Vol. 1 to Vol. 4. Four scrolls. Imperial treasure.
The original being 24.2 cm. long.
These precious scrolls were formerly owned by Horyuji
temple, Nara prefecture, but have since been transferred to
the Imperial household. Just below the title in Vol. 1 is seen
an addendum to the effect that "this book has been written
by myself not one brought over from overseas." The ivory
index label attached to the four scrolls bears the words meaning, "Four scrolls of Hokekyo-Giso, written by the August
Person." The calligraphic style in which the book is written
is clearly of that style which was prevalent at the time of Emperor Suiko. It is written in the book "Jogu Shotoku Taishi
Den Hokekki" (supplement to the Life of Prince Shotoku) that
"in the 22nd year of reign of Suiko Tenno (614 A.D.) Prince
Shotoku started to write this book and brought it to a
finish in the following year. Thus the authenticity of the "
book leaves little room far doubt.
(C 2)STATUE OF SEVEN-YEAR-OLD SHOTOKU TAISHI
One scroll.
Photographic representation. The original being a colored
wooden statue.
58.2 cm. in height. 16 cm. from crown to chin.
Preserved at Horyuji temple, Nara prefecture.
It represents the Prince as he sat reading the Buddhist
scriptures imported from Korea, in 578 A.D., that is, when
he was seven years of age. That it was the work of Enkwai,
the Buddhist-image-maker, and of Hata Munesada, the
painter, done in 1069 A.D., is known by the inscription to
that effect seen on the inside of the statue.
(C 3)HOMPO KOSHAKYO (OLD COPIED SUTRA OF JRPAN)
One scroll.
The original being made of paper.
This is a collection of some of the most typical of ancient
manuscript scrolls, embodying Buddhist scriptures.
(C 4)KO SHAHON NIHON SHOKI (OLD MANUSCRIPT COPY OF HISTORY OF JAPAN)
Seven scrolls and eight books.
Vol. 10. History of reign of Emperor Ojin. Owned by
Tanaka Noritada. National treasure. 0ne scroll.
Vol. 11. History of reign of Emperor Nintoku. Owned by
Marquis Maeda. National treasure. 0ne scroll.
Vol. 14. History of reign of Emperor Yuryaku. Owned by
Marquis Maeda. One scroll.
Vol. 17. History of reign of Emperor Keitai. Owned by
Marquis Maeda. One scroll.
Vol. 20. History of reign of Emperor Bitatsu. Owned by
Marquis Maeda. One scroll.
Vol. 22. History of reign of Empress Suiko. Owned by Toyo
Bunko. National treasure. One scroll.
Vol. 24. History of reign of Emperor Kokyoku. Owned by
Toyo Bunka. One scroll.
Vol. 1. Chapter on Mythological Age. Part One only, the
remainder missing. Owned by Sasaki Nobutsuna. One
book. Property under State protection.
Vol. 2. Chapter on Mythological Age. A set of two parts,
i.e., Part One and Part Two. One book. This and the
following six volumes are preserved in the library of
Imperial Household Department.
Vol. 10. History of reign of Emperor Ojin. One boo.
Vol. 12. Histories of reigns of Emperor Richiu and Emperor
Hansho. Vol. 13. Histories of reigns of Emperor Inkyo
and Emperor Anko. One book.
Vol. 14. History of reign of Emperor Yuryaku. One book.
Vol. 15. Histories reigns of Emperor Seinei and Emperor
Buretsu. Vol. 17. History of reign of Emperor Keitai.
One book.
Vol. 21. Histories of reigns of Emperor Yomei and Emperor
Sushun. Vol. 22. History of reign of Emperor Suiko.
One book.
Vol. 23. History of reign of Emperor Jomei. Vol. 24. History of reign of Emperor Kokyoku. One book.
Of all the national classics of Japan, this Nihon Shoki
is without doubt one of the most precious that has been
preserved. This voluminous history was compiled at Imperial
order in 4th year of the reign of Emperor Gensho (720 A.D.)
under the supervision of Prince Toneri. It starts with the
origin of imperial regime and establishment of State of
Japan, and explains the relations between ruler and ruled, the
constitution of State and the position of the people, etc.
These volumes are reproductions of some of the oldest specimens preserved, dating from the time of Jogan in early Heian
period. Full description of these books is made in a special
supplementary volume attached to them.
(C 5)SENMEN HOKEKYO (FAN-SHAPED BOOK OF HOKEKYO)
One book.
National Treasure. Preserved at Shitennoji temple, Osaka.
Written on colored paper. 25.7 cm. long.
This book is in the shape of a fan, when it is spread
open, the upper part being wider than the lower. The Hokke
sutra is written on the lower half of the page, the upper half
being illustrations in colors of the manners and customs
obtaining in old days. A product of later Fujiwara period,
it may be regarded as evidence of the highly artistic style
of making books then in vogue. It argues both the refinement of culture attained then, and the fact that the practice
of sutra-copying which was begun as act of pious devotion
had then entered into the realm of fine arts.
(C 6)HEIKE ICHIMON HONO KYO FUKUHON (A BOOK ATTACHED TO THE SUTRA SCROLLS PRESENTED TO ITSUKUSHIMA SHRINE SY TAIRA FAMILY)
Preserved at Itsukuabima Shrine, Hiroshima prefecture.
The original being written on colored paper. 27.3 cm. long.
Taira Kiyomori, being the Lord of Aki, was a zealous
devotee of the Shrine of Itsukushima, Aki. It is a famous
episode in history that he and other members of the Taira
family had copied out Buddhist sutras in beautiful scrolls
and presented them to Itsukushima shrine, of which 33 scrolls
are extant till today. Both the paper and the manner of
mounting it in scrolls are of a highly artistic value, each
scroll presenting an object of most exquisite taste and beauty,
quite typical of the state of great luxury and elegance which
characterized the life in the court. The presentation remark
attached to the scrolls is dated Chokwan 2nd year (1164).
The book of which the present volume is a reproduction was
written to give a general idea of what these famous Taira
scrolls look like.
(C 7)KONGO JUMYO DARANI KYO, WRITTEN BY TAIRA CHIKAMUNE
One scroll.
National treasure. Preserved at Itsukushima Shrine, Hiroshima prefecture.
26.1 cm. long.
This sutra, written in gold on indigo-color paper, has a
postcript from which it is clear that it was written on April
24, Shoji 2nd year (1178) by Taira Chikamune, while he was
aboard a ship on which he was proceeding on a pilgrimage
towards the sacred shrine.
(C 8)KEGON ENGI
Two scrolls out of six.
Giso book, Vol. 3 and Gengyo book, Vol. 3.
Preserved at Kozanji temple, Kyoto.
Written on colored paper. 31.2 cm. long.
The book describes the journey which the Korean priest
of Shiragi, Giso, accompanied by the priest Gengyo, had made
into China to study the doctrines of Kegon Buddhism, and
the great zeal with which they had propagated their
acquired doctrines among their countrymen in the teeth of
hardships and difficulties.
Kozanji was founded by the reverend priest, Myoe Shonin, at the time of ex-Emperor Gotoba for the purpose of
propagating Kegon Buddhism, and these scrolls may be
regarded as the biographies of the apostles of Kegon doctrines.
Evidently a product of middle Kamakura period, the scrolls
are notable specimens, containing as they do, a certain exotic
color on the bright background of a typical Japanese pictorial
scroll.
(C 9)ISHIYAMA-DERA ENGI (HISTORY OF ISHIYAMA-DERA)
Vol. 1, Vol. 2 & Vol. 3. Three scrolls out of seven. National
treasure. Preserved at Ishiyama-dera, Shiga Prefecture.
The original being written on paper.
33.7 cm. long.
These three are the best of the seven scrolls preserved
at the temple mentioned, which are a description, with colorful illustrations, of the miraculous events which had led to
the founding of the temple. The pictures are believed to be
the work of Takahashi Takakane, the painter of the Kasuga
Genki, and the author of the composition, Gosu, the head-priest
of Ishiyama-dera. Products of the later Kamakura period
evidently.
(C 10)HASEO-KYO SOSHI (TALE OF LORD HASEO)
One scroll.
National treasure. Owned by Marquis Hosokawa.
Written on colored paper.
29.7 cm. long.
Ki Haseo, the hero of this tale, was a noble whose high
personal character and poetic genius had earned the praise
of Sugawara Michizane, and he died in Engi 12th year (912
A.D.) This Soshi tells how Haseo once encountering a man
whose appearance struck him as not being an ordinary human
being, and how he, being challenged to play sugoroku (a sort
of backgammon), and agreeing that the winner of the game
should be rewarded with a beautiful woman, he won the game
and the woman. He was then obliged to make a vow of
chastity for 100 days which, however, he broke on the 99th
day, upon which the beautiful woman turned into water and
drifted away. The stranger with whom he had played sugoroku was a demon in disguise, but Haseo was able to escape
from the terrible effect of this adventure through the mercy
of the god of Tenjin of Kitano. The scroll was probably a
product of the South and North Court (Nanboku-cho) period.
(C 11)KWAISHI BEARING WAKA OF ASHIKAGA TAKAUJI AND OTHERS PRESEVTED TO ICHINOMIYA, NAGATO
One scroll.
National treasure. Preserved at Ichinomiya Shrine, Yamaguchi prefecture.
The scroll contains the kwaishi (pocket paper) bearing
the waka written by Ashikaga Takauji and his relatives,
all of which were presented to Ichinomiya Shrine, Yamaguchi
prefecture, sacred unto the spirit of Empress Jingo, when they
visited the shrine for worship. It was in 1336 when Takauji
paid personal homage to the shrine, and the other kwaishi
herein contained are those of Ashikaga Tadayoshi, younger
brother of Takauji and Shiba Takatsune who visited in 1344,
and of Ashikaga Naofuyu, Takauji's elder son, who visited
in 1351.
(C 12)KIMPIRA BON ZENSHU
Thirty one volumes.
Illustrated. Published by Osaka Mainichi Shimbun in 1926.
Annotated by Midzutani Umihiko.
Kimpira bon is a general term for books containing
the so-called Kimpira dramas recited by the famous Idzumi
Dayu and other dramas written in imitation of them. The
origin of the "Kimpira" is traced to the hero Sakata Kimpira,
noted for his peerless physical valor, whose wonderful exploits
formed the subjects of various dramatic works. The stories
were based on the scenes and actions of later Muromachi
period, but they acquired great popularity in early Yedo
period, especially in the middle of 17th century. The pieces
contained in these volumes are among the most typical of
Kimpira dramas.
(C 13)TANIKAWA KOTOKIYO'S PORTRAIT
One scroll. A lithograph.
Except this scroll which is a lithograph, all the books and
scrolls herein mentioned are photographic reproductions.
Kotokiyo was a noted scholar of Japanese classics, who
died in 1776, in his 7Oth year. He was author of "Wakun-noshiori" and "Nihongi Tsusho," etc.
(C 14)WOYU GUN HOKITCH0
One book.
Published by Enkoshitsu in 13th year of Republican China
(1924).
Copybook for calligraphy, containing the autograph writing of Ogishi. Ogishi is the greatest name in China's calligraphic art whose writing has exerted enormous influence in
Japan as well as in his country.
(C 15)MEIKEN SEKITOKU (LETTERS OF CELEBRATED PERSONS)
One book.
Containing 38 best specimens culled from Meiken Sekitoku in the possession of the late Mr. Ki Inukai.
