Tradisional Technologies and Arts in Asia

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1. Traditional Asian technology and crafts, which developed indigenously by blending together that region's natural ecology and social enviroment, have experienced major historical changes based on their direct contact with and influenced by modern Wesern technology and crafts. Neverthless, although there can be no doubt that traditional Asian technology and crafts were strongly influenced in this way, the results of these overseas field surverys led us to the strong conclusion that the changes, while noticeable externally, cannoted the starting point for a readaptation of the natural ecologies and ethnic societies of those regions.2. In 1997 (FY), supplementary field surverys were carried out as follows : in East Asia, Professor Niino on the traditional plows of the Korean Peninsula, Professor Hattori on the hand-made paper of Jilin Province in Chana, and Professor Li on the languages and ethnic groups of the Korean Peninsula ; in Southeast Asia, Professor Yoshimatsu on the food-cultu … More re crafts of the muslim People in Myammar ; and in West Asia, Professor Hayashi on the iron and metal processing technology of the Mediterranean world including Anatolia Peninsula in Turkey. The other research participants concentrated on collecting all of the survey materials.3. Research results. First, the written materials, audio-visual materias, and sample lifestyle arts materials, etc., on traditional Asian technology and crafts were gathered, classified and placed into the Asian Ethnic Materials Center of the Faculty of International Relations. We belive that this will represent a significant contribution to future research efforts in this area, and that making these original materials available to both the university population and the general public will prpmote a deeper understanding of international culture.Second, as an interim report on research results, two books published : "Ecology, Technoilogy and Culture-In Search of the Embodiment of Asia's Ethic Groups" (Miraisha, Tokyo, 1998), and as the first in a series of three books on traditional Asian technology being translated based on the sample written materials for the purpose of future overseas research, A.J.Qaisal's "The Indian Response to European Technology and Culture (A.D.1498-1707)", Oxford Universty Press, 1982 (Heibonsha, Tokyo, 1988). The remaining two books, scheduled for publication one each on an annual basis, are A.Y.al-Hassan and Donald R.Hill's "Islamic Tecnology", Cambridge University Press, 1992, and II E Wulff's "the Traditional Crafts of Persia", THE M.I.T PRESS,1996. Less