2006 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Comparative Studies on the Culture of Product between Japan and Germany Focusing in shokunin utaawase(Poetry Contests of Various Occupations)
| Project/Area Number |
15320080
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Historical studies in general
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| Research Institution | Nihon University |
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Principal Investigator |
SATO Masako Nihon University, College of International Relations, Professor (20235394)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2003 – 2006
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| Keywords | Poetry Contests of Various Occupations / Culture History / Comparative Studies / Japan / Germany / Product / Mentality / Identity / Meistergesang |
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| Research Abstract |
Shokunin utaawase is a form of a poetry contest dealing with various occupations, which was performed by members of upper nobility in Japanese medieval age depicting diverse craftsmen, commercial activities and entertainments of inhabitants from different perspectives. These poetry contests based on classical esthetic court tradition conformed to strict rules, and also reflected the structural changing of the contemporary society. In the same period in Germany the art of singing called Meistergesang or Meistersang was practiced and taught in Singschulen and performed mainly in contests. Meistersang based both on spiritual and secular influences. Its contents were anecdotal analogous to the Minnesang or Schwank, historical, legendary, or even classical (e.g. Ovid) and it was strictly formalized by solid rules (Tabulaturen). The Meistersinger, who carried on the tradition of Minnesanger and Spruchdichter, were citizens and for the most part respected master craftsmen. In this project the
… More
se cultural traditions were traced from the following comparative aspects;
(A) form and contents of each poetry, which were inherited from the last period as the succession of the normative cultural model
(B) historical and social formation of craftsmen's rank and formation of bourgeoisie in each society
Results of these tracings show that the classical cultural tradition and methods of literary expression were received through these practical attempts, which founded on classical books by copying and printing. They served as an instrument of succession of traditional sense and mentality to each next period, although the character and the contents of this succession depended on the formation of medieval society of its own time. While court society in Japan was dissolving in total structural changes, aristocrats adopted a new style of expression or a poetical depiction of the contemporary society, in which various production and trading, or professional activities and reality of everyday life obtained a central meaning. These achievements were succeeded to the new social class in the next period and developed by being practiced in various media. Less
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Research Products
(23 results)
