Evergreen broad-leaved forest culture

In the warm temperate zone of East Asia, there is a forest belt of virgin evergreen broadleaf trees that stretches from the mid-Himalayas in the west to central and southern Japan in the east. Evergreen oaks and trees of the Lauraceae family dominate these forests, and because their leaves are evergreen, medium-sized, and glossy on the surface, they are called evergreen broadleaf forests, a type of forest unique to East Asia. Evergreen broadleaf forests indicate the existence of a common ecological climate, but they also share commonalities in terms of human culture, which is called evergreen broadleaf forest culture. In evergreen broadleaf forest culture, wild yams and taro were first cultivated, followed by the cultivation of miscellaneous grains, which began with slash-and-burn cultivation. Rice cultivation is said to have begun in Southeast Asia or the southern part of Yunnan Province, which are in the evergreen broadleaf forest zone.

The cultural elements of the evergreen broad-leaved forest culture are notable for being closely tied to everyday life. Rice is eaten as a whole meal, glutinous rice is steamed and processed, fish is a common side dish, and fish sauce is made. The custom of making nare-zushi, which is fish pickled in rice, is also widely seen. Cormorant raising also belongs to the evergreen broad-leaved forest culture. Soybeans are cultivated and used to make natto, and tea leaves are used to make pickle-like foods and processed into beverages. Lacquer is used in the area stretching from Bhutan in the west to Japan. Silk is also found in this region, but from China westward, varieties of mountain cocoon are mainly used. Sake is a grain alcoholic beverage made using koji.

The custom of singing festivals is also widely seen among peoples in the evergreen broad-leaved forests. In this way, cultural elements have many things in common from Japan to the middle of the Himalayas, and it is thought that the strong influence of the same lifestyle and culture has had a widespread effect.

[Sasuke Nakao]

"The Origin of Cultivated Plants and Agriculture" by Nakao Sasuke (Iwanami Shinsho)" ▽ "Evergreen broad-leaved forest culture" by Kamiyama Shunpei and others (Chuko Shinsho)" ▽ "The Path of Evergreen Broad-leaved Forest Culture" by Sasaki Takaaki (NHK Books)" ▽ "Under the Evergreen Broad-leaved Trees of Yunnan" edited by Sasaki Takaaki (1984, NHK Publishing)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

東アジアの暖温帯には、西はヒマラヤの中腹から東は日本の中南部にわたる常緑広葉樹を原生林とする森林帯がある。この森林は常緑カシの類やクスノキ科の樹木が主力となり、葉は常緑で中形、表面に光沢があるので照葉樹林とよばれ、東アジア特有の森林型である。照葉樹林帯は生態学的にそこに共通の風土の存在を示すものであるが、人間文化の面でも共通性がみられ、それを照葉樹林文化という。照葉樹林文化では初め野生のヤマノイモやサトイモを栽培化し、次に雑穀栽培になったが、これらは焼畑栽培から始まった。稲栽培の開始は、照葉樹林帯に入る東南アジアあるいは雲南省の南部から始まったとされている。

　照葉樹林文化の文化要素は生活に密着した文化要素が著しい。米を粒食し、糯米(もちごめ)を蒸して加工し、副食には魚が常用され、魚醤(ぎょしょう)がつくられる。魚を米の飯で漬けるなれずし作りの習慣も広くみられる。鵜(う)飼いも照葉樹林文化に属する。大豆を栽培し、それから納豆をつくり、茶葉から漬物様の食品をつくったり、飲用に加工したりする。漆の利用は西はブータンから日本に至る地帯にある。同様に絹がこの地帯にあるが、中国以西ではヤママユの類がおもに利用される。酒は麹(こうじ)利用の穀物酒である。

　また歌垣(うたがき)の習慣も照葉樹林帯の民族に広くみられる。このように文化要素は日本からヒマラヤ中腹まで共通点が多く、したがって同一の生活文化の強い影響が広く作用したと考えられる。

［中尾佐助］

『中尾佐助著『栽培植物と農耕の起源』（岩波新書）』▽『上山春平他著『照葉樹林文化』（中公新書）』▽『佐々木高明著『照葉樹林文化の道』（NHKブックス）』▽『佐々木高明編著『雲南の照葉樹のもとで』（1984・日本放送出版協会）』

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