The Influence of Japanese Anthropology in the Mainland of China: Centered on the Post-1980S
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The 4th JASCA International Symposium Keynote Lecture 2 The Influence of Japanese Anthropology in the Mainland of China: Centered on the Post-1980s Zhengai Liu Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Abstract: This paper aims to summarize the academic influence of Japanese anthropology in the Mainland of China. It focuses on the post-1980s and also involves The Customary Practice Survey of China Village (中国 農村慣行調査) by the prewar South Manchuria Railway Company (満鉄 — hereinafter referred to as “SMRC”). The “Japanese Anthropology” mentioned in this paper refers to that based in Japan. The researchers include not only ethnic Japanese nationals, but also their Chinese counterparts working in Japan, Japanese people studying (or working) in China, and also Chinese Mainland scholars with anthropology training in Japan. The results of the research are not restricted to the Japanese language; there are more anthropology works in Chinese translation or published in Chinese. Key words: Chinese anthropology, Japanese anthropology, Academic Translation. This essay has been divided into several topics, with several representative scholars listed in each topic and introduction of the influence of their major research findings, theories and methods on the Chinese Mainland. First, I introduce the Japanese scholars’ ethnic minority studies of China, rice cultivating culture, Laurisilvae Culture Theory (照葉樹林文化論) and the ecological civilization concept. Second, I take up the South Manchuria Railway Company survey (The Customary Practice Survey of North China villages). Next, I consider research into Chinese society, including village communities, lineages, folk religions and Hakka studies, etc. Fourth, I move on to anthropological subfield research, such as tourism anthropology, ecological anthropology, religious anthropology, business anthropology, economic anthropology, landscape anthropology and sport anthropology, etc. Although theory is the key factor that determines the academic influence on research and its products, language is also important. The language in which an academic work is Japanese Review of Cultural Anthropology, vol. 18-2, 2017 126 Zhengai Liu published determines to a degree the depth and breadth of its influence. Therefore, this paper also places emphasis on introducing the translation situations of Japanese ethnology and anthropology works and its influences on the Chinese academy. 1. Minority Studies 1.1 Studies of postwar minorities in southwestern and southern China Of the prewar Japanese ethnology investigations in China, most were conducted in the northeast, except for Ryuzo Torii’s research on southeast minorities. After the War, the focus of study began shifting to southern China. Because Chinese mainland fieldwork was not allowed before the 1980s, Japanese academia depended mostly on pre-existing texts for studies of China. For example, Yoshiro Shiratori’s study centered mainly on mountainous northwest Thailand areas because there lived Chinese minorities—such as Yao, Miao, Akha, and Lisu—frequently mentioned in Chinese literature. It was not until 1979 that Shiratori first stepped onto the Chinese Mainland and conducted first-hand investigations there. Shiratori’s studies (1979) of Yao literature in Thailand’s mountainous northwestern area, especially a kind of document named “King Ping’s Charter (Register for Yao Crossing the Mountains)”, have been highly valued in the international academia. Chinese scholars had little focused on Yao peoples documents until the 1980s, although some Chinese scholars referred to the existence of Yao documents during the Ming Dynasties, Qing Dynasties, the Republic China period, and collected King Ping Charter during the minority people social history investigation in the 1950s, Shiratori’s books and articles (Shiratori 1980, 1982, 1984) were successively published in the Chinese language. In the First International Symposium of Yao People Research in Hong Kong in May, 1986, Hong Kong scholars drew attention to the Shiratori-compiled Yao People’s Documents (1979). This drew the attention of Chinese scholars to the situation of Yao People in Thailand and to the academic importance of printed document research. Inspired by Shiratori, Chinese scholars have since begun to study the Yao People’s Documents1. The research into the Yao by Yoshiro Shiratori, Takuji Takemura and Shigeyuki Tsukada over three generations has not only promoted the development of Yao research in Japan, but also in China2 . Particularly, Shiratori’s Ethnography of Southeast Asian Mountains ― the Yao and their Neighbouring Peoples (Shiratori 1980) and Takemura (1986) have become “must reads” for new learners of Chinese Yao research. The argument between Shiratori and Tatsumi Makino over ethnic belongings of Nanzhao and Dali groups also attracted much attention in Chinese academia and gave rise to many academic discussions (Jin 1999: 67-70). 1 For example, see Renyao Xu and Wiwang Hu (1981:29-36), Edit group of “Register for Crossing the Mountains” (1984), Yuya Huang (1990), Zi Mu (1990: 47-52), Zhaorong Peng (1994: 54-57), Junhua Ren (1997: 54-56), Bengao Li (1995), Hui Zheng (2011, 2015:176-186), Yue Zhang and Zehong Zhang (2016: 58-71), Jihong Xiao (2016: 68-72). 2 Yoshiro Shiratori’s Chinese translation works include one book and eleven papers; Takuji Takemura’s Chinese translation works include one book (three versions) and four papers; Shigeyuki Tsukada authored 19 papers. Zhengai Liu The Influence of Japanese Anthropology in the Mainland of China 127 published determines to a degree the depth and breadth of its influence. Therefore, this Since the 1980s, young Japanese scholars have also become active in fieldwork, and their paper also places emphasis on introducing the translation situations of Japanese ethnology research subjects include multiple minorities like Miao, Yao, Yi, Tong, Dai, Bai, Naxi, Qiang, and anthropology works and its influences on the Chinese academy. Tibetan and Hani, etc. Most of their research findings have been published in Japanese, which greatly restricted their influence in China3. But there are exceptions. While studying 1. Minority Studies at the Institute of Nationality Studies in Guangxi University for Nationalities in 1987, Kotaro Matsumoto conducted surveys of Pinghua performers in eight or nine counties and 1.1 Studies of postwar minorities in southwestern and southern China cities of Guangxi province, which led to the publication of a paper entitled Study of Han Of the prewar Japanese ethnology investigations in China, most were conducted in the Pinghua (Zheyuan) Performers in Chinese (Kotaro Matsumoto 1997:51-64). This earned northeast, except for Ryuzo Torii’s research on southeast minorities. After the War, the focus popularity in China’s Han Nationality research circle. Matsumoto also became the first of study began shifting to southern China. Because Chinese mainland fieldwork was not scholar to anthropologically study Pinghua performers. Many of Hiroko Yokoyama’s papers allowed before the 1980s, Japanese academia depended mostly on pre-existing texts for have been translated into Chinese. Above all, her research on the Bai people is now heavily studies of China. For example, Yoshiro Shiratori’s study centered mainly on mountainous cited by Chinese scholars studying the Bai people4. The Chinese anthropologist Yongjia northwest Thailand areas because there lived Chinese minorities—such as Yao, Miao, Akha, Liang put forward the concept of “Compound Culture” in studying the Dali society; and Lisu—frequently mentioned in Chinese literature. It was not until 1979 that Shiratori Yokoyama’s Bai culture research culture provides a critical factual basis for Liang’s concept first stepped onto the Chinese Mainland and conducted first-hand investigations there. (Liang 2005: 25-31). Shiratori’s studies (1979) of Yao literature in Thailand’s mountainous northwestern area, especially a kind of document named “King Ping’s Charter (Register for Yao Crossing the 1.2 Studies of Northern Ethnic Groups Mountains)”, have been highly valued in the international academia. Chinese scholars had Since the 1980s, although Japanese ethnologists have switched their interests from the little focused on Yao peoples documents until the 1980s, although some Chinese scholars prewar northeast nationalities (56 ethnic groups recognized by the government) to those of referred to the existence of Yao documents during the Ming Dynasties, Qing Dynasties, the the south, some Japanese scholars have ventured to Inner Mongolia and the northeast to Republic China period, and collected King Ping Charter during the minority people social investigate local minorities. The Mongolian women’s oral history study and Mongolian food history investigation in the 1950s, Shiratori’s books and articles (Shiratori 1980, 1982, 1984) study by Yuki Konagaya of the National Museum of Ethnology Japan, are influential in were successively published in the Chinese language. In the First International Symposium Mongolian and pastoral area research, and five of her papers have been translated into of Yao People Research in Hong Kong in May, 1986, Hong Kong scholars drew attention to Chinese(Konagaya 1999;2003;2008a;2008b;2009). In addition, Sachiko Hatanaka has visited the Shiratori-compiled Yao People’s Documents (1979). This drew the attention of Chinese places like Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang province multiple times since 1986 to scholars to the situation of Yao People in Thailand and to the academic importance of investigate