<Articles>The Ryukoku University Collection of Chinese Documents from the Western Regions and the Equal Field System of the T'ang 唐 Dynasty

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  • <論説>龍谷大学所蔵の西域文書と唐代の均田制
  • 竜谷大学所蔵の西域文書と唐代の均田制
  • リュウコウ ダイガク ショゾウ ノ セイイキ ブンショ ト トウダイ ノ キンデンセイ

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This is the text of a lecture delivered at Ryukoku University on July 6, 1962. In the lecture, attention is called to the great importance of these documents and gratitude is expressed to the group of Japanese scholars who have been working industriously to arrange, study, and publish them. The documents indicate clearly that the Equal Field (Chün T'ien 均田) system was carried out to a certain extent even in the remote frontier area of Turfan when it was under T'ang jurisdiction. The Western Regions had a mixed culture, a fact that can be illustrated by the circulation of Chinese copper coins and foreign silver coins side by side and by frequent occurance of Central Asiatic names among its residents. Remarks are also made on the ancient conceptioon of chün 均 or "equalization" and its influence on various institutions in Chinese history. It is a good example showing the continuous nature of Chinese culture and civilization. Finally, a few corrections are suggested for the extensive studies made by Sudō, Nishijima and Nishimura. A fragmentary document considered by Nishijima as a petition approved by the district authorities perhaps should be interpreted as a petition rejected by the magistrate. A character t'ung 通 (meaning "a report, to report") was misread by Nishijima as p'u 逋 ("to own in arrears"). Sudō's theory that the words tien-jen Nu Chi-chu 佃人奴集聚 meant "tenant, slave (named) Chi-chu" is probably mistaken. It seems to mean "cultivator, Nu Chi-chu, " with Nu as the person's surname. The person was probably a freeman and not a slave.

Journal

  • 史林

    史林 45 (5), 668-674, 1962-09-01

    THE SHIGAKU KENKYUKAI (The Society of Historical Research), Kyoto University

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