Historically,Chinese characters were used throughout the East Asian region,giving rise to a common cultural sphere.Since early modern times,the written languages of East Asia have developed in a diversity of ways,shap...Historically,Chinese characters were used throughout the East Asian region,giving rise to a common cultural sphere.Since early modern times,the written languages of East Asia have developed in a diversity of ways,shaped by nation,geography and culture,among other factors.Strengthening research on the long-term history of East Asian cultural development is thus very necessary.Komine Kazuaki has long been engaged in the study of medieval Japanese literature.Over the past two decades,he has projected a holistic academic approach to the study of culture in East Asia,conducting comparative research on the classical East Asian cultures.This paper takes a methodological approach to the discussion of the subjects,methods,techniques and goals of such research.In the study of East Asian cultural exchange,comparison enables us to undertake holistic investigations;it is not simply a tactic for unilateral studies.The study of texts and of images can be mutually enhancing;for example,the Japanese emaki is a medium that mixes literature and painting.Methods of researching environmental literature provide new insights for re-interpreting classical and modern literary works.Lastly,we need to examine the value of classical East Asian literature from the standpoint of East Asia as a whole;this is an urgently needed direction in contemporary research in this field.展开更多
文摘Historically,Chinese characters were used throughout the East Asian region,giving rise to a common cultural sphere.Since early modern times,the written languages of East Asia have developed in a diversity of ways,shaped by nation,geography and culture,among other factors.Strengthening research on the long-term history of East Asian cultural development is thus very necessary.Komine Kazuaki has long been engaged in the study of medieval Japanese literature.Over the past two decades,he has projected a holistic academic approach to the study of culture in East Asia,conducting comparative research on the classical East Asian cultures.This paper takes a methodological approach to the discussion of the subjects,methods,techniques and goals of such research.In the study of East Asian cultural exchange,comparison enables us to undertake holistic investigations;it is not simply a tactic for unilateral studies.The study of texts and of images can be mutually enhancing;for example,the Japanese emaki is a medium that mixes literature and painting.Methods of researching environmental literature provide new insights for re-interpreting classical and modern literary works.Lastly,we need to examine the value of classical East Asian literature from the standpoint of East Asia as a whole;this is an urgently needed direction in contemporary research in this field.
