Real name:
Biography:
Born in Los Angeles, received BA in Japanese Language and Literature from UC Berkeley, MA in Japanese from Indiana Unviersity, and PhD in East Asian Languages and Literatures from UC Irvine; taught at UC Irvine, Stanford, University of Oregon, and Murray State University.
Current research areas:
I am currently working on projects related to the Taigensho, the treatise on Japanese Imperial court music written by Toyohara no Muneaki (1450-1524). The first of these projects focuses on the passage in the 5th Chapter that discusses the shakuhachi, the end blown flute. The issue will be discussed over two articles; the first article will lay out the cultural context of the passage, the second will examine the illustrations in this passage, which shakuhachi players have largely ignored and advance a different understanding and playing style of shakuhachi.
After this project, I plan to explore Muneaki and his connection to Nichiren Buddhism. Of all the sects of Japanese Buddhism, Nichiren Buddhism has up to this point has no apparent connection with court music. But within Taigensho, there are several discussions of Nichiren that would imply some connection between Nichiren Buddhism and court music. This needs to be explored to make clear the connection and the understanding of how court music can be work in Nichiren Buddhism.