Basic research on village intellectuals and the cultural environment in mid-to-late early modern Japan

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K00932
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 03020:Japanese history-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Hikino Kyosuke 東北大学, 文学研究科, 准教授 (90389065)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 江戸時代 / 浄土真宗 / 在村知識人 / 文化環境

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research uses historical materials from the Kudo family, who were the core of Jodo Shinshu followers in the Murayama region of Uzen Province during the mid-to-late Edo period and who also served as village officials, to analyze the cultural environment in which village intellectuals were active. According to a catalog of historical materials compiled during the research period, there are approximately 350 documents from the Kudo family, including a will written by the head of the Kudo family, recordings of lectures, and Buddhist books purchased in Kyoto during a visit to Higashi Honganji Temple. Therefore, in this research, I used these historical materials to elucidate the specific ways in which the heads of the Kudo family acquired and disseminated knowledge.

Free Research Field

日本近世史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

現代人は、インターネットを活用して必要な書籍や情報を手に入れたり、地域のカルチャーセンターで好みの教室に通ったりと、様々なルートで知識を獲得することができる。しかし、そうした文化環境に乏しい江戸時代の在村知識人は、いかなる手段で知識を獲得したのか。また、彼らは知的特権層（工藤家ならば東本願寺の学僧たち）から与えられる知識をひたすら受動的に受け取ったのか、それとも何らかの批判精神を鍛え上げていたのか。本研究では、以上のような観点から、知識人にとって普遍的な課題ともいえる、より高次な知識を獲得する工夫や、得た知識を批判的に検証する可能性に迫ってみた。