Helen Craig McCullough
Encyclopedia
Helen Craig McCullough was an eminent scholar of classical Japanese poetry and prose. Born in California, she graduated from Berkeley
in 1939 with a degree in political science. After the outbreak of World War II, she entered the U.S. Navy’s Japanese Language School in Boulder, Colorado
. She served as a translator in Washington and Tokyo until 1950, when she returned to Berkeley and earned an MA and PhD.
She served as a lecturer at Stanford
, later returning to Berkeley (1969) where she became professor in 1975. Her honours included several visiting professorships and a Medal of Honor
from the Japanese government. She retired in 1988.
McCullough’s scholarly publications included 11 volumes of studies and translations.
She was married to fellow Berkeley graduate student William McCullough, who was also a noted scholar of Japanese literature. She also gave birth to her son Dundas McCullough on December 30, 1957, who later on had two children Duncan McCullough and Amanda McCullough. Each one of her books is dedicated to at least one of them, on one book the book could not be published until after the birth of her grandchild so she could dedicate it to her.
Her publications included the study Brocade by Night: 'Kokin Wakashu' and the Court Style in Japanese Classical Poetry and translations of major works of Japanese literature:
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in 1939 with a degree in political science. After the outbreak of World War II, she entered the U.S. Navy’s Japanese Language School in Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
. She served as a translator in Washington and Tokyo until 1950, when she returned to Berkeley and earned an MA and PhD.
She served as a lecturer at Stanford
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, later returning to Berkeley (1969) where she became professor in 1975. Her honours included several visiting professorships and a Medal of Honor
Medals of Honor (Japan)
Since the late 19th Century, the Government of Japan has issued six different types of to individuals for achievements in various fields.The Medals of Honor were established on December 7, 1881, and were first awarded the following year. Several expansions and amendments have been made since then...
from the Japanese government. She retired in 1988.
McCullough’s scholarly publications included 11 volumes of studies and translations.
She was married to fellow Berkeley graduate student William McCullough, who was also a noted scholar of Japanese literature. She also gave birth to her son Dundas McCullough on December 30, 1957, who later on had two children Duncan McCullough and Amanda McCullough. Each one of her books is dedicated to at least one of them, on one book the book could not be published until after the birth of her grandchild so she could dedicate it to her.
Her publications included the study Brocade by Night: 'Kokin Wakashu' and the Court Style in Japanese Classical Poetry and translations of major works of Japanese literature:
- TaiheikiTaiheikiThe is a Japanese historical epic , written in the late 14th century. It deals primarily with the Nanboku-chō, the period of war between the Northern Court of Ashikaga Takauji in Kyoto, and the Southern Court of Emperor Go-Daigo in Yoshino....
a Chronicle of Medieval Japan - The Tale of the HeikeThe Tale of the Heikeis an epic account of the struggle between the Taira and Minamoto clans for control of Japan at the end of the 12th century in the Genpei War...
- Kokin Wakashu: The First Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry
- Tales of Ise: Lyrical Episodes from 10th Century Japan (Ariwara no NarihiraAriwara no Narihirawas a Japanese waka poet and aristocrat. He was one of six waka poets referred in the preface in kana to Kokin Wakashū by Ki no Tsurayuki, and has been named as the hero of The Tales of Ise, whose hero was an anonym in itself but most of whose love affairs could be attributed to Narihira.He was the...
) - Okagami, the Great Mirror: Fujiwara Michinaga (966-1027 and His Times : a Study and Translation)
- Tale of Flowering Fortunes : Annals of Japanese Aristocratic Life in the Heian Period (with William McCullough) -- the Eiga MonogatariEiga monogatariis a Japanese monogatari, or epic, which relates events in the life of courtier Fujiwara no Michinaga. It is believed to have been written by a number of authors, over the course of roughly a century, from 1028 to 1107....