Jissen Women's University working on manuscript research of Genji story with high-definition digital microscope VHX7000.The symposium "Classical books seen from a paper lens, the world of high-definition digital microscopes" will be held on March 2021th and 3th, 13 to present the results obtained through this research and new research methods for fusion of literature and science. Held online for two days.
Jissen Women's University focused on the "paper" used in Genji Monogatari manuscripts as part of the "formation of an interdisciplinary and international center for Genji Monogatari Research" adopted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's private university research branding project. He continues to observe and study classical books from a scientific point of view, such as paper fibers, materials, and purification, which goes beyond the humanities.
Through research on "paper" that incorporates science technology, it is possible to clarify not only the character of paper as a material, but also various knowledge related to the distribution and production of books, as well as the cultural and social aspects supported by paper. A new academic system of fusion of humanities and sciences called "new codicology", which is different from the codicology of No.
At the symposium, Harumichi Ishizuka, a professor emeritus of Hokkaido University, who is an advocate of new codeology, was invited as a guest, and the Toyo Bunko, National Institute of Japanese Literature, and Printing Museum, who are interested in new codeology, also participated. On the mornings of the 1st and 2nd days, presentations and lectures on the history of paper, and on the afternoon of the 2nd day, science researchers and liberal arts researchers called "Uchikami" from various perspectives. We made a presentation about "rice flour" and had a panel discussion.
Genji Monogatari manuscripts include manuscripts that have been stamped and manuscripts that are not, such as research notes, and it is important to consider the differences between them in order to understand the background of the Genji Monogatari manuscripts.It was also found that some of the printed books of the early modern period were squeezed with a large amount of rice flour.Since the use of rice flour can no longer be handled by printed books that are mass-produced, it is expected that rice flour will be used as a filler and smoothing agent, and it is unclear where this technology came from and how it developed. There are many problems.
The attempt at this symposium, which combines science technology with liberal arts studies, is expected to open up new horizons in Japanese literature and art history.
