle chrétien» s’achève dans les année 1640-1650: le pays se referme alors sur lui-même, et interdit son territoire à toute présence étrangère jusqu’en 1853.
Le père Luís Fróis, s. j. (1532-1597), qui résida plus de trente ans dans l’archipel nippon, fait en 1585 une description comparative des mœurs japonaises et européennes. Série d’instantanés ethnologiques qui décrivent avec brio et humour les principaux aspects de la vie quotidienne, c’est aussi un exercice littéraire d’une grande modernité – qui n’est pas sans révoquer George Perec – où se développe un discours imprévu sur nous et les autres, tout au long de notations assemblées en chapitres sur les hommes, les femmes, les chevaux, les enfants, la religion, les armes, les maladies, la musique, les navires, etc.
Le manuscrit de ce texte singulier, un petit volume composé de 40 feuilles de papier japonais au format 16 x 22 cm, n’avait été retrouvé qu’en 1946 par Josef Franz Schütte aux archives de Madrid. La collection Magellane, en 1993, en a fait paraître la traduction française, signée Xavier de Castro, accompagnée d’un appareil critique très fourni (première édition dans un pays européen). L’éditeur a repris cette traduction, révisée, en un format de poche accessible à un plus large public, et avec une préface que Claude Lévi-Strauss a rédigée en 2003 – mais dépouillée de son appareil critique. Les notes ont été réduites à l’essentiel.
Le père Luís Fróis, s. j. (1532-1597), qui résida plus de trente ans dans l’archipel nippon, fait en 1585 une description comparative des mœurs japonaises et européennes. Série d’instantanés ethnologiques qui décrivent avec brio et humour les principaux aspects de la vie quotidienne, c’est aussi un exercice littéraire d’une grande modernité – qui n’est pas sans révoquer George Perec – où se développe un discours imprévu sur nous et les autres, tout au long de notations assemblées en chapitres sur les hommes, les femmes, les chevaux, les enfants, la religion, les armes, les maladies, la musique, les navires, etc.
Le manuscrit de ce texte singulier, un petit volume composé de 40 feuilles de papier japonais au format 16 x 22 cm, n’avait été retrouvé qu’en 1946 par Josef Franz Schütte aux archives de Madrid. La collection Magellane, en 1993, en a fait paraître la traduction française, signée Xavier de Castro, accompagnée d’un appareil critique très fourni (première édition dans un pays européen). L’éditeur a repris cette traduction, révisée, en un format de poche accessible à un plus large public, et avec une préface que Claude Lévi-Strauss a rédigée en 2003 – mais dépouillée de son appareil critique. Les notes ont été réduites à l’essentiel.
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1585
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About the author
Luís Fróis
18 books2 followersLuís Fróis (1532 – 8 July, 1597) - Japanese: ルイス・フロイス (Ruisu Furoisu) - was a Portuguese Jesuit missionary.
Luis Fróis was born in Lisbon, Portugal, and joined the Society of Jesus in 1548. He went to India and served as a secretary, where his writing talent was recognized. He arrived in Japan in 1563 and studied Japanese language and customs in Takushima (度島) near Hirado, Kyushu.
Early in 1565 he joined the Jesuits in Kyoto and for the next few years experienced the confusion of the times. In 1569, the year after Oda Nobunaga entered Kyoto, he met Nobunaga at the Nijô Castle construction site, the first of many audiences with him. In 1576 he left Kyoto and went to Bungo province. He spent most of the rest of his life in Kyushu.
In 1581 he accompanied the Visitor Alessandro Valignano to Kyoto and Azuchi, and even visited Echizen province. He made another visit in 1586 with Gaspar Coelho, and was in Macao 1592-95. He died in Nagasaki in 1597, a few months after the death of the Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan.
Fróis was the author of many of the Jesuit annual reports and over a hundred long letters. Many of these were printed in Cartas in Europe in 1598 (translated into Japanese in Jesuit Reports). He also wrote an account of the death of the Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan and a history of Japan from 1549, which was not published till the 20th century.
His writings include the 'Historia de Japam' (History of Japan).
Luis Fróis was born in Lisbon, Portugal, and joined the Society of Jesus in 1548. He went to India and served as a secretary, where his writing talent was recognized. He arrived in Japan in 1563 and studied Japanese language and customs in Takushima (度島) near Hirado, Kyushu.
Early in 1565 he joined the Jesuits in Kyoto and for the next few years experienced the confusion of the times. In 1569, the year after Oda Nobunaga entered Kyoto, he met Nobunaga at the Nijô Castle construction site, the first of many audiences with him. In 1576 he left Kyoto and went to Bungo province. He spent most of the rest of his life in Kyushu.
In 1581 he accompanied the Visitor Alessandro Valignano to Kyoto and Azuchi, and even visited Echizen province. He made another visit in 1586 with Gaspar Coelho, and was in Macao 1592-95. He died in Nagasaki in 1597, a few months after the death of the Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan.
Fróis was the author of many of the Jesuit annual reports and over a hundred long letters. Many of these were printed in Cartas in Europe in 1598 (translated into Japanese in Jesuit Reports). He also wrote an account of the death of the Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan and a history of Japan from 1549, which was not published till the 20th century.
His writings include the 'Historia de Japam' (History of Japan).
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 20, 2020
Considero a chegada dos portugueses ao Japão, o feito mais fabuloso da epopeia marítima nacional. A espingarda unificou o país. Interrogo-me se Luís Fróis chegou a perceber, que os bonsais tinham a mesma função que as cruzes cristãs; acho que nenhum jesuíta percebeu. Wenceslau de Moraes, o último cronista oriental português, escreveu no seu livro: Traços do Extremo Oriente, que os japoneses são um povo pouco inventivo, porém, conseguem aprimorar tudo o que lhes chega às mãos, como por exemplo, os peixinhos-da-horta, que hoje em dia são apreciados em todo o lado, mas chamam-se tempura (que por acaso também é uma palavra com origem na língua portuguesa).
December 31, 2022
Mais de 400 anos depois o espanto com as diferenças continua.
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July 9, 2023Provavelmente, não pegaria neste livro (nem o conheceria) sem a recomendação para a disciplina de Hibridismo dos Géneros, mas acabou por ser uma leitura interessante. Tenho de admitir que sempre que pegava nele passava os dedos pela capa e perdia uns segundos a admirar a beleza e qualidade desta edição, com uma capa verdadeiramente bonita.
February 28, 2022
A high rating because it is doubly interesting to see the differences perceived by the author and the differences perceived by contrast with Japan then and nowadays Japan (as well as then Europe and nowadays Europe).
However I believe that you need to be already highly familiar with Japanese culture and etiquette to truly appreciate this book. Otherwise you might be induced in error believing that Japanese people still or no longer think as observed in the 16th century.
Strangely I found that a lot was still very true, especially about construction, tools and interpersonal exchanges.
I found the observations on women and children (especially their rights and freedoms compared to actual Japan) very very important testimony. I can't wait to discuss it with my friends!
However I believe that you need to be already highly familiar with Japanese culture and etiquette to truly appreciate this book. Otherwise you might be induced in error believing that Japanese people still or no longer think as observed in the 16th century.
Strangely I found that a lot was still very true, especially about construction, tools and interpersonal exchanges.
I found the observations on women and children (especially their rights and freedoms compared to actual Japan) very very important testimony. I can't wait to discuss it with my friends!
Read
April 14, 2024"In Japan, ambiguous words are considered the best language, and are the most highly esteemed."
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September 24, 2022Um pequeno livro bastante interessante que realça o contraste de costumes entre a Europa e o Japão, tal como visto por um missionário português do XVI. Apesar de ser um produto para o seu tempo, não deixa de ter eco nas sociedades atuais. Para quem estiver interessado na ligação entre Portugal e o Japão, recomendo o episódio do podcast que por sua vez me levou a ler este livro: "Falando de História #11 Os Portugueses e o Japão (1543-1639)".
August 29, 2024
Obrigado ao Hugo van der Ding por informar e recomendar este livro no seu programa.
Ótima leitura.
Ótima leitura.
November 20, 2024
I have not read the whole book. Still, I am very different Japan indeed.
January 4, 2025
Mais uma gema que li este ano, e que tenho orgulho de estar na minha biblioteca. Ainda para mais ao constatar avanços modernos já nessa época em tão diferentes países. Que pedaço de história!
March 7, 2014
Interessante relato sobre as diferenças sociais, econômicas e tecnológicas entre japoneses e europeus no século XVI
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews