Author ｜
Shao Hsuan-lei
Abstract ｜
The major change of modern China-studies in Japan is the disciplinary establishment of “Touyougaku (Japanese orientalogy)” as its cognitional methodology. It is the first decipline which adopts the empirical research approach to “China.” Hence, it became the main source of knowledge of “real China” in that era. On the other hand, the opinions on Touyougaku’s historical value are quite different and even conflicting.This paper declares that we should trace back to the knowledge’s origins and study its pedigree (disciplinary genealogy). It focuses on the creation and evolution in disciplinary characteristics. The paper elaborates the major driving forces of Touyougaku, which are “discipline modernization/globalization,academic groups interaction, and policy request.” and analyzing Jugaku (Confucianism) source, Tokyo/Kyoto school, the seminar establishment,and policy survey. It also proposes the Touyougaku makes China as the existence of “the other”, under which forms the sub-paradigm of “object”and another sub-paradigm of “collation.” The two various paradigms develop different theory models in post-war, which cause scholars to maintain different views in Touyougaku.
keywords ｜
academic community, China-studies, genealogy, Japan, knowledge, Sinology.