The Colonial Rule and the Social Structure in Vietnam and their Regionality from the Perspectives of weights and measures

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K23113
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0103:History, archaeology, museology, and related fields
• Research Institution: Otsuma Women's University
• Principal Investigator: SEKIMOTO Noriko 大妻女子大学, 文学部, 講師 (90847237)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ベトナム / 度量衡 / 計量 / 植民地 / 社会経済史

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study analyzes the actual situation of French colonial rule in Vietnam and the social structure and regional characteristics of colonial Vietnam from the perspective of weights and measures. By carefully collecting examples of units of measurement found in old dictionaries published in various regions from the 17th century to the colonial period, this study empirically explores the reality of the operation of weights and measures in the private sector, as well as the regional characteristics. The social structure and inter-regional connectivity of the colonial period were also examined, expanding the perspective to include the formation of commodity prices and transportation networks, which are closely related to the regional differences in weights and measures.

Free Research Field

人文学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で得られた成果は、植民地社会経済構造や度量衡に関する研究だけでなく、これまで本格的に用いられてこなかった古辞書の社会経済史研究への応用の可能性や、資料的制約が大きかった商業統計上の物価データの活用の方向性を提示できたことが大きい。また、北部ベトナム地域内における地域間結合を交通の側面から実証的に分析した点も、あらゆる研究領域に対して相互に検討が可能な知見を提示できたと考える。