Research on language expression in mourning space in ancient Japan as a region of East Asia

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K00288
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 02010:Japanese literature-related
• Research Institution: Kyoritsu Women's University
• Principal Investigator: Endo Kotaro 共立女子大学, 文芸学部, 教授 (50514113)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 富田 美智江 流通経済大学, 法学部, 准教授 (40615952) ; 岡部 隆志 共立女子短期大学, その他部局等, 教授 (50279733)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 喪葬儀礼 / 殯 / 中国少数民族 / 挽歌 / リス族

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Ancient Japanese funerary songs and Banka did not emerge directly from the "wailing" and "singing and dancing" of the mourning and funerary rites recorded in the "Wei-Shi-Wa-jin-Den." On the contrary, they are a forme of linguistic expression that emerged as ancient Chinese mourning and funerary rites spread to the surrounding regions, and funerary rites took shape in the context of each region. This study attempted to clarify this fact based on a specific survey of mourning and funerary rites in East Asia.
As a result, it became clear that the rituals described in "Yi li" of ancient China were found in the mourning and funerary rites of several ethnic minorities in southwestern China, including the Moso, Yi, and Lisu. It also became clear how the mourning songs related to these rites developed in the song culture of each region.

Free Research Field

日本古代文学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

魏志倭人伝に記されるような古代日本の喪葬儀礼は、日本という地域の中で誕生したのではなく、中国の影響をその周縁に暮らす諸民族が強く受け、それぞれの地域の文化のなかで変容させていったものである。本研究はこういう様相を、日本地域だけではなく、中国西南部に暮らす少数民族の喪葬儀礼の中に捉えようとしたものである。