The Study Of Kaihentai

In Edo Era, Japan implemented a closed-door policy, but never slacked the efforts to concern the overseas affairs, especially to the politics, military and social dynamics of Mainland China, and paid attention to collect information of various kinds. Whenever the merchant ships from China and Southeast Asian countries arriving at Nagasaki, a Chinese translator would get on board, asking and recording the ship-owner's and other crew members' "fusetsu," which were then translated into Japanese and reported to Edo Bakufu. Such kind of documents are called "Tosen fusetsugaki," and later, Lin Chun-sheng and his son Lin Xin-du, who were both Confucious Schoolars in Bakufu and joined the others in interpreting the fusetsu, edited them into Kaihentai, and later on, its sequel Kikosyosetsu. As material of oral history based upon the background of Sino-Japanese trade, Tosen fusetsugaki has a great historical value in the field of research on the history of Sino-Japanese relation. This dissertation, analyzes the literature of more than 2,300 pieces of "fusetsu" in Kaihentai recorded between 1644-1728, which is an initial attempt to use historical data to discuss several issues in the history of the early Qing Dynasty.The dissertation is divided into 4 (â…¡-â…¤) chapters.Chapterâ…¡In this chapter, the editors of the Kaihentai and Kikosyosetsu Lin Chun-sheng and Lin Xin-du are examined and reviewed, focusing on their participation in the analytical work of information in Bakufu, and further explaining the Lins editing process of fusetsu. This dissertation discusses the collection passed down and lost, in light of Urarenitsu's literature study of Kaihentai.Chapterâ…¢In this chapter, the process of institutionalization of Chinese Translator as fusetsu recorder is inspected, and proceeding from the relation between the fusetsu and Tosen, it is believed that the appearance of Tosen fusetsu was caused by the impact on the Japanese Bakufu brought by the turbulent situation from the change of Ming Dynasty to Qing Dynasty. It makes clear that the fusetsu is the report of international current affairs, rather than trade literature in general sense. Through the analysis of the evolution of the content, structure and the formation of the fusetsu-gaki, the numbers and components of Tosen, the departure ports and the status of the passengers are inspected with statistical methods.Chapterâ…£In this chapter, the situation in Southeast Asia reflected in Kaihentai are inspected through the activities of the European merchant ships on the coast of China, Zheng Cheng-gong and his family members mentioned in fusetsu, the rebel of Wu San-gui, Geng Jing-zhong and Shang Ke-xi against the Qing Dynasty, the foreign relations and other issues. By way of the examination of the activities of the British merchant ships, some meaningful data of the early Sino-British trade relations are provided. Through Oranda Fusetsugaki recorded in Kaihentai, the relationship between Netherlands and Southeast separatism forces and the relationship between Netherlands and Qing Government are inspected.Chapterâ…¤Fusetsu, though not the literature of history, after all, appeared in the activities of Sino-Japanese trade. This chapter, through the inspection of its contents, from the perspective of trade between Qing Dynasty and Japan, offers a preliminary analysis of the activities of the merchant ships in Shandong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang in different period, reflected in Kaihentai.