Research On Naito Konan's Theory Of Japanese Culture

Naito Konan(1866-1934)was among the first sinologists in modern Japan.Since 1887,he began to serve for various newspapers and magazines,and distinguished himself as a prominent journalist.Then in 1907,he started devoting himself to academy as a professor in Kyoto Imperial University to give lecture on oriental history there.Naito Konan's research is very wide-ranging and his achievement is called as "Naito historiography" by later researchers.He was well known for his periodization of Chinese history centered on“modern China's beginning in the Ming Dynasty”and "Tang-Song transition",as well as his opinions on China-Japan relationship represented by“theory of the moving of culture center”,on both of which the academy of Kyoto School are based and Japanese sinology is impacted.Not only was Naito Konan an authority in sinology,but he also excelled in studies about Japanese history and culture.He advanced lots of unique theories and opinions.After World War II,there was a trend in the academic circle in Japan to seriously reflect upon the war.As for Naito Konan,he suffered badly criticism for his assumed supportive comment on Japanese imperial aggression indicated in his works,Shinaron and Sin Shinaron.However,that did not call an end to the "Naito historiography",and it once again caught the eye of the academic community from the 1960s thanks to the publication of the complete works of Naito Konan.There were a large quantity of related books and papers on Naito Konan in the Japanese academic field,most of the existent studies are focused on sinology to introduce or remark on his ideas in history,but few are fixed on his theory of Japanese culture.On the other hand,the existent studies about Naito Konan in China went no far beyond the translation of his works.For what is mentioned above,it calls for more attention to Naito Konan's theories of Japanese culture.To fill this void,the present study attempts to combine Naito Konan's life and "Naito historiography" to analysis Naito Konan's opinions on the origin and uniqueness of Japanese culture,as well as China-Japan relationship in hope to go further to the essence and the real intention of his theory.Then the knowledge on the formation and development of Japanese culture,as well as China-Japan relationship will be deepened.The present thesis is composed of four chapters.Chapter One,with oriental history as the background,provides general introduction to Naito Konan's life experience,academic features and "Naito historiography",from which the composing and value of his Japanese culture can be sensed.The other three make systematic exploration into the content of Naito Konan's theory of Japanese culture rested upon his works,Cultural Hi.story Studies of Japan(Volume One and Volume Two).Chapter Two conveys Naito Konan's points of view about the origin of Japanese culture and the role Chinese culture played in the course of its formation.In his opinion,Japanese culture originated from oriental culture which centers on Chinese culture,and thus the latter was irreplaceable in the developing process of the former.At that time when Japan was among the world powers through Meiji Restoration,Naito Konan's opinion was very bold and distinctive.Chapter Three analyses Naito Konan's views on the uniqueness of Japanese culture and gives priority to his“theory of the moving of culture center”.Naito Konan held that the uniqueness of Japanese culture gradually came into being in the developing process,especially after the Onin War,and that the center of culture was always moving and it arrived in Japan at that time.Chapter Four tries to figure out the essence and the real intention of his theory on Japanese culture rested upon his works,Shinaron and Sin Shinaron,based on which the appraisal of his theory would be made.As far as Naito Konan was concerned,Japanese culture was deeply influenced by Chinese culture,but his every comment is out of the concern for the Japan Nation and its culture.So when Japan went into the era of imperialism,some of Naito Konan's remarks became the accomplice of Japanese political invasion inescapable,which were from nationalist sentiment and national interests.At Meiji and Taisho period in Japan,not enough value has been put on Naito Konan's theory of Japanese culture due to its lack of dominance,but there is some inspiration worth to draw from his theory.It should be noted that Naito Konan's theory of Japanese culture has two sides.On one hand,it speaks highly of Chinese ancient culture and admits its positive effect on Japanese culture.On the other hand,however,Naito Konan showed extreme contempt to the Chinese culture after the Qing Dynasty,but totally emphasized the uniqueness of Japanese culture,and maintained that the latter occupied the center status and would achieve the renaissance in oriental culture instead of the former.So it was strongly criticized after World War ?.