Compendium of Ryukyu literature to be published by Meio University
Meio University President Katsunori Yamazato (front row to the left) and Editing and Publishing Chairman Eikichi Hateruma (front row to the right) announcing the start of a editing and publishing project for the “Compendium of Ryukyu Literature,” which will be a total of 35 volumes, taken on April 1 at Meio University in Nago City.
April 2, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo
On April 1, Meio University President Katsunori Yamazato announced that the university would start an editing and publishing project for the “Compendium of Ryukyu Literature,” which is to have notes and explanations in combination with the original text.
It will be organized in three categories, which are literature, history, and folklore/topography.
It will have a total of 35 volumes and it is estimated that each volume will be about 450 pages (in A5 paper size). The plan is to publish about 500 copies at a time.
The university aims to also coordinate with major publishing companies to publicize this in and outside of Okinawa.
According to a representative of Meio University, in the 120 years or so of Ryukyu literature research, this will be the first project to systematically organize Ryukyu literature as a whole.
This will make it easier not just for researchers, but also for ordinary people who are interested in Ryukyu literature to understand the material.
A total of 24 experts from in and outside of the university plan to contribute. In addition to involving young researchers for the editing process, the hope is to also train the next generation.
The plan is to use a total budget of about 150-million yen to complete this project in the next 12 years between 2019 and 2030.
President Yamazato, who is serving as the Honorary Chairman for the Editing and Publishing Committee, Editing and Publishing Chairman Eikichi Hateruma, and committee members responsible for editing held a press conference on the same day at Meio University.
President Yamazato reiterated that, “There is a sense of urgency that this needs to be done now or never.
We hope that this could serve and remain as the cultural foundation even 100 years into the future.” Editing and Publishing Chairman Hateruma said, “For example, Kanbun used in Chinese literary classics is now a language only understood by a small group of scholars (while ordinary people are unable to decipher it).
We hope to make these into something even ordinary people can pick up and read by adding notes and explanations.”
This project commemorates Meio University’s 25th anniversary and 10th anniversary for being a part of the Municipal University Corporation.
It also commemorates establishing a doctoral program for the International and Regional Cultures major at the graduate school.
(English translation by T&CT and Chelsea Ashimine)
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