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Site Divination Practices in Premodern East Asia

Research Project

Project/Area Number 15H05376
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Research Field History of thought
Research InstitutionKyushu University

Principal Investigator

Van Goethem Ellen  九州大学, 人文科学研究院, 准教授 (20513196)

Project Period (FY) 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2018)
Budget Amount *help
¥4,940,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,140,000)
Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000)
Fiscal Year 2017: ¥780,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥180,000)
Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Keywords四神相応 / 風水 / 日本 / 中国 / 朝鮮半島 / site divination / Japan / Shinto shrines / Heian Jingu / modern architecture / 敷地選定 / 神社 / fengshui / geomancy / Religious Studies / Historiography / Tradition / Cultural Studies / Cultural Transmission / 思想史 / 東洋史 / 平安神宮 / 太宰府天満宮
Outline of Final Research Achievements

This is an investigation into the wide variety of site divination practices in premodern China, Korea, and Japan. The project resulted in a better understanding of the transmission process and allowed for a differentiation between practices. The transmission was elucidated by comparing written sources and establishing commonalities and differences in language use, landscape features, and solutions offered in case such features were lacking. It became clear that practices not only varied over time and between regions, but that they were adapted to the local environment or to final usage. It also became clear that practices deemed by some to be unique to Japan, actually find their origins in China.
At the start, the project focused on site divination for capital cities, but then shifted towards private residences. As a result, the research also showed that "correspondence to the four deities" (四神相応) should be linked to private residences rather than to capital cities in ancient Japan.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

一次資料のテクスト分析と二次資料の精読を組み合わせることで、本研究課題の結果は、(1)東アジア全般、ならびに特に日本における敷地選定の様々な形態の理解、(2)多様な種類の敷地選定の識別(墓、民家、都市、軍営など)、(3)地理的(中国から朝鮮半島および日本へ)および時間的な(約紀元前3000 年から西暦800 年まで)理論・実践上の知識伝播、という上記3 つである。

Report

(5 results)
  • 2018 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report ( PDF )
  • 2017 Annual Research Report
  • 2016 Annual Research Report
  • 2015 Annual Research Report
  • Research Products

    (19 results)

All 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 Other

All Int'l Joint Research (2 results) Journal Article (3 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 3 results,  Peer Reviewed: 3 results,  Acknowledgement Compliant: 2 results,  Open Access: 1 results) Presentation (13 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 5 results,  Invited: 6 results) Book (1 results)

  • [Int'l Joint Research] Boston University/University of California, Santa Barbara(米国)

    • Related Report
      2018 Annual Research Report
  • [Int'l Joint Research] Ghent University(Belgium)

    • Related Report
      2017 Annual Research Report
  • [Journal Article] Heian Jingu: Monument or Shinto Shrine?2018

    • Author(s)
      Ellen Van Goethem
    • Journal Title

      Journal of Religion in Japan

      Volume: 7:1 Issue: 1 Pages: 1-26

    • DOI

      10.1163/22118349-00701005

    • Related Report
      2018 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
  • [Journal Article] Animated City: Life Force, Guardians, and Contemporary Architecture in Kyoto2017

    • Author(s)
      Ellen Van Goethem
    • Journal Title

      Invisible Empire: Spirits and Animism in Contemporary Japan

      Volume: 印刷中

    • Related Report
      2016 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research / Acknowledgement Compliant
  • [Journal Article] Of Trees and Beasts: Site Selection in Premodern East Asia2016

    • Author(s)
      Ellen Van Goethem
    • Journal Title

      Journal of Asian Humanities at Kyushu University (JAH-Q)

      Volume: 1 Pages: 1-7

    • NAID

      120005753667

    • Related Report
      2015 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research / Acknowledgement Compliant
  • [Presentation] The Others Within: Architecture, Activism, and Advertising at Heian Jingu2019

    • Author(s)
      Ellen Van Goethem
    • Organizer
      Workshop “Thank God We’re Not Like Them”: The Global Dimensions of Religious Othering
    • Related Report
      2018 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] Commemoration and Deification: The Creation of Heian Jingu2019

    • Author(s)
      Ellen Van Goethem
    • Organizer
      UCSB, East Asia Center
    • Related Report
      2018 Annual Research Report
    • Invited
  • [Presentation] Monument, Shrine, Power Spot: Heian Jingu’s Multi-Layered Signification2018

    • Author(s)
      Ellen Van Goethem
    • Organizer
      Columbia University, Donald Keene Center of Japanese Culture
    • Related Report
      2018 Annual Research Report
    • Invited
  • [Presentation] Heian Jingu: A "Traditional" Shrine in a "Foreign" Guise2017

    • Author(s)
      Ellen Van Goethem
    • Organizer
      15th International European Association for Japanese Studies Conference
    • Place of Presentation
      Lisbon (Portugal)
    • Year and Date
      2017-08-31
    • Related Report
      2016 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Guardians of Kyoto: Shinto Shrines as Manifestations of the Directional Deities2017

    • Author(s)
      Ellen Van Goethem
    • Organizer
      Association for Asian Studies
    • Place of Presentation
      Toronto (Canada)
    • Year and Date
      2017-03-17
    • Related Report
      2016 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] From Scale Model to Shrine: The Creation of Heian Jingu2017

    • Author(s)
      Ellen Van Goethem
    • Organizer
      UCLA, Asian Languages & Cultures Department
    • Place of Presentation
      Los Angeles (USA)
    • Year and Date
      2017-03-02
    • Related Report
      2016 Annual Research Report
    • Invited
  • [Presentation] Animated City: Life Force, Guardians, and Contemporary Architecture in Kyoto2017

    • Author(s)
      Ellen Van Goethem
    • Organizer
      Invisible Empire: Spirits and Animism in Contemporary Japan
    • Place of Presentation
      Santa Barbara (USA)
    • Year and Date
      2017-02-25
    • Related Report
      2016 Annual Research Report
    • Invited
  • [Presentation] Heian Jingu: Shinto Shrine and/or Yellow Dragon of the Center2017

    • Author(s)
      Ellen Van Goethem
    • Organizer
      Kyushu University, Interdisciplinary Colloquium
    • Related Report
      2017 Annual Research Report
    • Invited
  • [Presentation] Heian Jingu: A “Traditional” Shrine in a “Foreign” Guise’2017

    • Author(s)
      Ellen Van Goethem
    • Organizer
      15th European Association for Japanese Studies International Conference
    • Related Report
      2017 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Heian Jingu: Civic Shrine, Exhibition Pavilion, Imperial Shrine?2016

    • Author(s)
      Ellen Van Goethem
    • Organizer
      Workshop "The Creation of a National Culture in Japan’s Modern Period: Architecture, Art, and Place"
    • Place of Presentation
      九州大学(福岡県福岡市)
    • Year and Date
      2016-12-14
    • Related Report
      2016 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] Of Trees and Beasts: Site Selection in Premodern East Asia2015

    • Author(s)
      Ellen Van Goethem
    • Organizer
      The Third Conference of East Asian Environmental History (EAEH)
    • Place of Presentation
      香川大学(香川県高松市)
    • Year and Date
      2015-10-22
    • Related Report
      2015 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Foreign Beliefs in ‘Native’ Settings: Fengshui Elements in Shinto Shrines2015

    • Author(s)
      Ellen Van Goethem
    • Organizer
      ICAS 9 (International Convention of Asia Scholars)
    • Place of Presentation
      アデレード(オーストラリア)
    • Year and Date
      2015-07-05
    • Related Report
      2015 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Fengshui Protection: The Four Mythical Beasts and Shinto Shrines2015

    • Author(s)
      Ellen Van Goethem
    • Organizer
      アジア伝統科学国際ワークショップ 2015 古今の宇宙観
    • Place of Presentation
      京都大学(京都府京都市)
    • Year and Date
      2015-06-18
    • Related Report
      2015 Annual Research Report
    • Invited
  • [Book] Spirits and Animism in Contemporary Japan: The Invisible Empire2019

    • Author(s)
      Fabio Rambelli, ed.
    • Publisher
      Bloomsbury Academic
    • ISBN
      9781350097117
    • Related Report
      2018 Annual Research Report

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Published: 2015-04-16   Modified: 2020-03-30  

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