Transculturation in the Introduction of Confucian Rituals in 18th Century Japan

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K02996
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Historical studies in general
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: CHARD Robert 東京大学, 東洋文化研究所, 客員教授 (30571492)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: Confucianism / Ritual

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Through investigation of the rapid and widespread dissemination of Confucian ritual in 18th-century Japan, this project elucidates the processes by which the Bakufu and domain administrations deployed Confucian ritual forms to induce their populations to internalize specific virtues (such as filial piety, and by extension loyalty) to improve social order. The research focused on analyzing domain schools, which served as vectors of cultural transmission and moral transformation within the larger context of domain government strategy to achieve order by inducing the populace to be loyal to their rulers.

Free Research Field

東アジア文化史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の学術的意義は、従来、思想史の立場から研究されてきた18世紀日本の儒教を、文化史の方法によって考究したことにある。本研究では、18世紀日本における儒教儀礼の導入を、中国文化の日本文化への影響という伝達パターンとしてではなく、トランスカルチュレーションの過程として解明した。本研究の社会的意義は、近世日本儒教の研究を通して、日本文化の形成、とりわけ日本的道徳の形成についての認識を更に深めたことにある。