ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines Charles James William Pfoundes (Omoie Tetzunostzuke), unusual career and then focuses on his engagement in actual or proposed international congresses and expositions in London, Chicago, Japan, Hanoi, St Louis and Oregon. It draws attention, through the forgotten figure of Charles Pfoundes, to the distinctive nineteenth century phenomenon of great international expositions. Their associated congresses, viewing these complicated events as another kind of crossroads; innovative nodes and material stimuli to the kinds of travel, cultural communication and interaction which, like monastic, trade, political and ethnic networks, helped to exchange and promote modern representations of Buddhism. Pfoundes was ordained in several Japanese Buddhist traditions. Lacking independent means but educated, intellectually curious, entrepreneurial, fluent in Japanese and with a keen interest in Asian culture, Pfoundes subsisted as a cultural intermediary. Pfoundes explains Japan and Asia to both Japanese and foreign audiences and actively seeking involvement in global expositions and congresses, in Asia and beyond.
