The Peach Orchard

       "The Peach Orchard" from Kurosawa's Dreams is a beautiful depiction of man's relationship with nature. According to Shinto belief, everything is spiritual and there is a deep connection between man, nature and the spirits/gods. Essentially, all physical entities also contain an element of the divine because spirit and matter are not divided; they are one in the same. This idea is apparent in this film as the little girl (humanity) is a physical manifestation of the last remaining peach tree (nature) and the peach trees are all represented by a Doll (spirits/gods). They are all interconnected.
       We also see an element of Shinto worship in "The Peach Orchard". When the little boy is confronted by the Dolls in the spot where the peach orchard used to be, they first scold him and laugh at him. When they see that the boy is being sincere and that he truly cared about the peach trees, they perform a ritual and allow him to see the trees in bloom one last time. The Dolls play drums, as well as other instruments, and they bow, as is often done in Shinto rites of worship. This is all done as a way of communicating with the kami and it also connects the young boy with the spirituality of the Dolls, who are one with the peach trees, in turn connecting the boy with the trees themselves. Once again, the interconnectedness of nature, humanity, and the spirits is apparent. Within Shinto, rites are often performed as a means of purification. Once the spirits realize that the boy is not to blame for the cutting down of the trees, they perform this ritual to cleanse him of any impurity left behind by means of association with his family. In effect, the Dolls are saying that they believe in his innocence.
       In my opinion, the central theme of "The Peach Orchard" deals with the Shinto belief that the gravest sin one can commit is a sin against a sacred object. Because all things are spiritual, the intentional and selfish desecration of anything might be considered a sin. In this case, the cutting down of the peach orchard was a careless, thoughtless act against spirituality. Instead of encouraging harmony among humanity, nature, and the gods, the boy's family stirred up a sense of discord and anger with the spirits. By destroying the peach trees, the family interrupted the continuity that unites all matter with the spiritual world. However, at the end of the film we see that the young girl has disappeared for good and that a young peach tree is alive where the orchard once stood. We can see that the young boy senses a connection with this new tree and we are left with the hope that balance has been restored and that, through him, nature, man, and spirituality are once again in alignment.

The Tao of Who? Oh, Pooh!

I actually read this book last semester in another one of Prof. Rasnic's classes and truly enjoyed it. It is an easy read and, though simple, is still very thought-provoking. I like that Benjamin Hoff uses a fictional character who we are all familiar with to help explain the principles of Taoism. I think that Hoff accurately describes western society, specifically American society, as one in which individuals are never satisfied with what they have. Much of our  focus is on the future as we constantly strive to "better" ourselves and reach goals that, as Hoff points out, are often unattainable. The American way of life, which says "Around the next corner, above the next step," goes against the natural order of things (p. 99). How can we ever be content with ourselves and our lives when we are conditioned to believe that there are bigger and better things ahead? As Pooh says, "It doesn't sound like much fun to me," (p. 99). This is part of what it means to be a Bisy Backson - some one who is constantly on the go. So many of the Bisy Backson's traits are characteristic of Americans in general. For instance, the Backson typically avoids trees and grass, preferring to walk or drive on the asphalt and concrete (p. 93). The Backson is also a workaholic, as many Americans are, and as Hoff puts it, "He works when he works, works when he exercises, and, more often than not, works when he plays," (p. 94). Americans are one of the most-worked people in the world, with comparatively little vacation time and long work days. Just consider how many marriages and families are torn apart because one of the spouses/parents cannot separate work time from family/home time. I completely agree with Hoff's critique of American society as one full of Bisy Backsons.

Though Taoism provides a great alternative to the hustle and bustle of American culture, I do not think it will ever become a widespread movement. Americans thrive off of their long work days and hope-for-the-future attitudes; it's what makes us tick... It's what makes us American. This country was founded on the principle of hard work and the idea that people have the power to shape their own tomorrows. Taoism completely undermines these principles. Whether right or wrong, I think that the majority of Americans do not see this Bisy Backson culture as a bad thing but rather as something that sets us apart from and makes us superior to other nations. Taoism has little power against the American ego.