Dancing with Modernity: Falling Gracefully With Meiji Ukemi

Posted: December 21, 2024 | Author: Dr. Ernie | Filed under: AI-Powered Essays | Tags: culture, modernity, reform, transformation, values |1 Comment

Have Jigoro Kano speak on “Meiji Ukemi” at an appropriate historical event, as a metaphor for moving beyond “breakfall” to dance with Western modernity.

ChatGPT Prompt

ChatGPT as Jigoro Kano on October 18, 1888

---

Your Majesty, esteemed guests, and fellow educators,

We stand here today in an era unlike any other in our nation’s history. The winds of the Meiji era blow strong, carrying with them the force of transformation. Traditions once held sacred now meet the demands of modernity. The weight of this moment is immense, and like a judoka caught in the grip of an opponent, we find ourselves thrown into the unknown.

But I ask you: Shall we resist, stiffen our bodies, and break upon the impact? Or shall we embrace the art of falling, ukemi, and rise again with grace and strength?

---

Ukemi as a Metaphor for the Nation

In the practice of Judo, the first lesson taught is not how to throw but how to fall. The art of ukemi teaches us to meet the force of a throw not with rigidity but with fluidity, to blend with the power that seeks to overcome us. The untrained body resists and breaks; the trained body flows and survives.

In the same way, our nation faces the throws of Western modernity—new technologies, systems of governance, and ways of thinking that challenge our cherished traditions. To resist blindly is to risk breaking the fabric of our culture. But to embrace ukemi is to recognize that within every fall lies the opportunity to rise stronger.

---

The Transition from Breakfall to Dance

In its simplest form, ukemi begins with the breakfall—a slap to the ground to absorb the impact. This is survival, and survival is necessary. But true mastery lies beyond mere survival. True ukemi is a dance, a harmony between thrower and receiver, where the fall becomes an expression of skill and adaptation.

So too must Japan move beyond the breakfall. It is not enough to absorb Western influence; we must transform it into a dance that strengthens our own foundation. Let us take the best of what modernity offers—its science, its systems, its ideas—and weave them into the fabric of our culture, enriching it rather than erasing it.

---

Education as the Path Forward

At Gakushūin, we are tasked with preparing the next generation to navigate this dynamic world. Our role as educators is not simply to preserve the past but to equip our students with the tools to adapt, to thrive, and to lead.

Let us teach them the philosophy of seiryoku zenyo, the principle of maximum efficiency. Just as a judoka uses the opponent’s strength to their advantage, so too must our students learn to use the forces of change to propel themselves forward. Let us instill in them the value of jita kyoei, mutual welfare and benefit, so they see modernity not as a threat but as an opportunity for collaboration and growth.

---

A Vision for the Future

Your Majesty, esteemed guests, and colleagues, I urge you to consider this moment not as a fall, but as an invitation to rise. Just as a judoka learns to turn a throw into an opportunity, Japan must turn the challenges of modernity into a source of strength.

Meiji Ukemi—this is what I propose as our guiding metaphor. Let us meet the force of the new world with the wisdom of the old, blending tradition with innovation, strength with adaptability. In doing so, we will not only preserve the soul of Japan but elevate it to greater heights.

Thank you.

---

Jigoro Kano

---