‘The spirit, she said, was all and was everlasting; material things were necessary, of course, but they were subordinate and fell by the way.’
The Chrysanthemum and the Sword is one of the most widely read books on Japanese culture and is now considered a classic work in cultural anthropology. While controversial, the book is also very influential, providing readers with many insights on the most important aspects of Japanese society. Benedict’s keen observations on the core values of Japanese culture remain relevant to this day.
Ruth Benedict was an American anthropologist whose work had a profound impact on cultural anthropology. She was the president of the American Anthropological Association in 1947.