The Representation of the Mountains in the Kusooki-mura Map and Its Characteristics

Abstract

According to previous studies, the main characteristic of the ancient manorial maps made in the Nara era is that two contexts coexist. One context is based on the combination of letters, of which the jori indication system (jori kosho) is constructed, and the mesh (hokakusen). The other is based on pictures. Previous studies have paid attention to the letters and to the mesh, but not to the pictorial representation. Consequently, the pictorial representation was not seriously taken into account when the landscape or the jori plan is reconstructed.The purpose of this study is to explain the characteristic of the pictorial representation, especially of the mountains, since this can be compared with the present landscape. Therefore, to appreciate the characteristic of the pictorial representation, it is necessary to understand the relations of two contexts. Therefore, the author examines the map of Kusooki-mura, Echizen Province (Fukui Prefecture in central Japan), which previous studies have examined in order to understand the characteristics of the pictorial representation of the mountains.There are two sheets of the Kusooki-mura map. One was made in 759 (referred to as Map A in the paper) and the other was made in 766 (Map B). Each map depicts the mountains surrounding Kusooki-mura. The landscape and jori plan can be reconstructed on the bases of the representation of the mountain, mountain ridge lines depicted on Map B. However, the representation of the mountain on two sheets of the maps was depicted by different modes of representation. Although previous studies had concluded that the jori plan represented in Map A differed from that in Map B, the author understands that the reconstructed landscape and jori plan of Map B correspond to the contents, the depicted landscape and jori plan of Map A.When Map B is compared with Map A, it is clear that there is a difference in the methods of depicting the mountain. The author examined points from which the mountain was drawn in each map. Consequently, the mountain on Map A is represented from one view point, while more than one view point was used in Map B. By using more than one view point, Map B was able to represent the area with great precision. On the other hand, Map A represents the area by depicting the foot of a mountain line.As a result, the representation of the mountain in ancient manorial maps partly represented the geographical features of the depicted area and helped to clarify locations that were shown by the letters and the mesh. Therefore, the pictorial representation of the mountain occupied an important part in the ancient manorial maps.