2011 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
A Study of Intellectual History on the concept of"Teikoku"
| Project/Area Number |
21720026
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
History of thought
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| Research Institution | Tohoku University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2009 – 2011
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| Keywords | 自他認識の転回 / 冊封の王国 / 自立の王国 / 会沢正志斎 / 吉田松陰 / 坂本龍馬 / 横井小楠 |
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| Research Abstract |
A purpose of this research is to throw light on the revolution of self-and-other recognitions of Japanese intellectuals who used the term"Teikoku"(Empire)among the late eighteenth century and middle nineteenth century.
"Teikoku"is not a Classical Chinese expression but a new word which translated from"keizerrijk"(Dutch : Empire)by a Rangakusha(Dutch scholar)in late eighteenth century. Most of Japanese intellectuals thought that the status of"Teikoku"was superior to any other monarchies like"Okoku"(Kingdom), dukedom and marquisate. Because these intellectuals who were educated under the Confucianism Culture knew that"K. tei"(Emperor)was superior to any other monarchs, they could accept this novel term which was not found on the Chinese classics without difficulty.
It was fortunate for them that many geography books which were published in Europe said"Japan is one of the Empires". Japanese intellectuals who read such a description in these books(include translations)became to believe superiority and independence of Japan. It is a very irony that anti-foreignism of Japanese chauvinists was constructed by foreign books.
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