E. V. Kremnyov, V. V. Ananiev. Prerequisites for the Development of Regional Studies in Japan within the Framework of Japanese Traditional Science

UDК 001.891(520)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15507/2413-1407.111.028.202002.279-302

Introduction. The variety of elements of the field of regional studies in Japan makes it possible to state that the sources of regional studies are heterogeneous not only in content, but also in their relation to different historical periods. The objective of the study is to analyze the processes of development of proto-regional knowledge in Japan from ancient times until the middle of the 19th century

Materials and Methods. Japanese works on history and geography, as well as works by Russian researchers in the considered fields were used as the materials of the study. Particular attention was paid to historical and geographical texts; other sources (religious texts, poetic texts, etc.) were also considered. The basic methods employed were those of systemic, comparative, conceptual and terminological analysis.

Results. The article discusses the stages of development of proto-regional knowledge in Japan in the framework of traditional science. Based on the analysis of works created before the middle of the 19th century, the authors conclude that the basic factor in the formation and development of knowledge about regions was the opposition “We vs. Others,” characteristic of Japanese ethnoculture, and this knowledge itself is largely Japanocentric. The article reveals the role of several schools of traditional science: kokugaku (school of national sciences), rangaku / yogaku (Dutch / European studies) and kangaku (school of Chinese sciences), as well as the role of their cultural and ideological confrontation in stimulating the development of proto-regional knowledge.

Discussion and Conclusion. The article presents the results of the initial stage of a comprehensive study, which will examine the history of the development of Japanese regional knowledge and the methodology of regional research in Japan. The results of the work may be useful to researchers and specialists in the field of history of regional development of various countries and regions.

Keywords: science about regions, regional studies in Japan, regional studies, regional science, Japanese traditional science, Regionology, transdisciplinary Regionology, kokugaku, rangaku / yogaku, kangaku

Funding. The study was carried out with the financial support from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research as part of the scientific project No. 19-011-00040 “History and Methodology of the Asia-Pacific Regional Studies in the Context of Modern Transdisciplinary Regionology.”

REFERENCES

1. Prospects for Area Studies. Science Council of Japan. 2010; 4(5). Available at: http://www.scj.go.jp/ja/info/kohyo/pdf/kohyo-21-h-1-7.pdf (accessed 15.02.2020). (In Japanese)

2. Shiba N. Japan Studies as Regional Studies. Chūō Kenkyū = Central European Studies. 2016; (2). (In Japanese)

3. Novakova O.V., Simonova-Gudzenko E.K., Ulyanov M.Yu. The Role of the First European Scholars and Christian Missionaries in Distributing Modern Knowledge in Eastern and Southeastern Asia in the XVI–XVII century (The Case of Indonesia, Japan and Vietnam). Gumanitarnye issledovaniya v Vostochnoj Sibiri i na Dalnem Vostoke = Humanities Research in the Russian Far East. 2017; (3):5-20. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.24866/1997-2857/2017-3/5-20

4. Novikova A.A. The Synthesis of Eastern and Western Geographical Knowledge in the Treatise “Nihon Suido Ko:” by Nishikawa Joken (1648–1724). Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta = Moscow University Bulletin. Series 13. Oriental Studies. 2014; (3):30-43. Available at: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=21991127 (accessed 15.02.2020). (In Russ., abstract in Eng.)

5. Verisotskaya E.V. Some Aspects on the Theory of Civilization in Historical Works of Russia and Japan (18th century). Izvestija Vostochnogo instituta = Proceedings of the Oriental Institute. 1996; (3):70-89. Available at: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=8818869 (accessed 15.02.2020). (In Russ., abstract in Eng.)

6. Simonova-Gudzenko E.K. The Role of Place Names in Political Culture of Medieval Japan. Japonskie issledovanija = Japanese Studies in Russia. 2016; (2):26-42. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.24411/2500-2872-2016-00013

7. Bently J.R. The Birth and Flowering of Japanese Historiography: From Chronicles to Tales to Historical Interpretation. The Oxford History of Historical Writing. 2012; 2:58-79. (In Eng.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780199236428.003.0004

8. Brownlee J.S. Political Thought in Japanese Historical Writing: From Kojiki (712) to Tokushi Yoron (1712). Waterloo; 1991. (In Eng.) DOI: https://doi.org/10/2307/2057985

9. Cranston E.A. A Waka Anthology: Volume One: The Gem-Glistening Cup. Stanford; 1998. Available at: http://www.harvard.com/book/a_waka_anthology_-_volume_one_the_gem-gliste... (accessed 15.02.2020). (In Eng.)

10. Starrs R. The Kojiki as Japan’s National Narrative. In: Asian Futures, Asian Traditions. Edited by Edwina Palmer. Folkestone; 2005. Available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Asian-Futures-Traditions-Edwina-Palmer/dp/19019... (accessed 15.02.2020). (In Eng.)

11. Harada N. History of Japan That Chose Rice. Tokyo; 2007. (In Japanese)

12. Ando T. Locational Nature of the Events Mentioned in the Setsuwa Literature: A Case Study of the Events in and around Heian-kyo. Jinbun chiri = Humanitarian Geography. 2008; 60(1):41-54. (In Japanese)

13. Fujiwara N. Kumazawa Banzan and Nishikawa Joken: With the Emphasis on Their Views on Suido (Fūdo) [Geography]. Kikan Nihon shisō-shi = Quarterly Journal on the History of Ideas in Japan. Tokyo, 1992; 38:38-54. (In Japanese)

14. Mayanagi M. On Lu Xun’s essay “Kōkan igaku” [Oriental Medicine]. Nihon ishigaku zasshi = Journal of the Japanese Society for the History of Medicine. 2003; 49(1):40-41. (In Japanese)

15. Yamamoto Y. Nakamura Ranrin’s Textology: the Evolution of Zhu Xi’s Teaching in the 18th Century Japan. Nihon shisō shigaku = History of Ideas in Japan. Tokyo, 2015; 47:126-143. (In Japanese)

16. Murayama Y. How the Kangakusha Lived: Kangaku (Chinese Studies) in Modern Japan. Tokyo; 1999. (In Japanese)

17. Kounoshi T. Reading Motoori Norinaga’s “Kojiki-den [A Commentary on Kojiki]”. Tokyo; 2010. (In Japanese)

Submitted 15.01.2020; accepted for publication 21.02.2020; published online 30.06.2020.

About the authors:

Evgeny V. Kremnyov, Head of Department, Department of Oriental and Regional Studies, Irkutsk State University (1 Karl Marx St., Irkutsk 664003, Russia), Ph. D. (Sociology), Associate Professor, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5255-3772, kremnyov2005@mail.ru

Vladimir V. Ananiev, Coordinator for International Relations, Ishikawa Foundation for International Exchange (3/F, Rifare Bldg., 1-5-3, Hon-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0853, Japan), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5033-1073, v_ananiev@hotmail.com

Contribution of the authors:

Evgeny V. Kremnyov – putting forward the basic idea of the study; substantiation of the theoretical and methodological foundations of the study; data collection and processing; critical analysis; drawing conclusions.

Vladimir V. Ananiev – development of theoretical and methodological foundations of the study; search for analytical materials; analysis of factual material; drawing conclusions; writing the text of the article.

For citation:

Kremnyov E.V., Ananiev V.V. Prerequisites for the Development of Regional Studies in Japan within the Framework of Japanese Traditional Science. Regionology = Russian Journal of Regional Studies. 2020; 28(2):279-302. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15507/2413-1407.111.028.202002.279-302

The authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

To download article