Reexamination of the iconography of Empress Jingu:

DOI

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • 神功皇后図像の再検証
  • The Movement for the Expansion of Women’s Rights and the Reading of “Female Emperors” in <i>Jogaku Zasshi</i> (Journal of Women’s Studies)
  • ――女権拡張運動と『女学雑誌』における「女帝」の読み替え――

Abstract

In earlier scholarship the Empress Jingu was presented in conflicting ways: on the one hand, her image was used in the interests of the Japanese empire and its overseas expansion as a “symbol of nationalistic politics and plans,” and on the other hand used in beliefs associated with safe childbirth as “a female symbol reflecting modern female norms.” Scholars have noted that the medieval/early modern images of the Empress Jingu are at odds with modern norms for women. In the medieval and early modern historical view, Empress Jingu, who ascended the imperial throne and led military forces despite being a woman, is presented as a woman who wished to break away from the view of women as incompetent. This paper analyses the changing images of Empress Jingu held by individuals involved in the Meiji-era struggle for improvement of womenʼ s rights as presented in Jogaku Zasshi (Journal of Womenʼ s Studies) and Jogaku Shinshi (New Journal of Women's Studies). The analysis shows that while the first issue of Jogaku Zasshi, which had the Empress on its cover, seemed to present the Empress as a woman who had matched the accomplishments of men, presentation in later issues slowly changed the Empressʼ s image to one that matched with Meiji government ideas about good wives and wise mothers. Although the first issue of Jogaku Zasshi and the 24th issue of Jogaku Shinshi presented images of the Empress Jingu, in the end images of Empress Jingu lost their appeal as a model of womanhood, and these journals increasingly featured Empress Komyo and Princess Shoken.

Journal

  • jenda shigaku

    jenda shigaku 18 (0), 31-45, 2022-10-14

    The Gender History Association of Japan

Details 詳細情報について

  • CRID
    1390297769570734464
  • DOI
    10.11365/genderhistory.18.31
  • ISSN
    18849385
    18804357
  • Text Lang
    ja
  • Data Source
    • JaLC
  • Abstract License Flag
    Disallowed

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