An research at a certificate of validity on the figure in the literature of the sericulture in the Edo era

1996 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 06610328
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Japanese history
• Research Institution: NATIONAL MUSEUM OF JAPANESE HISTORY
• Principal Investigator: YUASA Takeshi NATIONAL MUSEUM OF JAPANESE HISTORY,History department Associate professor, 歴史研究部, 助教授 (20150021)
• Project Period (FY): 1994 – 1996
• Keywords: SERICULTURE / LITERATURE OF RESEARCH CF THE SILK-RAISING INDUSTRY / FIGURE / *** "Koushoku-zu" / **** "Yousan-Hiroku"

Research Abstract

The subject of this research is an investigation relative to a certificate of validity on the figure in the literature of research of the silk-raising industry in the Edo era.
In conclusion, the subject is made clear : the figure of the silk-raising industry in the Edo era is influenced by *** "Koushoku-zu", drawings of a theme of farm labor and seciculture in China. During the Edo era, the contents of an illustration changed by degree from drawing to illustration with a view to the transmission of the method of rearing of a silkworm.
The epoch-making of this tendency was the beginning of nineteenth century, **** UEGAKI Morikunu, a seciculturist of Tajima-no-kuni, brang out **** "Yousan-Hiroku", a literature of research of the silk-raising industry. This literature included many figure of new method. But, these figures could not excluded several special characters of drawings. From this epoch to the mid-nineteenth century, many literature included. But, the figures of the literatures were copies of "Yosan-Hiroku".
In the mid-nineteenth century, Japan started the cultural exchange with Western Europe and America. At this time, the method of rearing of a silkworm in Europe was imported in Japan. In 1872, **** TAJIMA Yahei, a seciculturist of Kouzuki-no-kuni who learned the method of rearing of a silkworm in Europe, brang out **** "Yousan-Shinron", a literature of new research of the silk-raising industry. In this literature, many illustrations of rearing of a silkworm were included. Now these illustrations were not endowed with special characters of drawings.