Contrapuntos estéticos e higiénicos: Japón y China en las crónicas de viaje de Eduardo Wilde

Abstract

This article analyzes Por mares y por tierras (1899) by Eduardo Wilde, especially his notes about Japan and China. Written at the end of the nineteenth century, Wilde’s travel diaries share some elements with the modernist texts from the period. However, his writing stands out for its cultural and scientific perspective that emphasizes the alternative modernity of Japan against the primitive condition of China, thereby questioning the idea of a homogenous Asia. On the other hand, the comparison between Japan and China highlights counterpoints that symbolize the famous dichotomy between civilization and barbarism. In this way, Wilde’s observations about Asia reveal a political objective, from where the future of Argentine republic is envisioned.