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2024, Volume 7,  Issue 3

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2024, 7(3): 5-8.
Abstract:
[Abstract](22) [PDF 272KB](7)
The Idea of “Sacrificing One’s Life and Forsaking One’s Child” in Classical Literature—With a Focus on the Connotative Meanings of Filial Piety and Self-Sacrifice
Araki Hiroshi
2024, 7(3): 9-40.
Abstract:
The story of Tadaakira jumping into the valley but having survived as recorded in the Japanese Tales from Times Past, the story of Prince Mahāsattva sacrificing his life to feed a hungry tigress in Buddhist scriptures and the story of Vessantara Jātaka, the compassionate and generous prince of Pala Empire all present unique histories of the dissemination and reception of Buddhist ideas in East Asia. When Buddhism initially took shape in India, there was no concept known as filial piety. Given that filial piety had been deeply rooted in traditional Chinese thoughts, Buddhism absorbed the notions of filial piety and gratitude when it spread to China.Mahāsattva may not be a filial son from the Confucian perspective because he abandoned his body from his parents to feed a starving tigress and her seven cubs. The story of Prince Vessantara Jātaka emphasizes that he returned to his country only because he missed his mother too much, which promotes the ethic of filial piety. Japan accepted the ideas of filial piety and gratitude through various stories of filial piety. By analyzing ancient annotations to Genji Monogatari, such as Shimeishou and Kakaishou, one will find that Japan made many endeavors to reconcile the conflict between Buddhism and Confucianism when accepting Buddhism from China. It is no surprise that against such ideological background, the filial sons in the aforesaid narratives would not actually die but would instead receive unexpected blessings. These stories of filial devotion were eventually integrated into Japanese culture.
[Abstract](19) [PDF 1313KB](2)
The Forming of “Tiansouchifusai”: With Konjaku Monogatari as a Starting Point
Masuo Shinichirou
2024, 7(3): 41-57.
Abstract:
Tiansouchifusai was popular not only in the capital city of Heian-kyō , but also in eastern Japan . It came into shape during the Chisyou Period. The intentions of the sacrificial rite ranged from curing diseases and reducing the impact of natural disasters to winning battles,which demonstrates the diversity of its purpose. Tiansouchifusai tended to be held at the same time with Taizanfukunsai, and the two were closely related. The two rituals had eight gods in common. Taizanfukunsai, which was initially established in the early tenth century, was based on the worship of the Six Great Divisions. In ancient canons, the Chinese character “曹” in Tiansouchifusai was often written as “曺.” The history of “曺” being taken as a variant of “曹” can be traced back to the Chinese classics. On a separate front, “曺” was similar with ‘胄’,which inspired Onmyouji to use “曺” creatively in order to show its mysteriousness and authority.We can see from ancient books such as Konjaku Monogatari and Meihouki that the formation of Tiansouchifusai benefited from Chinese classics, and had a lot to do with the circulation of Chinese canonical texts in East Asia.
[Abstract](7) [PDF 923KB](2)
Faith in “Shengmu” (the Holy Mother) and Mountain-Worshipping Taoism in East Asia—Bixia Yuanjun, Lady Saso, and Ohohirume
Sunaga Takashi
2024, 7(3): 58-69.
Abstract:
This paper focuses on the mountain goddess called “Shengmu” (or the Holy Mother) who was worshipped in medieval East Asia and examines the possible religious experiences in East Asian societies from a macro, bird’s eye view. The title of “Shengmu” has been widely used in Asia, which is arguably influenced by the word being used as an honorific for Bixia Yuanjun in the Song Dynasty. That said, different “Shengmu” worships have similarities, but also significant differences. For example, “Shengmu” worships in Japan and Korea are both influenced by the legend of the Utsuro Bune, or “Hollow Ship.” On another front, “Shengmu” in China and Korea are both female mountain-worshippers. This essay points out that the differences about “Shengmu” worship in East Asia are mainly the result of the divergence in the transmission and critical acceptance of Taoism in Japan and Korea. In addition to that, there is “prohibition for women” during Japanese mountain worship. For this reason,female mountain-worshippers are virtually nonexistent in Japan, which poses certain obstacles to the acceptance of Taoist beliefs in Japan.
[Abstract](25) [PDF 846KB](0)
Research on Frontispieces and Illustrations in Higuchi Ichiyō’s Fictions—On the Relations between Higuchi Ichiyō and the Illustrations
Deguchi Tomoyuki
2024, 7(3): 70-84.
Abstract:
Higuchi Ⅰchiyō is one of the foremost representatives of the second generation writers in modern Japanese literature. Various frontispieces and in-text illustrations were attached to her serial novels, and almost all of them were created according to her instructions. In these illustrations, we can sometimes find scenes that differ from the fictional narrative. One may surmise that the author gave instructions as early as before the beginning of the writing, and thus the original train of thought shifted during the writing process. This also means these illustrations preserve the original conceptualization of the work. On another front, some images in discord with the story were intentionally designed by Ⅰchiyō herself to help readers understand the complexity of the story or the characters. Through these illustrations, they were allowed to capture the underlying motifs and prior events in the story without being informed by conspicuous statements in the text. This double aesthetic effect was a heritage of the Edo Period, a time during which writers were intimately involved in writing with illustrations. If one focuses on the texts alone, it would be impossible to understand the works accurately and comprehensively.
[Abstract](20) [PDF 926KB](1)
A Re-examination of the Various Editions of Kinmouzui
Ishigami Aki
2024, 7(3): 85-104.
Abstract:
The earliest illustrated encyclopedia in Japan, Kinmouzui (the 6th year of the Kanbun era,1666), was compiled by NAKAMURA Tekisai(1629-1702), a Confucian scholar in Kyoto,who completed the project by classifying a variety of contents into different categories according to those in Sancai Tuhui, omitting certain texts, and adding fine illustrations. This arrangement makes it easier for readers to search conveniently by name and illustrations, and thus rendering the reading process easier as well. This encyclopedia has had a profound influence on subsequent “illustrated encyclopediae.” KOBAYASHI Shoujirou collected and analyzed four versions of Kinmouzui, namely,the Library of Congress edition, the National Archives of Japan Digital Archive edition, the University of Tokyo General Library edition, and the YOKOYAMA Sigeru Collection edition. This paper analyzes 11 versions of Kinmouzui based on KOBAYASHI Shoujirou’s scholarship, and conducts a comparative study of 5 versions among them in detail. When the glamorously resplendent hand-colored Kinmouzui was initially released, the publisher saw potential high profits in the book and continued to publish it as a commodity on the market. Furthermore, in order to attract more buyers and to make it easier to read, illustrations were abridged from the second edition while detailed annotations were added. Kinmouzui has an extensive and rich collection of editions, each with its own features and characteristics.
[Abstract](11) [PDF 1010KB](1)
A Visual History of Japan—Taking Illustrated Chronicles as an Example
KIBA Takatoshi
2024, 7(3): 105-117.
Abstract:
A considerable number of chronicles were handed down from ancient times,ranging from Rikkokushi which was edited as a state undertaking to historical books composed in private. As of the Edo period, such chronicles had been published and sold as commodities,and illustrations were added so as to satisfy the readers’ needs. “Illustrated chronicles” that present historical events through pictures tend to visualize the past and make history more graphic. Shinpoyamatonendaikoukieshou (The Waseda University Library Collection),Shoudoku 3 (1713) Nendaikishin’eshou (Amendments) and Shinpoyamatonendaikoukieshou(The Ritsumeikan University Library Collection) are all illustrated chronicles, and the contents recorded therein include political events, the underlying causes of the events in question,disasters, auspices and uncanny omens etc. There are also legends and tales passed down from long ago. In these illustrated chronicles, one may also find records and illustrations about Chinese historical stories such as the Wu-Yue rivalry for hegemony. A few blank pages are intentionally left at the end of these books. This was done to allow readers to jot down what happened annually thereafter, which reminded readers that they were also part of history, thus encouraging readers to participate in the compilation of history.
[Abstract](21) [PDF 842KB](3)
The Diachronic Relationship between Nature and Human Life—Taking China’s Hainan Island as an Example
Umezaki Masahiro
2024, 7(3): 118-127.
Abstract:
Human lives will inevitably change the natural environment, and vice versa.Alternatively speaking, nature and human life are interrelated and independent of each other at the same time. Based on a field survey conducted in 2000 on the natural environment, crops, food and the Li ethnic group’s traditional residential culture in the Wuzhi Mountain area on Hainan island,this paper analyzes the relationships between nature and human life, and exhibits a diachronic discussion of norms for the utilization of wildlife resources in the region over time. China has implemented an environmental protection policy in general, while meantime the development of tourism makes full use of the economic value of natural resources. On top of that, the rich medicinal herbs in the Wuzhi Mountain area, which created a virtuous cycle in which those who pay fees for access to the herbs, those who make profits from herb sale, and those who have gained permission to hunt in the Wuzhi Mountain demonstrate a harmonious coordination between the environmental protection policy and the tapping of the economy value of natural resources by establishing an unwritten rule for the utilization of wildlife resources over time. It is recommended that researchers majoring in environmental history and ecological anthropology combine both ancient documents and contemporary field investigation as effective research method for their own projects.
[Abstract](23) [PDF 756KB](1)
Reviews
Chinese Comparative Literature in the 30 Years Since the Founding of the People’s Republic of China
JI Jianxun
2024, 7(3): 128-148.
Abstract:

The thirty years from the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 to the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in 1978 were often considered as a dark period for the study of Chinese comparative literature.Yue Daiyun, Wang Xiangyuan, Xu Zhixiao, Xu Yangshang, and other scholars defined it as the “dormant period,” “stagnant period,” or even “silent period” of Chinese comparative literature. “When an infant is isolated and lonely, he/she can create a world and make many spiritual friends.” During this special period, some scholars still bore the burden of loneliness with the innocent hearts of newborn infants, making contributions to the development of Chinese comparative literature and continuing to create unique worlds. Therefore, studies conducted during the so-called “dormant period” should not be ignored, even if they bear distinct historical imprints. For example, the overall lack of systematic research on Chinese comparative literature during the “dormant period” has been remedied to some extent by scholars and pertinent works, as represented by Ji Xianlin, Wu Xiaoling, and Chang Renxia in the research field of literary and cultural relations between China, India, and other Eastern countries. Although located in different geographical locations and influenced by different political systems, scholars in Hong Kong and Taiwan (China) have made immense efforts to revive and develop the discipline of comparative literature, actively incorporating Chinese comparative literature into dialogue and interaction with international comparative literature.The exchange of literature and culture between China and Russia during this period is also worth paying attention to, especially the thematic research on Lu Xun and Russian-Soviet literature, which has produced significant works. At the same time, the innovation in translation research methodology by Fu Lei and Qian Zhongshu in the field of translation became a stunning highlight of comparative literature during this period. These unique worlds are worth exploring and learning further to promote the construction of the methodological system of international comparative literature.
[Abstract](7) [PDF 947KB](0)
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