1897

Meiji 30 (明治三十年)

Timeline of 1897

• 1897/11/1 Juye Incident in China - Bandits kill two German missionaries, sparking the beginning of a Scramble for Concessions, as Germany (in retaliation), and then Russia, Britain, France, and Japan (seeking to not lose out to Germany), seize territories or otherwise establish spheres of influence in China.

Other Events of 1897

• Japan switches from a de facto silver standard to a gold standard.
• John La Farge publishes his An Artist's Letters from Japan.
• Kabuki is filmed for the first time.
• Mutsu Hirokichi returns to Japan from appointment in Washington.
• Inabatake Katsutarô introduces the cinematograph to Japan.
• Okakura Kakuzô leaves the Tokyo School of Fine Arts amid scandal.
• The Old Shrines and Temples Preservation Act is enacted.
• "Mainland" legal system is extended to Okinawa prefecture.
• Former Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu moves to Tokyo.
• Torii Ryûzô visits Okinawa for the first time, to investigate local customs.
• Second Venice Biennale enforces strict guidelines on what counts as "contemporary pure art." All Japanese art in traditional formats is deemed "applied arts," and is excluded from the exhibition.

Births and Deaths

• Rutherford Alcock dies (b. 1809).
• Empress Dowager Eishô dies. Her funeral is the first imperial funeral to be conducted with entirely Shinto rites, expunged of Buddhist elements.
• Gotô Shôjirô dies (b. 1838).
• Mutsu Munemitsu dies (b. 1844).
• Nakajima Nobori dies (b. 1838).
• Guohua painter Pan Tianshou is born (d. 1971).

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1897

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