Institute of Ancient Chinese Material Culture

　The study of material materials from the dynastic period in China is a field that should be pursued in parallel with literature research, as if they were two wheels of a car, but the accumulation of research in Japan is not sufficient. The Seminar in Oriental Historical Materials newly established in the Department of History, Faculty of Letters, is the first of its kind in Japan, and we aim to expand and develop it in the field of specialized education and research activities at the graduate school to create an even richer research environment for ancient Chinese culture, the foundation of East Asian culture, and also to contribute to activities to protect the world's cultural heritage, The purpose of establishing this institute is to promote research partnerships and cooperation with universities and research institutes overseas, especially in China.

　It is important to recognize the positive and negative aspects of material culture in the context of history and culture, and to communicate both domestically and internationally the significance and future potential of symbiotic civilization studies. In order to make this possible, it is essential to strengthen external research cooperation and promote exchange among students based on this cooperation. We have already created an environment for this purpose by promoting research partnerships with international research institutions such as the Longmen Grottoes World Heritage Research Institute and the He Luo Cultural Center of Luoyang Normal University, as well as with key universities in the field of cultural heritage protection, such as Fudan University and Tianjin University, to provide students with opportunities and an educational environment for discovering for themselves what cultural exchange is required for the next generation. We believe that this will provide an opportunity and research and educational environment for students to discover for themselves what cultural exchange is required of them in the next generation.

　In the space of the capital, where political, economic, and cultural activities related to the management of the dynasty are concentrated, a great deal of historical and empirical information remains as traces of human activities. The main research subjects of this institute are ancient Chinese capitals (capital cities) and imperial tombs, and research related to material culture, such as archaeology, architecture, and art, is the main focus of our research. In particular, our research activities will focus on the Henan area centered on Luoyang, which has been the capital for two-thirds of China's 3,000-year dynastic history (Xuchang, Yancheng, and Kaifeng were also capitals, but research information is scarce compared to other areas), as well as the three areas of Xi'an, Nanjing, and Beijing.

　Based on research methods in the field of symbiotic civilization as a new research field, and taking into account research related to the protection of cultural properties in China, we will conduct research activities with the vision of obtaining valuable historical information that can be used to discuss various issues in contemporary society.