Western Civilization as Exhibited in a Sino-Japanese Poem from the Edo Period: An Analysis of Arai Hakuseki’s “The Alarm Clock”
Western Civilization as Exhibited in a Sino-Japanese Poem from the Edo Period: An Analysis of Arai Hakuseki’s “The Alarm

Summary/Abstract: This article analyzes Hakuseki’s poem “The Alarm Clock” according to Bakhtin’s theory about the relationship between the material of the poem and the surrounding society. This poem is included in the Hakuseki Shisō poetry collection and describes the appearance, structure, and sound of an alarm clock, expressing its superior quality by alluding to ancient Chinese legend. The alarm clock was originally introduced to Japan by Western missionaries in the sixteenth century and was improved during the seventeenth century when the Japanese adjusted it to Japan’s unique time system. The improved alarm clock was in circulation in Arai Hakuseki’s time. By analyzing the poem, we can surmise that the clock that Hakuseki saw was the model improved by the Japanese. Although the alarm clock originated in the West, the poem exhibits an ideal world often seen in Chinese poetry. The poem does not imply that the alarm clock is a Western invention. Moreover, it contains many expressions related to ancient Chinese legend. For example, the bell and the pole that supports it are described with reference to two artifact’s, the “Dew Collecting Plate” and the “Golden Pillar.” The poem reveals Hakuseki’s intention to show off Japan’s technology to his first readers in 1711, the Korean ambassadors, who revered ancient China as the ideal state.

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