1999 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
The Forming of "A Sacred Place" Yama to : Modern Emperor System and Culture
| Project/Area Number |
10610315
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Japanese history
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| Research Institution | KYOTO UNIVERSITY |
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Principal Investigator |
TAKAGI Hiroshi Kyoto University, Institute for Research in Humanities, Associate Professor, 人文科学研究科, 助教授 (30202146)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1998 – 1999
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| Keywords | cultural properties / Japanese ant history / Shosoin / Emperor Jinmu / Imperial Museum / Yamato a sacred place / the emperor system / cultural history |
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| Research Abstract |
In this study, I approached the transition of Nara from the end of the Edo era to 1940, analyzing the process of forming Yamato into a sacred place from two points of view, the forming of historical and mythological ancient times. In a sense, it is a reconstructionism of ancient times as a political culture.
As a reconstruction of mythological ancient times, I cleared a rise of an idea in the Meiji Restoration that Jinmu is a founder of Japan, construction of Jinmu's tomb in the end of the Edo era, foundation of Kashihara shrine dedicated to the emperor Jinmu, and requisition of Mt. Unebi to the imperial household. After the Chinese-Japanese War, sanctuarizing of the whole foot of Mt. Unebi started. Its sanctuarization was completed in 1940. In this period, fiction of Kiki myth was gradually visualized.
A reconstruction of historical ancient times was realized with rebuilding of old temples like Holyuji or Kofukuji which Ernest Francisco Fernollosa and Tenshin Okakura helped to rebuild in 1880's, forming of three mountains in Yamato and royal treasure of Shosoin as property of the royal family, the start of Imperial Nara Museum in 1889, repairing and preservation of scenic spots like Mt. Yoshino or Nara Park and historical sights like Heijokyo or old tombs. Systematic research about a cultural asset became the foundation work to complete the Japanese art history as a system and was linked to Tenshin Okamura's work "Japanese Art history" which was written for the first time in Japan. In this, ancient art in Nara is positioned as the contrast to classical ancient times in Greek. Later, national common knowledge about ancient culture was set through culturalism like "A Pilgrimage to Ancient Temples" of Teturo Watuji after Taisho era, sightseeing, and school education. It gradually penetrated society.
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