Rethinking memory from spread of chattering in rural villalge of China

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24681050
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Area studies
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Ishii Yumi 東京大学, 東洋文化研究所, 特別研究員 (50466819)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: オーラルヒストリー / 中国史 / 地域研究 / 集合的記憶 / 雨乞い / コミュニティ / 山西省 / グローバルヒストリー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this survey, I investigated collective memory in rural villages of Shanxi China by oral history interviews, collecting short mnemonic rhythms spread mouth to mouth called Shunkouliu, in which I found reflections of common memories of Chinese ordinary people. As results: I wrote a paper about “Memory of Chinese Collaborators in The Anti-Japanese war". I also found communities of rain-making ritual and memory sharing where a same Shunkouliu is sung. Their rain-making ritual has its origin myth "Orphan of Zhao", which is well known in Shanxi province. I researched many types of "Orphan of Zhao" inherrited in each village and compared them with scripts of Jin and Jing opera and Story spreaded to UK and France in 18th century. These findings brings a new view point to think about community and historical connection between China and Europe.

Free Research Field

中国地域研究、オーラルヒストリー