Study on utilizing annotations written on Chinese classics as materials for Japanese medieval history

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K03060
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Japanese history
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Kawamoto Shinji 東京大学, 史料編纂所, 准教授 (30323661)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 日本中世史 / 学問史 / 禅宗史 / 五山文学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have conducted a survey of ink inscriptions added outside the main text of Chinese books still extant in Japan, and have considered the possibility of using them as historical documents for the history of medieval Japan, especially those dating back to the Middle Ages, and have placed them in a historiographical perspective. Furthermore, by examining the aspects of lectures on Chinese books at Zen temples as seen in these materials, it was clarified that the transmission of knowledge was not limited to knowledge of Chinese poetry and prose, but also included political and socioeconomic knowledge such as precedents for shogunate finances, and scientific and technological knowledge such as mathematics and architectural design.

Free Research Field

日本史学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

漢籍書き入れのなかに室町・戦国期に遡りうるものがあることは、すでに書誌学の研究で検討がなされているが、これを日本中世の禅宗寺院における漢籍講義での知識伝達という視点から着目することにより、そこに含まれる様々な実用的知識を検出して中世社会との関連を明らかにすることが可能になった。日本中世史の史料として古文書・古記録に加えて漢籍書き入れをも活用する途を開いたという点で学術的意義を有するものと考える。