A comparative historical study of the national rites of mourning in East Asian monarchies

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K13320
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 03010:Historical studies in general-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: YAMASHITA Yohei 九州大学, 人文科学研究院, 専門研究員 (40737243)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 喪礼 / 服喪 / 挙哀 / 礼制 / 儒教 / 官僚制 / 王権 / 氏族制

Outline of Final Research Achievements

As a result of a comparative study of the national rites of mourning in ancient Japan and China (from the Wei 魏, Jin 晋 and Southern Northern Dynasties to the Tang 唐 Dynasty), the following two points have become clear.
① In China, the bureaucracy clearly defined the structure of the national rites of mourning. But in Japan, as early as the 8th century, the national rites of mourning were not bound by the bureaucracy. The national rites of mourning in Japan reflected the clan system and the personal relationship with the emperor.
②Japan accepted Chinese national rites of mourning in the 8th century. Its acceptance was influenced by the clan system elements of Mogari 殯 at the time of death of Emperor Tenmu 天武. Throughout the 9th century, elements of clan system were maintained in national rites of mourning. As a result, in the 10th century, a new national rites of mourning was born that emphasized the personal relationship with the emperor and daily service to the emperor.

Free Research Field

日中比較儀礼史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究成果の学術的意義は、日中の君主等の喪礼（臣下服喪儀礼や挙哀儀）を詳細に分析することで、両者の相違点を明らかにし、そこから、日本古代における中国的喪礼受容の特質、王権のあり方、礼認識を解明したことである。とりわけ、官僚制が喪礼の構造をいかに規定したかという点に着目したことで、日本古代の喪礼が、官僚制のみならず、氏族制や天皇との人格的つながりにも大きく影響を受けて形成され、また、変容していったことを明らかにすることができた。
また、本研究は、今日なお日本文化の形成に深く関わっている儒教や礼の受容を解明したものでもあり、異文化交流・融合に対する理解・関心を促す社会的意義を有する。