Summary

Kanbun-Kunten documents (classical Chinese documents with marks added for rendering them into Japanese) have been utilized as data for aspects of the history of the Japanese language, including characters, vocal sounds, vocabulary, usage, etc. Many Kunten-Shiryo documents are of great value historically, culturally, and educationally, and it is difficult to conduct research using the original texts. For some important classical books, there are interpretations by researchers, as well as published photo reproductions and replicas. However, the interpretations are not pure primary sources, and the photo reproductions and replicas are rare themselves or are in black and white, which causes quite a few problems for research use. Moreover, the study of Kunten-Shiryo is generally falling behind other fields with the introduction of digital technologies such as electronic interpretation texts, digital imaging of originals, etc.

Therefore, taking as an example "Kongocho Issai Nyorai Shinjitsu Shodai Jogensho Daikyo Okyo Vol. 1" (transcribed in the early Heian period; marks added in the Insei period), which is owned by the National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics, this project will (1) examine a method of structured description of interpretations, which are the results of reading based on the originals, and (2) create a prototype of digital interpretations that can be shared among researchers and allow verification of the originals using a display system that allows the user to compare interpretations with digital images of originals.