Kultura prostitucije v obdobju Edo: Pomen prostitucije s kulturološkega in ekonomskega vidika

Sovinc, Kaja (author), Culiberg, Luka (mentor), Moritoki Škof, Nagisa (comentor)

V diplomskem delu proučujem kulturo prostitucije, ki se je oblikovala na Japonskem v obdobju Edo (1603–1868). Na podlagi družbenih sprememb, ekonomskega razvoja, inovacij in politike tega obdobja sem poskušala ugotoviti, kako in zakaj se je v tem obdobju razvila prostitucija ter kako je bila organizirana. Prostitucija oziroma nudenje spolnih uslug ima na Japonskem dolgo zgodovino, vendar je šele v obdobju Edo postala pomembna ekonomska dejavnost. Šogunat je oblikoval rdeče četrti, prva je bila Yoshiwara, kjer je lahko potekala zakonsko regulirana prostitucija. S pomočjo rdečih četrti so skušali uresničiti politične ideale o stabilizaciji države in zmanjšati obseg trgovine z belim blagom, ki je bila v tem obdobju zelo razširjena. Znotraj teh četrti se je odvijalo samostojno življenje, svojevrstna kultura, hierarhija med delavkami in zapleteni obredi. V času, ko je za posameznika pripadnost v družbeni hierarhiji pomenila vse, je bil obisk rdeče četrti gotovo olajšanje, saj status gosta tam ni bil pomemben. Na življenje prostitutk v rdečih četrtih je zelo močno vplivala hierarhija med njimi, ki je bila odvisna predvsem od njihovih strank in zaslužka. Večinoma so bile to prodane hčerke revnih kmetov. Konec 18. stoletja se je organizirana prostitucija razširila po celotni Japonski in močno vplivala na podobo podeželja, kar je pripomoglo k ekonomskemu razvoju šogunata, saj je prinašalo velike dobičke.

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: Yoshiwara, šogunat, kurtizane, bordeli, rdeče četrti
• Work type: Bachelor thesis/paper
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Year: 2020
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-119591
• Publication date in RUL: 10.09.2020

Secondary language

• Language: English
• Title: The Culture of Prostitution in Edo Period: The Importance of Prostitution from a Cultural and an Economic Point of View

Abstract

In my undergraduate thesis, I took a closer look at the culture of prostitution in the Edo period (1603-1868). I tried to find out how and why this organized prostitution came to be, based on social changes, economic development, innovations and politics of the time. The Japanese have a long history of offering sexual services, yet prostitution as a business developed in the Edo period. The Shogunate built “red-light” districts for legal prostitution, and the first one of this period was Yoshiwara. With the help of this “red-light” district, the Shogunate tried to realize their political ideals of stabilizing the country and reducing the scale of human trafficking, which was very widespread at the time. These “red-light” districts had a life of their own, a culture, the hierarchy among the prostitutes and complicated rituals. In those times, when one’s social status was of great importance, it was doubtlessly a relief going to such “red-light” districts, where social hierarchy was of no importance. Nonetheless, the lives of prostitutes were greatly affected by their social status within “red-light” districts, which depended on their customers and earnings. Most of these sexual workers were daughters of poor farmers, sold into prostitution. At the end of the 18th century organized prostitution spread throughout Japan and heavily influenced the countryside, which greatly affected the economic development of the Shogunate and also brought substantial revenues.

• Keywords: Yoshiwara, shogunate, courtesan, brothels, red-light districts