日本“江户锁国论”质疑

“江户锁国论”在日本史学界流传已久 ,然而这种表述并不符合历史事实。江户幕府“锁国”的目标仅仅在于铲除危害其统治的天主教信仰。关于德川幕府的禁书政策是“锁国体制”下全面抵制西洋文化的重要一环的说法也是一种误解。历史事实是 ,在江户时代 ,除与天主教有关的汉译西书 4 8种之外 ,有关西方的书籍大量流入日本 ,从而促发了日本人学习西方近代科学和社会思想的兰学运动。江户时代 ,除抵制天主教之外 ,不但没有割断与世界的联系 ,而且吸收了大量的西方近代文化。“江户锁国论”的传统认识影响了人们对江户时代整体评价的客观性

The Sakoku During the Edo Period of Japan

We have in this paper the traditional cognition of sakoku (to close the country to the outside world) during the Edo period of Japan to be recognited by checking with the historical facts. The aim of sakoku policy carried out by the shogunate at Edo was but to eradicate the incoming of Catholicism. To think the policy of banning western books by Tokugawa shogunate a key link in sakoku system for resisting the western culture is getting it wrong. To take a good view on the Edo period, we find that a large amount of western books spread in Japan, only 48 books concerning Catholicism were banned, and a Rangaku (Dutch studies) movement initiated, the Japanese learned modern science and social thoughts from the western countries. In all the Edo period, Japan maintained the communications with the outside world and absorbed modern western culture extensively except the Catholicism which was banned. The traditional assertion that Japan shut herself up in Edo period hinders the scholars to give an objective and comprehensive appraisal of the Period.