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Crossing the Line between History and Literature through Natume Soseki’s Travel Essay Here and There in Manchuria and Korea

김영숙 1

1이화여자대학교

ABSTRACT

Natume Soseki’s travel essay Here and There in Manchuria and Korea is a work of literature based on his personal experiences in Manchuria and Korea, but it vividly and realistically describes life in Japanese society and characteristics of Manchuria in 1909. Therefore, we would like to analyze this book not as literature but as a historical document. First, we examined the education system of elites and their life paths after college graduation based on Soseki’s personal experience, including the Imperial University graduates whom he met at that time. We found that his trip was supported by colleagues and alumni of Imperial University. Second, we researched livelihoods under Japanese colonialism in Manchuria. Soseki’s book did not present its information on Manchuria chronologically, but it still helped the Japanese introduce a developmental process to Manchuria.

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