Collaborative Research
Diversified Use of Natural Environments in East Asia: From Swidden Farmers to Paddy Agriculturalists
| Type of Research | 個別共同研究 |
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| Project Title | Diversified Use of Natural Environments in East Asia: From Swidden Farmers to Paddy Agriculturalists |
| Head of the Research Team | Masaru Nishitani |
| Research Period | 2004–2006 |
| Research Team |
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| Purpose | In Asia, vast regions including China, Korea, Southeast Asia and Japan have created a unique diversity of regional culture based on rice cultivation. Through this fact, we understand that there is little point to referring to Yayoi culture as "rice culture" or as "agricultural culture". Yayoi culture surely was based on rice cultivation, but in order to make a comparison of regional cultures in East Asia and past agricultural societies, we need different viewpoints. In this research, we will try to understand the changes in the use of nature in the neighboring areas of Japan, and the results will be applied to past cases and reflecting the historical changes of culture. We will also clarify the viewpoint that the agricultural/ecological commonalites of agriculture as in rice, field, or slash and burn cultivation, intertwine with the country's policy and regional culture thus developing the characteristics of each region. |
2006
Result
In East Asia, especially in Japan and China, paddy fields which are considered the same as rice terraces, vary according to the region. In order to clearly understand their characteristics, we must survey not only by comparing the functions of the paddy fields, but also how other Seigyo was brought into them.
Also, through organizing the workshops, it became clear that paddy field farmers, slash and burn farmers, and hunter-gatherers are closely related in their daily lives. Especially, the markets played an important role, namely in the exchanging of crops produced. In the future, when considering the use of nature and its changes induced by the paddy field farmers and slash and burn farmers in East Asia, looking at it from the viewpoint of "trade" will become important.
If we look across East Asia, paddy fields cultivation is closely related to livestock such as pigs, cows, and horses, but in Japan, pigs were not bred actively for food. In order to understand the regional characteristics of Japan by surveying on the historical relationships between livestock and men, we asked Yaetsu Kurosawa and Masanori Kawamata to make presentations as guest speakers.
While organizing the field survey of rokusai-ichi in Niigata, we held a workshop there. We discussed on the difference between rokusai-ichi's systems and periodic markets in China, and how they are related to the regional life.
It became clear that we must not only conduct independent research projects on both Seigyo, the rice terrace and the slash and burn farms, but we must also understand the relationships to each other as Seigyo systems.
Also, to understand the regional life in an integrated way by considering the presence of market-trading, we gained an understanding of what paddy and slash and burn fields mean to the East Asian people.
2005
Progress
| May 13–15 |
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We conducted surveys on slash and burn cultivation and millet cultivation in Kumakogencho, Kamiukena-gun, Ehime, and in regions around Tsubayama, Agawa-gun Ikeyamacho, Kochi. We also conducted field surveys of the Sunday market in Kochi-shi. |
| October 28–30 |
We conducted field surveys on millet cultivation in Kamimura, Shimoina-gun, Nagano, and Ikawa, Shizuoka-shi, Shizuoka. |
| November 1 and 2 Workshop at National Museum of Japanese History. |
Speaker
From a survey in Polik Village, Wujishan, Hainan Island ＊This workshop was our first attempt. We organized it together with Satoru Yasuhiro and the cooperative research members of the cooperative research project "Comprehensive study on paddy field environment in Japan's history", which is headed by Yasuhiro, aiming to deepen the discussion from various viewpoints. |
| March 19–22 |
We surveyed the region around Aso, Kumamoto |
Result
In Japan, we mainly surveyed slash and burn fields and millet, and in East Asia, focused on Hainan Island and Nepal, and organized a workshop.
In East Asia, especially in Japan and China, paddy fields which are considered the same as rice terraces, vary according to the region. In order to clearly understand their characteristics, we must survey not only by comparing the functions of the paddy fields, but also how other vocations were related to them.
Also, through organizing the workshops, it became clear that paddy field farmers, slash and burn farmers, and hunter-gatherers are closely related in their daily lives. Especially, the markets played an important role, namely in the exchanging of crops produced. In the future, when considering the use of nature and its changes induced by the paddy field farmers and slash and burn farmers in East Asia, looking at it from the viewpoint of "trade" will become important.
What became problematic in field survey in Japan, is that it is difficult to survey the multiple Seigyo including paddy fields and slash and burn fields. Because in Japan, due to the industrialization of agriculture which developed after the 1950s, the various uses of paddy fields and slash and burn fields have already disappeared. This becomes a barrier towards understanding the relationships between the Seigyo, as it is not based on observations.
In the final year of the research, as we continue with field surveys in Japan, we will request the attendance of researchers who are researching on various paddy field cultivation and slash and burn cultivation, in many regions of East Asia, to the workshop for discussion,.
2004
Progress
We have organized four workshops. In three of them, we have focused mainly on field surveys, to understand the basic structure of rice terraces and the relationships with Seigyo (livelihoods) other than in paddy field cultivation.
| 1st workshop December 26 and 27 Venue: National Museum of Japanese History |
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| 2nd workshop January 21–23 |
We conducted field surveys on rice terraces in Ogi region around the Lake Biwa. |
| 3rd workshop February 7 and 8 |
We conducted field surveys on rice terraces in Oyama, Chiba. |
4th workshop February 22–25 |
We conducted field surveys on rice terraces in regions around Takayama-shi, Gifu, and in Obasute, Chikuma-shi, Nagano. |
Result
In East Asia, especially in Japan and China, paddy fields which are considered the same as rice terraces, vary according to the region. In order to clearly understand their characteristics, we must not only make comparisons of the functions of the paddy fields, but also conduct surveys on how other Seigyo was brought into them. Also, through organizing the workshops, it became clear that paddy field farmers, slash and burn farmers, and hunter-gatherers are closely related in their daily lives. Especially the markets played an important role, namely in the exchanging of crops produced. In the future, when considering the use of nature and its changes induced by the paddy field farmers and slash and burn farmers in East Asia, looking at it from the viewpoint of "trade" will become important.
