Get to the Root of Historical Elements and Sketch a Blue Print for the
Future :
An Article of Professor CHEN Xiaofa
Before the Book Launch of Li Dai Zheng
Shi Ri Ben Zhuang
Kao Zhu
(ʷձע Glossary Explanations and Bibliographic Annotations
of Japan in
Official Chinese Dynastic History)
Whenever Japanese
studies in China is compared with Chinese studies in Japan, most people may
recall the famous ambivalent comments of the late Dai Jitao (1891-1949). As an early Kuomintang Party member of fluency in
Japanese and the author of the influential Ri Ben Lun (ձ Theory on Japan), he dismayed at the contrast between
Chinese and Japanese attitudes toward studying one another, emphasizing that
Chinese must find solution to avoid narrowed-minded patriotism and hence slaves
to emotional underestimation of the importance of understanding Japan. Up to
now, this is still an academic question for debate among intellectuals. With
its focus on criticism against the Chinese prejudicial attitude against
Japanese studies, Ri Ben Lun is still a rare species among the books of
Japanese studies in China (or Chinese Japanology) that mushroomed in the past
few decades. However, is the viewpoint of the late Dai Jitao representing the
whole history of Japanese studies in China throughout the ages? A brief review
focused on the history of Japanese studies in China hereinafter may provide
food for thought.
Dai Jitao (1891-1949)
In Ri Ben Lun , Dai Jitao
reiterated that other than Huang Zhunxians (1848-1905) magnum opus Ri Ben Guo Zhi of
forty volumes (ձ־A Record of Japan), which was published thirty years before Ri Ben Lun, no
monograph on Japan had been available. It means that only the late Qing dynasty
poet and high-ranking diplomat Huang Zhunxian, who was stationed in Japan in
early Meiji period, was equipped with first-hand access to information and the
unique bundles of knowledge about Japan. To Dai, only Huangs Ri Ben Guo Zhi could provide
an extremely valuable window of information and insight into Japan. It was published in 1887 and
subsequently praised by Zhang Zhidong (֮) as a must for Chinese diplomatic mission to
Japan. Nevertheless, before Huang Zhunxian,
was there any Chinese scholars of discriminating views of Japan?
Ri Ben Guo Zhi(ձ־)Volume One published by Yang
Cheng Fu Uen Zhai (Ǹի) in
1890 (Guangxu 16)
Because
of historical reasons, especially national defense and warfare that inspired
scholarship, there were several climaxes of Japanese studies in Chinese
history. As representative treatises on the wokou aggression (Japanese pirates disruptive activities in
Chinese coastal waters and attacking coastal dwellers from the fourteenth to
the sixteenth century) in Ming dynasty (1368-1644), the
most famous are Ri Ben Kao (ձStudy of Japan) by two military
men Li Yan Gong and Hao Jie (Թ and ½ both sixteenth century), Zheng Shungongs (֣˴ 1556-Ri Ben Ri Jian (ձһ A Mirror of Japan), and Hou Jigaos (̸ 1533-1602) Ri Ben Gong Fu Ji (ձ Notes from Japan or Local Social
Conditions of Japan).
However, some pioneering scholars of Japanese studies have now been
forgotten. Yao Wendong(ҦĶ1852-1927) is one such case. As a Chinese
Japanologist, he was a prolific writer. In Yi Ben Di Ri Bing Yao (ձҪ Japans Geography and Its Defense)(1884, 2 juan, 8 volumes), which was particularly detailed
concerning Japans coastal defense, he discussed the ways to attack Japan.
Having the same title as Huang Zhunxians magnum opus, Yaos Ri Ben Guo Zhi in
1884(ձ־Treatises on Japan) is a benchmark in Chinese Japanology though it is essentially a
translation from Japanese works. Ye Qingyis (Ҷ active 1880-1889) Ce Ao Za Zhi ( Random Pickings From a Dragon Ride, 8 juan 1884), Chen Jialins (¼Dong Cha Uen Jian Lu(ż¼ Mini-encyclopedia of Japan,
4 juan, 1884), Gu Houkuns (˺j1870-1930) Ri Ben Xin Zhong Kao(ձReference Materials on Japans Modernizing Reforms , 2 juan , 1888) and Fu Yun Longs( 1840-1901) Yu Li Ri Ben Fu Jin (ձͼ Japan with Maps and Tables, 30 juan , 1889 ) are pioneering masterful encyclopedias providing correct information
about Japan. They surpassed their predecessors in scholarly rigor and the
quality of academic contribution. Their efforts to understand Japan cannot go
unnoticed. Unlike the comments of Dai Jitao, their scholarship exerted a
considerable impact on Chinese Japanology and had been rated highly by academia
in later generations.
Fu Yunlong ( 1840-1901)
Inevitably, all academic researches may be under the limitation of
historical factors. To be fair, Chinese Japanology had been far ahead of
Japanese Sinology. Moreover, in the history of China approaching Japan
intellectually, the early beginning of Japanology in China can be dated to
pre-Han times. This is the earliest Japanology in the world. Nowadays, even
when Japanese scholars conduct research on ancient Japanese history before their
usage of kanji ( Chinese character), they have to refer primary Chinese
historical data. Otherwise, it will be a castle in the air, a river without
headwaters or a tree without roots. It is thus not an exaggeration to say that
Japanese intelligentsia and academia cannot underestimate the significance of
Chinese researchers and primary data about ancient Japan. In this connection,
the uncontested pioneering works are the Japanese bibliographies in official
Chinese dynastic history books of past ages.
Historiography is a splendid part of Chinese cultural heritage.
Official historiographers in different dynasties acted like impartial judges
with a spirit of rule of law upon their writing dynastic history with a strong
sense of professionalism, thereby providing a vast sea of very precious
official historical data to later generations. From Hou Han Shu ( Book of the Later Han ) in the fifth century to Qin Shi Gao (ʷ Draft History of Qing),
which was published in 1928, the 1500 years time span of continuous historical
records of Japan in official Chinese history is unprecedented.
A total of sixteen categories and seventeen chapters of different
historiographical genres about Japan under the names of Wo (), Wo Ren (),Wo Guo(), Ri Ben(ձ) and Yi Ben Guo (ձ) can be found in seventeen official dynastic
history books of China, of which the breakdown is as follows:
-
Hou
Han Shu ( Book of the Later Han): Wo(
-
San
Guo Zhi (־ Records of the Three Kingdoms):Wo Renˣ
-
Jin
Shu ( Book of Jin):Wo Ren(ˣ
-
Song
Shu ( Book of Song):Wo Guo (
-
Nan
Qi Shu(Book of Qi):Wo Guo
-
Liang
Shu ( Book of Liang):Wo(
-
Nan
Shi (ʷHistory of Southern Dynasties): Wo Guo
-
Bei
Shi (ʷHistory of
Northern Dynasties): Wo
-
Sui
Shu ( Book of Sui): Wo
Guo(
-
Jiu
Tang Shu ( Old Book of Tang or Book
of Tang): Wo Guo
-
Jiu
Tang Shu ( Old Book of Tang or Book
of Tang): Ri Ben Guoձ
-
Xin
Tang Shu ( New Book of Tang): Ri Benձ
-
Song
Shi (ʷ History of Song):Ri Ben Guoձ
-
Yuan
Shi (Ԫʷ History of Yuan): Ri Benձ
-
Xin
Yuan Shi (ԪʷNew History of Yuan): Ri Benձ
-
Ming
Shi (ʷHistory of Ming): Ri Ben (ձ
-
Qin Shi Gao (ʷ Draft History of Qing): Ri Ben (ձ
Official
history books in different dynasties
It
is unnecessary to repeat the value and contribution of the above-tabulated
chapters in official history books of China. More importantly, how to allow
global academia to gain an insight into the past authoritative status and
boom eras of Chinese Japanology? It could be especially rewarding in case
these obscure and nearly unintelligible chapters could provide reorientation of
Chinese Japanology. This is the objective of our publishing Li Dai Zheng Shi Ri Ben Zhuang Kao Zhu (ʷձעGlossary Explanations and Bibliographic Annotations of Japan in
Official Chinese Dynastic History). Notwithstanding the issues of historical cognition, territorial
dispute and a deepening maritime rift with Japan and neighboring countries may
lead to deterioration of mutual trust and intensify tension in East Asia,
history is always repeating itself and we can learn from it. Historical
experiences and lessons can help us draw up a blue print to attain sustainable
future development. We attach this extravagant hope to these five volumes of Li Dai Zheng Shi Ri Ben Zhuang Kao Zhu.
The publication of Li Dai
Zheng Shi Ri Ben Zhuang Kao Zhu is
not an easy task. In 1990s, the Institute of Japanese Culture Studies of
Zhejiang University had weekly study sessions for it. The participants included
professors, students, Chinese and foreign scholars. Due to personnel changes in
2004, study session was suspended. For more than one decade, new insights had
been gained from reviewing the aforesaid chapters about Japan in Chinese
official historical books. It provided an unexploited academic field for
doctoral researches and master dissertations.
In 2001, a national academy press promised to provide financial support
for the publication of this prestigious work. Unexpectedly, this publication
project had to be given up halfway due to conflictual viewpoints. Even so,
efforts had all along been incessantly made to polish and improve the quality
of it. In late 2014, Professor Wang Yong ()of Institute of
East Asian Studies of Zhejiang Gongshang University cordially sought the
support from Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press and secured finance allowance
from the national fund successfully. With the co-operation and academic
contributions from Chinese and foreign scholars, this academic project was
finally completed in June 2016.
Professor Wang Yong is the editor-in-chief
heading the project of Li Dai Zheng
Shi Ri Ben Zhuang Kao Zhu of five dynastic volumes, of which the authors are tabulated hereunder:
1.
Han-Wei-Liangjin-Nanbeicha (κϱ) by Ge Jiyong () of Zhengzhou University and Wang Yong of Zhejiang Gongshang
University
2. Sui and Tang
() by Wang Yong of Zhejiang
Gongshang University. Concomitant
with these chapters are the valuable historical information about Japanese
landscape, society, politics, custom and transportation between China and Japan
in different dynasties for more than a millennium. Aside from gaining knowledge
about Japan, all these demonstrate boom eras of Chinese Japanology under the
limitations of possibility of hearsay, poor transportation and
communication.
3. Song and Yuan (Ԫ) by Jiang Jing () and Zhang Xinpeng(). Both are
faculty members of Zhejiang Gongshang University
4. Ming () by Chen Xiaofa of Zhejiang Gongshang University and Zheng Jiexi (֣) of Ningbo University
5.Qing() by Lv Shun Chang (˳)of Zhejiang Gongshang University
Starting
with defining problem (), the other parts in each volume are main
body (), annotation (ע), textual research (ӿ),
and cross-reference(о¼). Textual research is a
comprehensive general illustration and explanation. Cross-reference refers to related information
elsewhere and encompasses latest domestic and international research outcomes
of significant impacts.
The
characteristics of Li Dai Zheng Shi Ri Ben Zhuang Kao Zhu are up-to-date, comprehensive coverage
and meticulousness.
Nevertheless, there is no royal road to learning. To err is human. For one
thing cited, illustrated and explained in our work, ten thousand may have been
left out. Our work is far from being complete. Enlightenment, criticism and
comment are always welcomed. Da Xue (ѧ )reminds
us that one should know ones strengths and weaknesses. Though Chinese
Japanology has the issue of tunnel vision, Chinese academic circles should
neither improperly belittle themselves nor lack of common sense and intelligence.
We believe that this is the correct attitude towards the development of
Japanology in China.
