Virtual Orientalism: Asian Religions and American Popular Culture

227 Pages·2011·2.932 MB·English

by  Jane Iwamura

Virtual Orientalism
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Virtual Orientalism
Asian Religions and American
Popular Culture

JANE NAOMI IWAMURA
2011
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Iwamura, Jane Naomi.
Virtual orientalism : Asian religions and American popular culture / Jane Naomi Iwamura.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-0-19-973860-1; 978-0-19-973861-8 (pbk.)
1. United States—Religion—20th century. 2. Monasticism and religious orders—Asia—Infl uence.
3. Suzuki, Daisetz Teitaro, 1870–1966—Infl uence. 4. Mahesh Yogi, Maharishi—Infl uence.
5. Kung fu (Television program)—Infl uence. 6. Orientalism—United States—History—20th
century. 7. Popular culture—United States—History—20th century. 8. Popular culture—Religious
aspects—History—20th century. I. Title.
BL2525.I92 2011
200.95 ¢ 0973—dc22 2010017575
NOTE ON IMAGE USE
Though the images in this volume may be subject to copyright, their inclusion qualifi es as
Fair Use under United States copyright laws, for the following reasons:
1. Images are only being used for informational purposes;
2. Their inclusion adds signifi cantly to the argument because the photo and its historical
signifi cance are the object of discussion in the volume;
3. The volume provides critical commentary on the images, fi lm, or event; they are not solely
included for purposes of illustration.
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper
For Dad, Des, Declan, and Siân
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Contents
Acknowledgments, ix
1. Introduction , 3
2. Zen’s Personality | D.T. Suzuki , 23
3. Hyperreal Samadhi | Maharishi Mahesh Yogi , 63
4. The Monk Goes Hollywood | Kung Fu , 111
5. Conclusion | Spiritual Romance Today , 159
Notes , 167
Bibliography , 193
Index , 205
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Acknowledgments
This book, like many others, has been a journey. From the start, I
have been aided in that journey by the generosity and kindness of
family, friends, and colleagues. Although I cannot possibly recount
the many individuals who have sustained me along the way and to
whom I am grateful, several bear mention. V irtual Orientalism
emerged from my dissertation, written at the University of California
at Berkeley. Judith Butler, Margaret R. Miles, Michael Mascuch,
Sau-ling Wong, and Rudy Busto, as well as Elizabeth Goodstein,
Young Mi Angela Pak, and Vivian Chin, were instrumental in giving
the project its tenor and shape. The Pacifi c Asian North American
and Asian Women in Theology and Ministry (PANAAWTM) and the
UC Berkeley Townsend Center for the Humanities Working Group
on Asian American Religions offered opportunities to present the
work in its formative stages. Bruce Forbes and Jeffrey Mahan also
believed in the project early on; their volume, R eligion and Popular
Culture in America , continues to offer my early work a wonderful
home.
Major revisions of the project were undertaken at the University
of Southern California and New York University. My colleagues in the
School of Religion and the Department of American Studies &
Ethnicity at USC have provided me a stimulating and supportive
intellectual environment. Dorinne Kondo (and students in her
graduate seminar), Lon Kurashige, and Viet Nguyen each read the
entire manuscript and provided invaluable feedback. As a