Trans. by Kumarajiva. Commentary by Ouyi Zhixu. Four splendid full-page woodcuts. 54 folding leaves. Large 8vo (318 x 198 mm.), orig. yellow-brown patterned wrappers, new stitching. Naewon’am, “The Inner Courtyard Nunnery,” Samgaksan: 1853.

A rare reprint of the 1753 edition of The Smaller Sukhavativyuha Sutra, one of the three most important Mahayana sutras of the Pure Land tradition, printed in 1853 (Xianfeng 3), at Naewon’am, “The Inner Courtyard Nunnery” at Samgaksan, a peak of Pukhansan mountain north of Seoul.

The printing of our edition was financed by donations from nuns and lay believers. The names of donors are printed... More

3, 6, 67 folding leaves. Large 8vo, orig. yellow patterned wrappers (wrappers a little soiled), orig. block-printed title label on upper cover, new stitching. [Hansŏng: Mugyo sinp’an, 1869].

First edition of a rare anonymous manual for the general education of writers of classical Chinese from late Chosŏn Korea. The terms “bamboo slips” and “wooden tablets” originally referred to the material supports of writing in antiquity. In classical Chinese usage of later ages — and in this title — the phrases were used metonymically in reference to the implements and genres of classical Chinese writing. The Essentials of the Bamboo Slips... More

12 columns per page, 23 characters per column. Printed in Hangul & Chinese characters throughout. 56; 48; 55; 50; 62 numbered folding leaves. Five vols. Large 8vo (330 x 215 mm.), orig. wrappers (wrappers somewhat rubbed), old stitching. Kyŏngsang: Provincial Government Offices, 1862.

A scarce translation into Korean, printed in Hangul and Chinese characters throughout, of the main text of the Document Classic, one of the oldest texts in the Confucian canon. It has been traditionally ascribed to several authors, including the Duke of Zhou. The Document Classic (or Book of Documents) contains documents purporting to originate with the earliest... More

Ten columns per page, 21 characters per column. Two sizes of type. 38 folding leaves. Large 8vo (321 x 200 mm.), orig. brown patterned wrappers, new stitching. [Seoul]: Pich’ŏndang Building, Sŏnggyun’gwan [today’s Sungkyunkwan University], 1872.

First edition and very rare; WorldCat lists only the Berkeley copy. “Scroll” is clearly used here as a figure of speech, as this is a codex-style book, printed using movable (metal or wooden?) type in 1872. Sungkyunkwan, established in 1398, was the highest educational institution in Chosŏn Korea. It is now the sight of an eponymous university. The location of the printing of this book... More

1, 6, 11, 47 folding leaves. Large 8vo, orig. yellow patterned wrappers (wrappers a little soiled), orig. block-printed title label on upper cover, new stitching. [Korea: 1870s].

First edition of this rare anonymous manual for the general education of writers of classical Chinese from late Chosŏn Korea. The term “bamboo slips” originally referred to the material supports of writing in antiquity. In classical Chinese usage of later ages — and in this title — the phrase was used metonymically in reference to the implements and genres of classical Chinese writing.

This book covers the four “rites” of capping, marriage, funerals... More

Several woodcuts in the text. Ten columns per page, 22 characters per column, textblock: 208 x 155 mm. 80; 69 folding leaves. Two vols. 8vo (273 x 178 mm.), somewhat later wrappers, later block-printed title labels on upper covers, new stitching. [Korea]: colophon dated 1562 (Jiajing 41).

An early and very rare (no copy in WorldCat) Korean edition of the teachings of the Cheng brothers, Hao (1032-85) and Yi (1033-1107), two important philosophers of the Northern Song period; they can be called the true founders of Neo-Confucianism. The Cheng brothers, along with their uncle Zai Zhang, their teacher Dunyi Zhou... More

Two parts in one vol. Small folio, orig. wrappers (somewhat tired & a little soiled, some light staining & soiling here & there), manuscript title on upper cover, later stitching. [Hansong (Seoul): Kyujanggak (the Royal Library), Preface dated 1793 & 1796].

First edition of this handsome and large-format (323 x 217 mm.) royal publication. King Chongjo (1752-1800), was one of the most intellectual and enlightened of the Korean monarchs. Perhaps Korea’s greatest bibliophile, as royal patron he supported all aspects of the book: typographers, printers, authors, librarians, and lexicographers. A number of “royal” editions were published under his auspices. He... More

[Korea]: mid- to late Chosŏn era.

A remarkable survival: this is a substantial part of a Korean Chosŏn-era census register, known as hojŏk (“household registry”). It is written in classical Chinese. These registers were maintained by the Chosŏn government for the purpose of levying taxes and corvée (labor exacted in lieu of taxes by public authorities). The registries were divided according to the administrative divisions of counties and provinces and updated every three years. Our register starts with what ought to be the first t’ong, meaning the first unit of five to ten households. However, there is no heading. The... More

Three full-page brush & ink illus. 29 folding pre-printed leaves. Three parts in one vol. 8vo (241 x 169 mm.), orig. semi-stiff yellow patterned wrappers, new stitching. [Japan]: at end of first part (in trans.): “Winter 1728”; this is a later copy, probably mid- to late Edo.

This most interesting manuscript consists of three parts by three different authors:

1. WADA, Nagazumi. Manuscript title at end of part: “Ninjin ben” [“Ginseng Described”]. Three full-page brush & ink illus. of different views of the ginseng plant. 24 folding leaves. In this text, the author, about whom we have learned nothing, describes... More

Eight full-page woodcuts & two large woodcuts in the text. 24 leaves & 4 leaves of ads. 8vo, orig. brown semi-stiff wrappers (minor rubbing), orig. block-printed title label on upper cover, new stitching. Edo & Osaka: Yuki Jirobei et al., 1774.

Second edition, revised with additions and corrections (1st ed.: 1748), of this uncommon work on medicinal plant roots found in Japan, China, and Korea, and their cultivation and health benefits. This work consists of three sections and two addenda, written by Kensai Kato (1669-1724), and revised by his son Genjun (1699-1785). Both were medical doctors.

Kensai wrote this book... More

43 folding leaves (mostly split at fore-edges, with no loss of text). Small folio (344 x 233 mm.), orig. wrappers (soiled), new stitching. [Korea: late 18th or early 19th century].

A beautifully written manuscript collection of about 400 poems by Bai Li (701-62), one of the two greatest poets of the Tang dynasty, and certainly China’s greatest poetic personality (see Mark Edward Lewis, China’s Cosmopolitan Empire. The Tang Dynasty [Harvard University Press], p. 254).

The manuscript presents a number of mysteries that demand further research by scholars. The last line in the manuscript, which is in a more modern hand... More

Two double-page manuscript maps. 57 folding leaves. 8vo (247 x 175 mm.), orig. wrappers, orig. sewing. [Japan]: Editor’s Preface dated “1840.”

The hostilities between Japan and Korea resulting from Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s invasions in the late 16th century ended at the beginning of the Edo period. Diplomatic relationships were re-established, followed by a series of 12 major Korean diplomatic missions during the Tokugawa years, several of which were held in the Tsushima island fiefdom instead of Edo. Because of its close proximity to the Korean peninsula, the Tsushima fiefdom was in charge of practical affairs with Korea throughout the Edo period... More