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The Characteristics of the British and Japanese Oriental Studies Reflected in the History Books in English of the Keijo Imperial University Library

Yoon, Young Hwi 1

1국방부군사편찬연구소

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ABSTRACT

The book collection of oriental studies in English of Keijo Imperial University Library consisted of books published in the English-speaking countries but imported through the imperial university system of Japan. Thus, the characteristics evident in the developmental process of oriental studies in Britain and Japan and the accompanying views on the other “orients” were overlapped in the collection. This research primarily aims to demonstrate the contents and features of the oriental collection of the library and also analyze the importation of Western knowledge into colonial university libraries and its transformation. Britain affected the establishment of the Westernized system of politics and the initial stage of imperial expansion in Japan. In this context, Japanese oriental studies shared similar characteristics with those of the Britain. However, the British political, diplomatic and academic influences on Japan do not explain how the unique features of Japanese oriental studies were formed and developed. For this purpose, aspects of how Japanese studies were separated from oriental studies through the formational process of modern university system should be scrutinized. In this period, oriental studies in Japan served as an academic tool to intensify self-identity by othering other Asian nations. How were the internal and external factors, which affected the formation of Japanese views on other “orients,” reflected in the collection of the Japanese university library? Analytical study on books of oriental studies in English of Keijo Imperial University library reveals universal culturalism which other Western imperial institutes also pursued. However, universal culturalism affects the formative process of the library collection unevenly. Japanese intellectuals imported books on ancient civilizations when it came to the Middle East and India, as many Western scholars did. However, they showed more complicated attitudes toward China, Mongolia and Indochina that were closely related with the cause of Japanese imperial expansionism. Japanese intellectuals imported many books on practical knowledge, like language, culture and customs of those areas but also collected documents which reflected Western orientalism and used them to project Japanese superior image over other Asian countries.

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