Acceptance and Transformation of Ming Dynasty Daily Use Encyclopedias in Medieval and Early Modern Japan

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26370225
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Japanese literature
• Research Institution: National Institute of Japanese Literature
• Principal Investigator: SAITO Maori 国文学研究資料館, 研究部, 教授 (50280532)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 説話 / 絵巻 / 奈良絵本 / 室町物語 / 類書

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In general research on Nara ehon and scrolls which were mass produced in medieval and early modern Japan, the printed book culture have tended to be disregarded. In this research, I focused on the relations between the printed books culture and the expressions of Nara ehon, clarified the foundation and dynamism of the creation of Muromachi Monogatari, especially verified the influence of the daily use encyclopedias published in mass quantities in Ming dynasty of China.
In addition, this research revealed that the caricatures of the Kano school, one of which is held in the Guimet Museum(Paris), were also made with reference to the representations of historical personages in the Ming dynasty printed books.
According to the research and study above, some of the important features of literary and cultural arts in medieval and early modern Japan has been discovered.

Free Research Field

日本中世文学