Hōbutsushū 寶物集 [宝物集]

Author/compiler: Taira no Yasuyori 平康賴, fl. c. 1170-1200. Imprint: N.p., Kanbun 7, 1667. Publisher's name not given. Kanki on fol. 23b of maki 下 reads: 寛文七年丁未菊月吉日. Description: 3 kan, 1 satsu, in a chitsu case. (上) ff. 21; (中) ff. 20; (下) ff. 23. 26.5 x 19.1 cm. Fukurotoji. Blockprint. Printing frame 22.6 x 17.9 cm. (average). Single-line borders. No fishtail design on hanshin. Hiragana-majiri text, with printed furigana, dakuten and kutōten. 15 lines to page, 26-28 characters to line. Original dark blue covers, faintly embossed with a rhomboid pattern. Fragments of original title slip on left, with printed gedai: 寶物集 ... . Title from naidai at head of each maki. Hashiragaki: Hōbutsu jō (chū, ge) 寶物集 (中, 下) + folio no. Edition: Five blockprinted editions of this work were published between Kan'ei 20 (1643) and Genroku 6 (1693), of which this is the fourth, published in Kanbun 7 (1667), and apparently the first illustrated edition. Before 1643 at least 5 movable type editions in 2 or 3 kan were published. The present edition contains no preface. Contents: A collection of tales and anecdotes, believed to have been written by Taira no Yasuyori shortly after his return to Kyōto from exile in or about 1178. These tales, belonging to the category of setsuwa bungaku 説話文学, are chiefly concerned to extol the law and teachings of Buddhism.

Unrestricted

Acquired from Rinrōkaku, 4 Jan. 1960.

Kenneth Gardner, Descriptive Catalogue of Japanese books in the British Library printed before 1700 (London and Tenri, 1993).C. Japanese works 和書 5. Literature - fiction 国文-小説 b. Setsuwa bungaku 説話文学

Nihon koten bungaku daijiten 日本古典文学大辞典, vol. 5, p. 439; Nihon bungaku shoshi 日本文学書誌K, vol. 3, (下) pp. 94-6.