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Takemitsu, Toru

(Encyclopedia)Takemitsu, Toru tōˈro͞o täkāˈmĭtso͞o [key], 1930–96, Japanese composer, b. Tokyo. Largely self-taught and particularly influenced by Debussy and Cage, Takemitsu successfully combined serial ...

Kukai

(Encyclopedia)Kukai or Kobo-Daishi ko͞oˈkī, kōˈbō-dīˈshē [key], 774–835, Japanese priest, scholar, and artist, founder of the Shingon or “True Word” sect of Buddhism. Of aristocratic birth, he studie...

Pu Yi

(Encyclopedia)Pu Yi po͞o yē [key] or Henry Pu-yi, Manchu Aisin Gioro, 1906–67, last emperor (1908–12) of China, under the reign name Hsuan T'ung. After his abdication, the new republican government granted hi...

Kaigetsudo

(Encyclopedia)Kaigetsudo kīgĕtˈso͞odō [key], school of Japanese artists painting in the ukiyo-e style (see Japanese art). Kaigetsudo was founded by Kaigetsudo Ando in the early 18th cent. Characterized by broa...

Kakinomoto no Hitomaro

(Encyclopedia)Kakinomoto no Hitomaro käˈkēˈnōˈmōˈtō nō hēˈtōˈmäˈrō [key], ?–710?, early Japanese lyric poet. He is the greatest poet represented in the Manyôshu [collection of myriad leaves], wh...

Nogi, Maresuke

(Encyclopedia)Nogi, Maresuke märāˈso͞okā nōˈgē [key], 1849–1912, Japanese general. Made a lieutenant general in 1895, he became governor-general of Taiwan. He was the hero of the capture of Port Arthur in...

Matsudaira, Tsuneo

(Encyclopedia)Matsudaira, Tsuneo tso͞onāˈō mätso͞odīˈrä [key], 1877–1949, Japanese diplomat. He was much involved in negotiations with the United States and Great Britain and as a delegate to the post–...

Wakatsuki, Reijiro

(Encyclopedia)Wakatsuki, Reijiro rāˈjērō wäkätso͞oˈkē [key], 1866–1949, Japanese statesman. He served (1906, 1908–11) as vice minister of finance, was elected to parliament in 1911, and was minister of...

Dazai, Osamu

(Encyclopedia)Dazai, Osamu sho͞oˈjē tso͞oˈshĭmä [key], 1909–48, Japanese novelist. Considered one of the foremost fiction writers of 20th-century Japan, Dazai was noted for his ironic and gloomy wit, his o...

Chang Tso-lin

(Encyclopedia)Chang Tso-lin jäng tsōˈ-lĭnˈ [key], 1873–1928, Chinese general. Chang was of humble birth. As the leader of a unit of Manchurian militia he assisted (1904–5) the Japanese in the Russo-Japanes...