Ecocriticism and Japan's View on Nature

Fran A
11 jan 2024
3 minuten om te lezen

Bijgewerkt op: 12 jan 2024

I was lucky enough to be able to follow 'English Literature: Taylor's Version' for its first semester at Ghent University. Since I've always been a big fan of pop culture and because I'm studying literature, this course spoke to me.

One of our classes was about ecocriticism. The literary and cultural theory known as ecocriticism looks at how nature is portrayed in works of literature and the relationships that exist between human culture and the natural world. We looked at some of Taylor's music and linked it with the theory and some literary works. For more detailed information on the seminar, check out the summary: https://swifterature.com/2023/11/30/english-literature-taylors-version-seminar-6/.

'Cardigan' by Taylor Swift on YouTube

During this class, we were introduced to the phenomenon of 'plant blindness', which may be defined as a person's indifference towards the presence of plants in their surroundings. This is connected to how we view the environment and connect to nature around us. I was unpleasantly surprised to find out I suffer a bit from plant blindness!

I was inspired and thought of how different our view on nature is compared to what I read and heard about nature's role in Japanese culture. I have been studying the Japanese language in an evening course for a year and a half now and I have been trying to learn about the culture for many years. I do want to put a disclaimer here since my knowledge is based on self-studying and is in many ways restricted.

While Japan is known for its metropolitan cities and technological advancements, its culture is deeply embedded with a connection to the environment. The country has two main religions, Buddhism and Shinto. Buddhism is known to emphasize respect for the balance of nature and Shinto is a polytheistic religion where the 'Gods' or 'Kami' are believed to be present in natural elements, animate or inanimate. While these definitions are necessarily simplified, they underscore a deep-rooted respect for Mother Nature ingrained in Japanese cultural and religious practices.

Torii gates in Kyoto (Shinto religion), photo by Gio Almonte

Along with nature's presence in religious traditions, it similarly plays a role in therapeutic processes. Forest bathing, known as 'Shinrin-Yoku,' represents a meditative practice immersed in natural surroundings, offering a means to reestablish a connection with nature within the context of an industrialized world. Viewed as a type of 'ecotherapy,' it is believed to have positive effects on mental health.

Besides religion and therapy, nature can serve as a way to bring people together. Every year during spring, when the cherry blossoms bloom, people come together to picnic or enjoy the scenic view of the trees. 'Hanami' roughly translates to 'flower watching'. It represents new beginnings and the transience of life, as the flowers will not be visible for very long and are fragile, because even a quick rain shower can wash away or damage many petals.

Spring flowers in Fukuoka, photo by Nichika Yoshida

In addition to these natural inspirations, I was also poetically moved by this class. We looked at some of the Romantic poets and their inspiration to write about the natural world. This reminded me of the poetry form 'Haiku', which came forth from Japanese tradition. Haiku is a type of Japanese poetry with strict rules. It consists of three lines. The first and last lines are five syllables long and the middle line consists of seven syllables. Its content is always about capturing a moment or essence of nature.

I got a sudden spark of inspiration and decided to write a haiku that hints at some of Taylor Swift's songs: