ARCHAEOLOGIA JAPONICAChina
SUZUKI Mai1
Fiscal 2016 study trend of Chinese archaeology in Japan is overviewed.
Regarding academic conferences and symposiums, the Japan Society for ChineseArchaeology held an annual conference in November at Kyoto Prefectural University
under the theme “100 years of Japanese archaeology and Chinese archaeological study:
new research viewpoints based on research material from the former half of the 20thcentury.” Six lectures were held in total, including two keynote lectures: OKAMURA
Hidenori “Kyoto Daigaku Shozo Chugoku Koko Shiryo no Chosa to Kenkyu (Researchand Study of Chinese Archaeology Materials Owned by Kyoto University)” andMIYAMOTO Kazuo “Nihonjin Kenkyusha niyoru Ryoto Hanto Senshi Chosa toGenzai: Toa Kokogakukai Chosa to Nihon Gakujutsu Shinkokai Chosa (Research ofthe Prehistoric Liaodong Peninsula by Japanese Scholars and the Present: Research byToa Koko Gakkai and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science,” and many reports
were made by both Japanese and Chinese researchers in general presentations and poster
sessions. In February, a meeting was held to report the results of an international joint
research between Japan and China: Grant-in-Aid for Scientiﬁc Research on Innovative
Areas “Rice Farming and Chinese Civilization: Renovation of Integrated Studied of
Rice-based Civilization” (Representative NAKAMURA Shinichi). Also, KOYANAGI
Yoshiki Chugoku Shinsekki Jidai Sutaku Bunkaki ni Okeru Inasaku Noko no JittaiKenkyu (Study on Rice Farming during Songze Cultural Phase of Neolithic China) waspublished as a KAKENHI report.
Reviewing theses of each period, Archaeological Journal No. 689 had a featured
article on the Paleolithic and summarized the latest study of human diffusion in East
Asia in the Lower and Middle Paleolithic. Major Neolithic studies are Nakamura andKoyanagi’s Grant-in-Aid for Scientiﬁc Research projects mentioned above. As for Yin/Zhou period archaeology, most was on bronze tools and among such studies, special noteshould be given to a special featured article “’Souyoson’ Kenkyu no Genzai (Present of‘Double-Ram Zun’ Study)” in Kiyo “Shikun” (Shikun: Bulletin of Nezu Art Museum) 8. It
contains the latest bronze tool studies regardless of study ﬁeld, such as X-ray CT imaging
1 c/o The Research Institute for Oriental Cultures, Gakushuin University, 1–5–1 Mejiro, Toshima Ward,Tokyo 171–8588, Japan(mai.suzuki@gakushuin.ac.jp)

JAPANESE JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY 6 (2018): 80–81© Japanese Archaeological Association

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JAPANESE JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY 6 (2018): 80–81

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and analysis by ARAKI Tominori, and reconstructive study of casting technology
using 3D data analysis by MIFUNE Haruhisa. Also, Archaeology Quarterly 135 hada featured article “Higashi Ajia no Seidoki to Yayoi Bunka (Bronze Tools of East Asia
and Yayoi Culture),” in which the latest research results were expounded by the leadingbronze tool researchers in each region. As for Qin/Han period or later, study on castle
towns and cities was active, such as ETAYA Masahiro and TSURUMA Kazuyuki et al.
“Taeisei Deta wo Mochiita Shin Teikoku no Kukanteki Kosatsu (Thoughts on Spacesof the Qin Dynasty Using Multiple Satellite Data)” (Annual Bulletin of GEORE No. 3
Global Exchange Organization for Research and Education, Gakushuin University, pp.
89–112). Especially, Chugoku Kokogaku (Chinese Archaeology) 16 had a featured article“Kokogaku kara Mita Gyojo: Zui-To Jidai heno Henkakuki toiu Shiten kara (Yecheng
Seen from Archaeology: from the Viewpoint of the Transition to Sui/Tang Period). Asfor artifact study, there were theses on bronze mirrors and ceramics. As for historical
overview study, the volume 1 and 2 of Pekin Daigaku-ban Chuugoku no Bunmei (Peking
University Edition: Chinese Civilization) (Ushio Shuppansha) was published, and with it
all of 8 volumes were published. This was the ﬁrst publication in about 10 years of anentire Chinese history in Japan.
Other characteristics of ﬁscal 2016 included a further increase of interdisciplinary
study with other ﬁeld of science. There were examples that archaeologists themselves
tried multilateral examination using archaeological data, documentation, and excavatedwritings. Also, the barrier between the two countries is getting quite low. Joint researchand presentations with researchers and research organizations in China are increasing
every year, and many Chinese scholars are seen at academic conferences in Japan.
There is a rapid increase in the number of Chinese researchers to make presentations
at conferences in Japan. The research environment in Japan surrounding Chinesearchaeology is changing so much that it could not be summarized by the nationality of
researcher and research base, kind of research material, and study method.

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