Hand-drawn diagrams, some in color. Seven vols. 8vo (varying dimensions), orig. semi-stiff wrappers (somewhat stained and rubbed) with title, date, and author names handwritten on covers, orig. stitching (one vol. knot-bound with paper cords). Hsinchu: Zhemingtang 哲明堂, 1931-60.

Seven unpublished manuscript volumes belonging to the Taiwanese fortuneteller and book collector Zheng Bingkun (zi Xiaozhong 暁鐘, studio name Zhemingtang), active in the city of Hsinchu during the period of Japanese occupation. Mostly related to traditional physiognomy and hemerology, these volumes were likely not just records kept for Zheng’s personal practice but drafts planned for print publication. These manuscripts offer a unique... More