Speaker: Prof. Charlotte von Verschuer (L’Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Japanese History)

Date: 28th October 2010, 18:30-20:45

Venue: Hosei University Ichigaya Campus, ’58 Building 2F Research Center for International Japanese Studies Seminar Room

Chair: Prof. OGUCHI Masashi (Hosei University, Faculty of History)

Summary of Meeting

It is usually the case that relationship between ancient Japan and East Asian world is researched from the point of views of relation to China and import from China. But if we compare the number of emissaries, merchants, invaders, or castaways visited to Japan to that put over from Japan dividing area to Korean Peninsula, China, and Bo Hai form the 7th to 16th century, we find some facts as follows: number of intercommunication with Korea or Bo Hai is larger than that with China until 8th century, and after 15th century interconnection with Korea was largely surpass comparing with that of China. From such results, we can see that Korea had an important role to Japan.
There was a quiet characteristic of Japanese exportations. Origin of articles of exportation such as ?gi or By?bu was Uchiwa and Tsuitate imported from China, which were arranged to foldable and usable form. Wisdom of the Japanese people became popular in China. Shikki was originally technique imported from China, but crafting Shikki with Raden was not the technique in China, but the skill developed in Japan. Washi was also prised in China. It is worth to pay attention the fact that Japan had learned technique of papermaking from China then changed in materials or method.
The meaning of Japanese studies by European researchers depends on the recognition of East Asia with the wider view point rather than with detailed analysis. I want to deepen my research from such a point of view.

Reported by OGUCHI Masashi (Professor, Hosei University, Faculty of Hisotry)