The historical feature of Chinese studies in Europe, America and China

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Keeping the characteristic methods of western Chinese studies in my mind, I tried to clarify a distinctive feature of the Chinese studies in Japan. I chose the problem of historical sources as a example. The summary is as follows.We may take as an example the 128 epitaphs written by Wang An-shi for inquiry. More than a third of those indicate the site of grave for the person buried is different from his or her home district. Since the Tang period it has become a custom for the Chinese people to visit the graves of their deceased relatives in the Qingiming Festival ; therefore graveyards are necessarily located in the outskirts of their residence. However, the stone epitaphs written by Wang does not accord with this practice. It seems to suggest the necessity of reconsidering localism then held by Northern Song scholars and the relationship between sacrifices at graveyard and sacrifices in ancestral temple. Should we read the epitaphs of Wang's clan, we would find that the members of his clan since his grandfather down were not buried in Lin-chuan. The fact he lived in Lin-chuan for no more than a few years would indicate the absence of close relationship between him and the district. But he called himself Wang from Lin-chuan throughout his lifetime. This is, I think, but a sense of localism.