Our research focuses on stone stele inscriptions from the 6th through the 9th centuries, from the Late Southern and Northern Dynasties period through the Sui and Tang, collecting them into a database and using them as the basis for research into regional society and culture. Today gravestones, epitaphs, and other stone inscriptions are valued as primary sources, but the lack of a comprehensive systematization and categorization of these materials has hindered the sharing of information and understanding about them. We have sought to remedy this through collecting and organizing these materials and entering them into a database, as well as studying them. In terms of specific results we offer the following :1. We identified the location of approximately 7000 Tang-era grave inscriptions and published them as Catalog of Bibliographic Sources Tomb Inscriptions from Tang Period(Shinpan Todai boshi shozai sogo mokuroku). This project was hailed by scholars both here and abroad as a valuable contribution to our knowledge of grave inscriptions from this period.2. We published the first comprehensive summaries of pre-Tang grave inscriptions as Catalog of Bibliographic Sources Tomb Inscriptions from Sui Period(Zuidai boshi shozai sogo mokuroku, 483 entries) and Catalog of Bibliographic Sources Tomb Inscriptions from Northern Dynasties Period(Hokucho boshi shozai sogo mokuroku, 779 entries). In addition, We translated Ma Changshou's Beiming suojian Qianqin zhi Suichu de Guanzhong buzu 碑銘所見前秦至隋初的関中部族(111 entries), which discusses ethnographic issues in Guanzhong(Shanxi Province) from the Northern Dynasties through Sui using stone inscriptions ; our translation added a number of relevant inscriptions and generally contributed to an understanding of regional society.3. In order to enable access and organized dissemination of stone inscriptions and related materials over the long term, We established the Institute of East Asian Epigraphy and Stone Artifacts, Meiji University(the Higashi Ajia Sekkoku Bunbutsu Kenkyujo at Meiji University) and published the inaugural issue of its organ, the Journal of East Asian Epigraphy(Higashi Ajia sekkoku kenkyu). Along with this we have been collecting valuable rubbings of inscriptions, working to acquire newly produced reports and discoveries, and preparing annual exhibits and symposia drawn from these materials, to which we have added explanatory essays(these will be held annually beginning next year).4. On-site research is essential in the study of stone inscriptions. We have taken graduate students and young scholars on three trips to the Shandong, Hunan, and Hubei regions to study ruins and visit artifact repositories. We have reported the results of these trips to study groups, and discussed them in two published reports.5. Researchers working under our direction have reported their results in two seminars, Issues Relating to Chinese Stone Inscriptions and Buddhism in the Norther

In July 2004, we presented a paper on a review the genealogy of Sha-tuo based on the "Epitaph of Li Ke-yong" at The Society of Tang History held in Kun-ming China. Active exchange of views ensued after the presentation. Also this year, research was conducted on existing publications on Sha-tuo. Existing publications in the field can be roughly categorized into the following : 1)analyses of the genealogy of Sha-tuo, 2)analyses of the power structure of Sha-tuo after immigration into Shan-xi region, 3)analyses of the human relationship between Sha-tuo and Sogdian, 4)analyses of the Sha-tuo's naturalization as Chinese. As for 1), it was found that the traditional view needs to be revised as a result of the appearance of the "Epitaph of Li Ke-yong".The most attention-attracting topic in the field at the moment among the four categories mentioned above is 3 ; the analysis of the human relationship between Sha-tuo and Sogdian. It is imperative to note that reference to Sha-tuo is used in two distinct contexts ; one which refers to the traditional core power of the Turkish descent, and the other which refers to a larger power created by a fusion with other tribes such as Sogdian. The former can be seen as Sha-tuo in a narrow sense, and the latter, in a broader sense. Both are found within Xin Tang-shu Sha-tuo zhaun, the basic historical source for Sha-tuo research. It is now being unraveled that in the broader sense was formed after immigrated to Shan-xi region. In 2005, research was focused on creating translation notes of Xin Tang-shu Sha-tuo zhaun based on the findings mentioned above. This research report will consist of an analysis of traditional research and the translation notes of Xin Tang-shu Sha-tuo zhaun

本年度は本研究の最終年度にあたるため, 各研究分担者が各自のテーマに沿って, 時代・地域を設定して問題点を抽出し, 中国の政治史・制度史・文化史において少数民族の果たした役割を分析し, それを研究代表者に報告した. その概要は以下の通りである.まず, 本研究においては当初より古代中国における楚民族・楚文化の分析が予定されていたテーマであるが, これについては古賀登が, 近時中国雲夢睡虎地出土の戦国秦代竹簡の中に見える「日書」の解読を通して, 同竹簡が古代楚の占い書であり, そこに古代楚地方にいた民族の民間習俗が反映されている旨を分析した.中国西方系の少数民族は, 北方系の民族と接触をくりかえし, 極めて複雑な歴史をたどったが, 今日では彼らは中国西北部に新彊ウイグル自治区を形成し, 13種の少数民族が5つの自治州と6つの自治県によって生活を営んでいる. これらの自治州・県と少数民族との関係, および民族変遷の歴史については, 長澤和俊が報告した.次に, 少数民族と中国政治史との関係に目を向けると, まず福井重雅が, 漢代の代表的少数民族夜郎を取り上げ, 夜郎が漢に帰属した年代を分析し, 同時に漢代政治史上最も重要な問題の一つである董仲舒の対策の上呈年代の範囲をそれによって限定しようとした. また, 唐代は多数の少数民族が漢民族と接触をもった時代であるが, これら外民族と唐王朝との関係は朝貢とい行為によって保たれていた. そこで石見清裕は, 唐代における様々の朝貢規定関係の史料の整理を行なった.研究成果報告書は, 以上の研究をもとに作成される