Kansai University East-West Research Institute has signed a material research agreement with the Vatican Library of the Roman Curia.This is the first time that a Japanese university has collaborated with the Vatican Library, and with the cooperation of Beijing Foreign Language University in China and Sapienza University of Rome in Italy, we will proceed with research on East Asian-related materials held by the Vatican Library, whose details have not been clarified so far.
According to Kansai University, the Vatican Library belongs to the Vatican City in the Vatican City and will be the oldest library in the world, founded in the 15th century.Known for its large collection of historically important collections, it also holds East Asian materials obtained during the Jesuit missionary work in the 16th century.
It is also known that there are reports and letters sent to the Roman Pope by missionaries who were active in Japan and China, as well as Nippo Jisho, Chinese-Chinese dictionaries, Japanese lacquerware boxes, and seals.
In April, Kansai University established the "Kansai University Asia Open Research Center," a base for East Asian cultural studies.The center will take the lead in digitally archiving materials in the Vatican Library and accompanying research activities.
Kansai University hopes that "the hidden materials of the Vatican Library may make great discoveries that will change the historical view of Japan and East Asia."
* 1 Jesuits A religious order of the Christian Catholic Church established in the 16th century.Francis Xavier, who introduced Christianity to Japan, belonged to it.
