Research On The History Book Of Japanese Studies In Ming And Qing Dynasties

China and Japan are neighboring countries. China has started to understand Japan since very early. Thus, there is continuous history record about Japan in China. The Ming and Qing dynasties witnessed the culmination of Japan Studies, which is evident in a multiple of books about Japan. On the ground of past research, this paper is to systematically explore history books about Japan in Ming and Qing dynasties.The main record of Japan is reflected in the official history books before Ming and Qing, including 15 Japanese biographies of 14 official history books that record Japanese history from ancient to Shogunate Times. The important features of this period are continuity and expansion of the research content. Since few historians had been in Japan, they had to rely on indirect means to select historical facts.Research on Japan has undergone great changes from Ming Dynasty, one of which is the appearance of monograph. This change was closely related to Sino-Japanese relations and the impact of Wokou—Japanese pirates. After the Ningbo battle, Dinghai magistrate Zheng Yuqing supported Xue Jun to compile Ribenkaolue. Although the scale of the book is quite small, it focused on the records of how to deal with the Japan issue. Although the book is mainly made up of copies of other books and suffers many errors, its Jiyulue is of great value. The particular way in which Ribenkaolue is compiled is significant in historiography.The peril of Japanese pirates became serious from Jiajing period when a large number of Japan studies and books on military defense had emerged. Zhen Shungong went to Japan to investigate it personally and compiled Ribenyijian. This book aims to provide the facts in Japan as well as Japanese pirates problem to Ming Dynasty rulers. Ribenfengtuji is an important historical record of Japan in Ming Dynasty, however, which has been mistakenly considered Hou Jigao's work. Its content is the same as Ribenkao which was written by Li Yangong and Hao Jie, and the minor difference is that the latter made a few supplement for the former. Overall, there are five characteristics in books of Japan Studies—more comprehensive in studying Japan; emphasis on the compilation of maps and words;increasing attention to the issue of Japanese pirates; copying from other related complications; strong sense of putting history research in use. Japan studies can be divided into three stages in Qing Dynasty. The period from the found of Qing Dynasty to Meiji Restoration in Japan is the first stage. During this period, the prosperity of Nagasaki Trade was recorded in Chen Lunjiong's Haiguowenjianlu, Tong Hua's Changqijiwen and Wang Peng's Xiuhaibian. Then the records was extended to the description of the society, custom and local political situation in Nagasaki. Its main characteristic is to understand Japan as a whole by researching one part of Japan—Nagasaki. Wuqijingbu, also known as Ribenguozhi, is the earliest Japan history book of formal formats, which is the most significant history book of this stage. Besides, the compilation of this book reflects Weng Guangping's distinctive thinking of Japan Studies.The research from the "Sino-Japanese Rapprochement Regulations" to Sino-Japanese War forms the second stage of researching Japan in Qing Dynasty. Many of the members of Qing government stationed in Japan began to make historical records of Japan. Liuqiudilizhi compiled by Yao Wendong is considered to be the earliest translation book from Japanese in modern China. Yao compiled Ribendilibingyao recording the geography of the Japanese coastal fortifications in order to provide military information to Qing government. Chen Jialin's Dongchawenjianlu demonstrated Japanese great progress in trade and commerce after the Meiji Restoration, but he opposed reforms changing the foundation of the state. Wang Zhaohong is appointed by Qing Government to compile Ribenhuanhaixianyaotuzhi by researching Japan's coastal geography from the perspective of military strategy. Youliribentujing and Ribenxinzhengkao were compiled respectively by Fu Yunlong and Gu Houkun who were sent by Qing government as overseas traveling officials. Youlliribentujing is an in-depth study of various aspects of Japanese history including extensive use of charts and illustrations. Ribenxinzhengkao is mainly to research Japan's political, economic and military issues, which focusing on the new changes in these aspects after the Meiji Restoration. Ribenguozhi, compiled by Huang Zunxian overrides other books of the time in that it is more insightful and valuable considering not only its detailed documentation of the process of the Meiji Restoration and the implementation of various policies, but also the suggestion that Qing government should carry out political reforms according to Japan's experience. It can be said that Ribenguozhi is a landmark book in the history of researching Japan of Qing Dynasty.After the Sino-Japanese War, there came the final stage of Japanese Studies in Qing Dynasty. Kang Youwei's Ribenbianzhengkao is a chronological record of twenty-four-year history of Meiji Restoration. This book played an important role, as an essential reference, for Emperor Guangxu's implementation of new deal reform. Kang's idea that history study should serve politics and that researching Japan to benefit China became an important feature of this book. Wang Xianqian's Ribenyuanliukao is a chronological history of Japan, which credited the success of Meiji Restoration to the adoption of valuing agriculture and prompting business. Ribenyuanliukao demonstrated Wang Xianqian's abundant knowledge of history, the realization that consulting the past to change the present, and Statecraft Ideology.All in all, the books of Japan Studies in Ming and Qing reflect the distinctive characteristics of the time, contain Statecraft Ideology of history, and attract the attention and support of the government. However, there are huge differences between Ming and Qing in the aspects of genre, data sources, research priorities and the views of Japan. In terms of Chinese history and the history of Sino-Japanese relations, we should pay attention to the issue of history books of Japanese Studies in Ming and Qing Dynasty.