Feature Article : ‘Japan-consciousness’ in the Past, Present and Future : Study in a Country of Barbarians : the Study of the Chinese Classics and the Japanese Classics

Once so-called “Sinocentrism” led by China was formed in the East Asia. It had a great influence from politics up to culture. At the same time, this “Sinocentrism” had a great impact on the way of the studies of Japan that was recognized as a country of barbarians by China. In the past, study derived from China, so-called Chinese classics were the center of the study in Japan. But there were various forms in Japanese intellectuals who advocated to imitate the Chinese standard that brought about superior civilization (ex. Ogyu Sorai), reversed structure (China was the center of the civilization and Japan was a country of barbarians) by regarding Japan as the center of the civilization (Yamaga Soko and the study of Japanese classics, and showed an attitude “Japanese sprit and Chinese learning”, which is estimated a phrase of Sugawara No Michizane, by learning Chinese system or technique but holding the Japanese spirit. In a university system after the Meiji era, the Sinology has been collocated with other foreign studies got rid of “Sinocentrism” of the former times