Ryuzo Torii (鳥居 龍藏; May 4, 1870 – January 14, 1953) was a Japanese
anthropologist
An anthropologist is a person engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropology is the study of aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms and ...
,
ethnologist
Ethnology (from the grc-gre, ἔθνος, meaning 'nation') is an academic field that compares and analyzes the characteristics of different peoples and the relationships between them (compare cultural, social, or sociocultural anthropology) ...
,
archaeologist
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
, and
folklorist
Folklore studies, less often known as folkloristics, and occasionally tradition studies or folk life studies in the United Kingdom, is the branch of anthropology devoted to the study of folklore. This term, along with its synonyms, gained currenc ...
. Torii traveled across
East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea and ...
and
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...
for his research. He is known for his anthropological research in
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
,
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
,
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
,
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
,
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
, and other countries.
Described by Terry Bennett as "a pioneer in the use of the camera in anthropological field-work," Torii is believed to have inspired researchers, including
Ushinosuke Mori
Ushinosuke Mori (森 丑之助, January 16, 1877 – July 4, 1926) was a Japanese anthropologist and folklorist. He studied the aborigines of Taiwan.
Early life
Mori was born in Kyoto. Following his graduation from Kumamoto Chinese school, in ...
, to make use of photography in their research. Torii first made use of a camera while conducting fieldwork in North-East China in 1895.
Later, in the 1900s, Torii was assisted in his research by Mori, who acted as his interpreter.
Early life
Torii was born into a merchant family on the island of
Shikoku
is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan. It is long and between wide. It has a population of 3.8 million (, 3.1%). It is south of Honshu and northeast of Kyushu. Shikoku's ancient names include ''Iyo-no-futana-shima'' (), '' ...
, in the
Tokushima
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Tokushima Prefecture has a population of 728,633 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,146 km2 (1,601 sq mi). Tokushima Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the nort ...
quarter of ''Higashi Senba-chō'' (東船場町). Torii received formal education through second grade, and left school at age seven.
From an early age, he was a passionate collector of artifacts of all kinds, though he showed little interest in schoolwork. He eventually left school, until a teacher (Tominaga Ikutarō:富永幾太郎) convinced him to complete his schooling. One of his hobbies was local history, and he pursued research in his home region.
He began writing articles on anthropological topics as a teenager. These came to the attention and appreciation of
Tokyo Imperial University
, abbreviated as or UTokyo, is a public research university located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1877, the university was the first Imperial University and is currently a Top Type university of the Top Global University Project by ...
(TIU) professor of anthropology Tsuboi Shōgorō (坪井正五郎). Shōgorō took an interest in him, and went to
Tokushima
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Tokushima Prefecture has a population of 728,633 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,146 km2 (1,601 sq mi). Tokushima Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the nort ...
to advise Torii to study anthropology. Acting on Shōgorō's advice, Torii moved to Tokyo at age 20. Once there, Shōgorō hired Torii as a specimen classifier in the
anthropology
Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of behavi ...
research institute of the University in 1893.
Career
His early reputation came from his research on the native
Ainu people
The Ainu are the indigenous people of the lands surrounding the Sea of Okhotsk, including Hokkaido Island, Northeast Honshu Island, Sakhalin Island, the Kuril Islands, the Kamchatka Peninsula and Khabarovsk Krai, before the arrival of the Y ...
of the
Kuril Islands
The Kuril Islands or Kurile Islands (; rus, Кури́льские острова́, r=Kuril'skiye ostrova, p=kʊˈrʲilʲskʲɪjə ɐstrɐˈva; Japanese: or ) are a volcanic archipelago currently administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast in the ...
.
Torii used eight different languages in his studies, including the
Ainu language. His article "Ainu people in Chishima Island", written in French, is a landmark in Ainu studies.
Torii spent most of his life in field-work (research). He insisted, "Studies should not be done only in the study room. Anthropology is in the fields and mountains." He believed that anthropological theories should be backed by empirical evidence.
Torii began to use sound recording in anthropology research in domestic research at
Okinawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city o ...
.
Though Torii is famous for research performed outside of Japan, his research began in Japan where he studied many places, including his hometown,
Hokkaido
is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel.
The la ...
, and
Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
. During his time at
TIU, he studied Japan, on the invitation of various prefectures, villages, streets, etc. After completing his research in an area, he held an exhibition, lecturing, and revealed discoveries. The Torii style is research, exhibit, and lecture. In 1898 he became an assistant at TIU.
In 1895, TIU sent Torii to Northeast China to the
Liaodong
The Liaodong Peninsula (also Liaotung Peninsula, ) is a peninsula in southern Liaoning province in Northeast China, and makes up the southwestern coastal half of the Liaodong region. It is located between the mouths of the Daliao River (the ...
Peninsula, his first overseas posting. In 1896, the University sent Torii to
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
.
In 1899 he worked in Hokkaido and
Chishima Islands
The Kuril Islands or Kurile Islands (; rus, Кури́льские острова́, r=Kuril'skiye ostrova, p=kʊˈrʲilʲskʲɪjə ɐstrɐˈva; Japanese: or ) are a volcanic archipelago currently administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast in the ...
, studying the Ainu people, yielding a 1903 book ''Chishima Ainu, ''on the
Kuril Ainu
The Ainu in Russia are an indigenous people of Siberia located in Sakhalin Oblast, Khabarovsk Krai and Kamchatka Krai. The Russian Ainu people (''Aine''; russian: айны, ayny), also called ''Kurile'' (курилы, ''kurily''), ''Kamcha ...
.
In 1900, he completed the first ascent of Taiwan's "
Yu-mountain" (at the time, "Shin Taka-mountain").
In 1905, he became a TIU lecturer.
In 1906, he was engaged by the Karachin Royal Family of
Mongolia
Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...
. Kimiko worked as a teacher at Karachin Girl-School. Torii became a professor at Karachin Boy-School.
In 1911, Torii conducted fieldwork in Korea. At the time Sada Sekino described an ancient tomb as a
Goguryeo
Goguryeo (37 BC–668 AD) ( ) also called Goryeo (), was a Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula and the southern and central parts of Northeast China. At its peak of power, Goguryeo controlled most ...
artifact. Torii pointed out that it instead belonged to
Han dynasty
The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warr ...
. This cost him friends since Sekino was a powerful figure at TIU. Torii proved that the
Han Chinese
The Han Chinese () or Han people (), are an East Asian ethnic group native to China. They constitute the world's largest ethnic group, making up about 18% of the global population and consisting of various subgroups speaking distinctive va ...
had arrived in Korea at an early period.
In 1921 Torii earned a Ph.D. in anthropology from TIU.
In 1922 Torii became an Assistant Professor at TIU.
In 1924 Torii left TIU and established Ryuzo Torii Institute, staffed by his family members.
In 1928 Torii worked on establishing
Sophia University
Sophia University (Japanese: 上智大学, ''Jōchi Daigaku''; Latin: ''Universitas Sedis Sapientiae'') is a private research university in Japan. Sophia is one of the three ''Sōkeijōchi'' (早慶上智) private universities, a group of the to ...
in Tokyo. It was the only foreign school there for many years. As a Catholic anthropologist, Torii did all procedures for Ryuzo Torii and succeeded in lifting it to a university level.
In 1937 he traveled to
Brazi
Brazi is a commune in Prahova County, Muntenia, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to ...
l and excavated the
sambaqui archeological site Morro do Bernardes, Jupuvura,
municipality of Iguape,
São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...
- with support from
Museu Paulista
The Museu Paulista of the University of São Paulo, commonly known as Museu do Ipiranga, is a Brazilian history museum located near the place where Emperor Pedro I proclaimed Brazil's independence on the banks of Ipiranga brook in the Southeast ...
and botanist Frederico Lange de Morretes.
In 1939 he joined the
Harvard–Yenching Institute
The Harvard–Yenching Institute is an independent foundation dedicated to advancing higher education in Asia in the humanities and social sciences, with special attention to the study of Asian culture. It traditionally had close ties to Harvard ...
, the top Institute for Asian studies in the US at the time as an "Invited Professor". A sister university of Harvard was named
Yenching University
Yenching University (), was a university in Beijing, China, that was formed out of the merger of four Christian colleges between the years 1915 and 1920. The term "Yenching" comes from an alternative name for old Beijing, derived from its status ...
in Peking, China, and was an American missionary school. The Japanese Army could not come into this University until the
Pearl Harbor attack
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, ...
. Torii was sent to the American area in China by the institute during the
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...
, where his China anthropology studies reside.
["Life of Ryuzo Torii" by Torii's Memorial Museum]
Recognition
In 1920 Torii was honored for an Ordre des Palmes Academiquesiques of France. The award disappeared within the university.
In 1964 the "
Torii Memorial Museum" was established by
Tokushima prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Tokushima Prefecture has a population of 728,633 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,146 km2 (1,601 sq mi). Tokushima Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the north, E ...
, at Naruto area. It is in a Japanese traditional castle on the top of
Myoken Mountain. Funds came from local people, showing their memory and love for Ryuzo Torii. In 2010 the Museum moved to
Tokushima city
is the capital city of Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku island in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 249,865 in 122085 households and a population density of 1305 persons per km².The total area of the city is .
Geography
The ci ...
in the Forest of Culture area.
Personal life
In 1901, he married Kimiko, daughter of a
samurai
were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...
in Tokushima. She was talented in music, language, and education.
In the wake of
Yoshino Sakuzō's criticism of Japan's Imperial ambitions in
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
, Torii aligned himself with those who justified Japanese annexation on the grounds that the contemporary consensus worldwide in
linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Linguis ...
,
anthropology
Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of behavi ...
and archaeology were that the Korean and Japanese people were the same race/people (''dōminzoku'').
See also
*
Inō Kanori
Notes
Citations
Sources
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Torii, Ryuzo
1870 births
1953 deaths
Japanese anthropologists
Japanese archaeologists
Japanese ethnologists
Japanese folklorists
Taiwanese aboriginal anthropologists