The Actual 47 Rōnin Incident: Unjust Punishment and Vengeance by Luke Roberts
TITLE: Kanadehon Chushingura Act IV - Chamberlain Yuranosuke Swears Revenge Outside Edo Castle (detail)
CREDIT: Utagawa KUNIYOSHI, Japanese, 1798-1861, ca. late 1830s. Color woodblock print. SBMA, Gift of the Frederick B. Kellam collection.
Luke Roberts, Professor of Japanese History at the University of California, Santa Barbara, puts in historical and cultural context the legendary 18th century tale of a group of master less samurai or ronin, who avenge the death of their lord. His lecture describes the actual historical event that inspired the celebrated tale, Chūshingura, and still resonates in books, films, and even popular television shows in contemporary Japan, and is represented in the exhibition The Loyal League: Images from Japan’s Enduring Tale of Samurai Honor and Revenge, on view through June 24th.
