Private Academies of Chinese Learning in Meiji Japan: The Decline ...

PRIVATE ACADEMIES OF CHINESE LEARNING IN MEIJI JAPAN 87new music school in Ueno and the Prefectural Girls’ HigherSchool. In 1901 she joined the faculty of Naruse Jinzō’s JapanWomen’s College. During this time, a few girls remained, someliving with her, and studied kangaku. Once again Masako had atraditional juku, small, informal and devoted to only one subject.Aikawa Miho, who became one of the first teachers whenMasako founded her girls’ school, recorded some of hermemories:Around 1897, the juku was in Kanda and there were 14 or 15girls on the first floor of a house in Nishiki-chō [part ofKanda], which can be called the predecessor of the presentgirls’ school. At this time I came from the foot of Mount Fujias a country girl with my father to ask for entry, and fromthen on I was close to her day and night. For several yearsshe would wash rice and do the cooking on cold wintermornings with only one maid for company. Once thecooking was finished, she would make her preparations andthen leave for work at the girls’ school, then nearKandabashi. I remember feeling that it was a pity to see heroff at the entrance. At around three in the afternoon shewould return, and without taking the time for a short restwould lecture to us. While hearing her patiently givingmoral instruction based on the Analects of Confucius, theHistorical Records (Shiki) of Sima Qian and other classics, theunappreciative young women, after sitting for a while, felttheir feet hurt and go numb. We would rub dust from thetatami mats against our foreheads as a magic charm to keepour feet from going numb, and when you looked behindyou, people were beginning to nodd off. Young peopletoday cannot imagine this kind of situation, and when Ithink of the valuable lectures I regret our rudeness. Thepeople who were at the juku then will surely remember. Thepresent headmaster was still a student, and the pupils of thejuku all called him the young teacher. He was gifted in allrespects, which shows that real talent blossoms from anearly age. He often helped his mother look after her pupils.Now he is beyond doubt mature and in speaking andwriting he is perfect. The present flourishing of the school isno coincidence. 46