Outline of Exhibition

Beyond the Boundary in Asia
Period Jul 13 (Tue),2010 - Sep 12 (Sun), 2010
Venue Special Exhibition Galleries, National Museum of Japanese History
Admissions Adults: ¥830 (¥560)
Senior high school & college students: ¥450 (¥250)
* Fees in parentheses apply to groups of 20 or more
* Admission to permanent collection included
* Free admission for elementary & junior high school students
* Free admission for senior high school students every Saturday
Hours 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (no entrance after 5:00 p.m.)
Closed Closed Jul 20 (Tue), 26 (Mon), Aug 2 (Mon), 9 (Mon), 23 (Mon), 30 (Mon) , Sep 6 (Mon)
Sponsor Inter-University Research Institute Corporation, National Institutes for the Humanities, National Museum of Japanese History, and National Museum of Ethnology
Cooperation Tokyo Club

展示ポスター

Armor excavated from Marozuka Tomb
(important cultural property), allegedly excavated in Kumamoto Prefecture
(Collection of National Museum of Japanese History)

Crossing the boundary and encountering unknown worlds provide an opportunity to broaden our world and also review our own existence and standpoints again. It is not an exaggeration to say that human history is an accumulation of such activities of people crossing the boundaries.

How have people's consciousness and behaviors been changed by crossing the boundaries? It is important to pay attention to the movement of people around the boundaries through various ages and countries. A boundary is a place where two worlds contact and overlap each other. Changing the appearance and the shape depending on the viewpoints and the standpoints, various forms of boundaries appear throughout the history. However, we might think unconsciously that the world inside or outside the boundary is homogeneous, regarding the boundary as a line. By observing various boundaries in the past and comparing them, the image of a boundary we have today will become relative. In the joint inter-institutional research “Eurasia and Japan” organized by the National Institutes for the Humanities, discussions have been repeated with the boundary as a keyword by the many fields of the Humanities.

Today, it has been a long time since “Globalization” was demanded, and we think that the viewpoint of the boundary will give us a guideline to understand modern society and think over its future. Here, we would like to focus on Asia and contemplate the ancient boundary and the early modern boundary.

Exhibition Lineup

I. Ancient Boundaries and Migration

In East Asia around the 5th century, the marginal areas of China provided the path to the ancient states. It was the movement of people who crossed the boundary that changed this period significantly. What kind of boundary was crossed by whom? Here, we would like to look at the boundary in East Asia in the 5th century from the viewpoints of “recognition of boundary” and “reality of migration.”

1. Recognition of Boundary

First, based on excavated materials, we organize the extent and the reality of the worlds called Nancho, Hokucho, Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla, Gaya, and Wa from the viewpoints of “power,” “faith,” and “life.” Then, based on written materials, we organize the consciousness and the expectations toward the other side of the boundary, approaching the interpretation of the world under each royal power. Based on the excavated materials and the written materials, we compare the reality and the ideals in each world, approaching the recognition of themselves and others at the time which becomes clear through the boundary.

2. Reality of Migration

We focus on the “migration” which produces new movement in other worlds beyond the boundary. Here, we pay attention to the movement of crossing the boundary from the Korean Peninsula to Japan, approaching the reality of migration from the viewpoints of “people,” “technology,” and “consciousness.” First, we investigate the footprints of people who came to Japan and introduced the horse husbandry technique and new lifestyles which have been left in their village. Next, we focus on the new ceramic technology that created Sue ware and the technology of processing metals including silver, copper, iron, and glass, looking at how the technologies were accepted beyond the boundary. Then, we think about the meaning and the social roles of objects on the other side beyond the boundary.

II. Early Modern Boundary and Migration

From the 18th century to the 20th century, early modern nations were formed, and the national boundaries became clearer. By looking at the early modern boundary and comparing it with the ancient boundary, we are able to think about the “boundary” from a relative viewpoint. Here, we focus on the movement of crossing the boundary in the northern and southern marginal areas of China.

1. Northern World: North Asia

We focus on the northern ethnic groups of Ainu, Nivkh, Orok, and Nanai that spread through Hokkaido, Sakhalin, the Amur River basin, the Russian maritime region, and Northeast China. How did the Qing dynasty, the Edo Shogunate, or a nation such as Russia recognize the world of those ethnic groups beyond the boundary? How did they recognize themselves while contacting their adjacent groups and nations? We compare two types of consciousness which become clear through the boundary. We look for the answer in the society and the culture of those indigenous people who have lived in the same regions until today.

2. Southern World: Southeast Asia

We focus on the Mon people, the Lahu people, and the Mien people who migrated from China to Southeastern Asia, and think about “crossing the boundary.” First, their recognition about migration is shown, and the reality of migration is described from the viewpoint of clothes and occupations. Then, comparing the changes before and after the migration, the meaning of “crossing the boundary” is shown from a multilateral viewpoint.

Taiwa 22 (498) gilt bronze Standing Maitreya Buddha statue (Important cultural property)   Gold slim ring earrings
Taiwa 22 (498) gilt bronze Standing Maitreya Buddha statue (Important cultural property)
(Collection of Sen-Oku Hakuko Kan)
 
Gold slim ring earrings
(Excavated in Gyeongju, Korea, Collection of National Museum of Korea)
Article excavated from Yangsan Bubuchong Tomb   Book of Song/Book of Liang, Manuscript Books of the Takamatsu House of the Imperial Family
Article excavated from Yangsan Bubuchong Tomb
(Collection of Tokyo National Museum)
 
Book of Song/Book of Liang, Manuscript Books of the Takamatsu House of the Imperial Family
(Collection of National Museum of Japanese History)
Article excavated from Nagatoro-nishi Site, ornamental footwear excavated from Yatsu Tomb in Gunma Prefecture, etc.   Articles excavated from Miyayama Tomb in Hyogo Prefecture
Article excavated from Nagatoro-nishi Site, ornamental footwear excavated from Yatsu Tomb in Gunma Prefecture, etc.
(Collection of Takasaki Board of Education)
 
Articles excavated from Miyayama Tomb in Hyogo Prefecture (Earrings with pendants, metal belt fitting, silver complex gold ring pommel sword, etc.)
(Important cultural property)
(Collection of Himeji Board of Education)
Ishuretsuzo(Portrait of Ainu chiefs)   Ulch women's clothes
Ishuretsuzo(Portrait of Ainu chiefs)
(Collection of National Museum of Ethnology)
 
Ulch women's clothes
(Collection of National Museum of Ethnology)
Lahu-na women's clothes   Silver accessories (Mon, Mien, and Lahu)
Lahu-na women's clothes
(Collection of National Museum of Ethnology)
 
Silver accessories (Mon, Mien, and Lahu)
(Collection of National Museum of Ethnology)

Note: Please note that items in the exhibition are subject to change.