Contemp. History of Freemasonry in the Far East

[Tamrin]

The Contemporary History of
Freemasonry in the Far East

[Abstract - Paper 12a, by Pauline V. Chakmakjian, UK -
the inaugural International Conference on the History of Freemasonry, Edinburgh, 2007

Ever since the introduction of masonic activity into countries like China, Japan, and Indonesia, masonic lodges have thrived in areas of the Far Eastern region for more than a century. Whilst originally established by Europeans for Europeans and other Westerners, these masonic lodges eventually began to accept oriental members. The history of freemasonry does not simply encompass masonic activity and personalities within Europe and North American societies at the exclusion of all other regions of the world where the craft was spread. The contemporary history of freemasonry in the Far East over the past fifty years as been especially selected since the overall history until c. 1975 has already been explored in chapters by Christopher Haffner in his "The Craft in the East."

This paper will focus on the strides freemasonry has made in relation to 1) the exportation of the craft into the Far East, 2) the progressive transformation from purely Western to mixed participation within the lodges established in the Far East, 3) the formation of grand lodges with distinct and separate identities from the English, Scottish, and Irish Grand Lodges which initially warranted the founding District Grand Lodges in the Far East, 4) the contributions masonic lodges have made to the communities of countries in the Far East, and 5) conclusions to be drawn as to both the realistic viability as well as the potential for further expansion of freemasonry in the Far East based on its history in the region. In addition to these, a very brief description of the types of masonic artwork (art history) produced as a result of these masonic encounters with the Far East will be integrated. This paper endeavor to highlight links, exchanges, and historical events between Europe and the Far East having masonic connections.

[Gaslight]

May 29, 2009 0:47:51 GMT 10 Tamrin said:

The Contemporary History of
Freemasonry in the Far East

[Abstract - Paper 12a, by Pauline V. Chakmakjian, UK -
the inaugural International Conference on the History of Freemasonry, Edinburgh, 2007

The contemporary history of freemasonry in the Far East over the past fifty years as been especially selected since the overall history until c. 1975 has already been explored in chapters by Christopher Haffner in his "The Craft in the East."

Haffner's book is one of the two primary sources I mentioned in an earlier post. The other is Masonry in Japan: The First One Hundred Years 1866-1966 published by the Grand Lodge of Japan in 1966. Most accounts of Masonry in Japan are re-writes of material from those two sources. (Copies of which are now very difficult to obtain.)

This paper will focus on the strides freemasonry has made in relation to 1) the exportation of the craft into the Far East, 2) the progressive transformation from purely Western to mixed participation within the lodges established in the Far East, 3) the formation of grand lodges with distinct and separate identities from the English, Scottish, and Irish Grand Lodges which initially warranted the founding District Grand Lodges in the Far East, 4) the contributions masonic lodges have made to the communities of countries in the Far East, and 5) conclusions to be drawn as to both the realistic viability as well as the potential for further expansion of freemasonry in the Far East based on its history in the region. In addition to these, a very brief description of the types of masonic artwork (art history) produced as a result of these masonic encounters with the Far East will be integrated. This paper endeavor to highlight links, exchanges, and historical events between Europe and the Far East having masonic connections.

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Having acknowledged Haffner's definitive coverage of Far East Masonry until 1975, Chakmakjian says she will focus on the next fifty years, then refers to (my comments in italics):

• Exportation of the Craft to the East -- 19th century.
  
• Transformation to mixed participation -- post-War, well-established by 1975
  
• Foundation of Grand Lodges -- GLJ founded 1957
  
• Viability and Expansion -- Speculation
  
• Masonic art -- No interest, no comment
  

Documentation of the history of Masonry in Japan suffered two major setbacks. One was the Great Earthquake of 1923 which reduced many lodges to rubble and destroyed their records. The other was WWII, when the Japanese government confiscated such records as were not shredded or burned by lodge secretaries. A few irreplaceable documents were smuggled out of the country in diplomatic pouches, those of Lodge Star in the East by Venezuelan ambassador and later first GM of GLJ Carlos Rodriquez-Jimenez, and those of Lodge Hiogo & Osaka by Roy Melbourne, a US consular official in Kobe.

Rodriguez-Jimenez passed away in 1995, but Melbourne was still alive in 2005, when I visited his lodge in Chapel Hill, NC.

As I write this, I can't help thinking of Marisa Tomei's 'ticking biological clock' in Cousin Vinnie. A similar clock is ticking away here in Japan, as Brethren who lived through the War years and the subsequent revival of Masonry pass away.

I finished Karen Kidd's Haunted Chambers yesterday and she says much the same thing about the history of pre-20th century female Masons: with each year that passes, the chances of adding to our scant knowledge of the subject fade considerably.