Author/compiler: Unknown. Possibly a Japanese and not a Chinese compiler. Imprint: N.p., n.d. [latter part of Kan'ei period, c. 1635-44] . No colophon. Description: 2 kan, 2 satsu, now rebound in 1 vol. western style. (Maki 上) ff. [1] (目録), 21, 20; (maki 下) ff. 21, 16, 4. 27.6 x 18.7 cm. Fukurotoji. Movable type. Printing frame 22.3 x 17.4 cm. (average). Double-line borders all round. 'Flower petal' fishtail design on hanshin. Kanbun text, without printed kunten or reading marks. 10 lines to page, 20 characters to line. Original pale fawn front cover of maki 上 only, embossed with a geometrical design, and with original title slip bearing blockprinted gedai: Gorōshū jō 五老集上. No general naidai, except at head of mokuroku 目録; elsewhere, headings for the 5 component works. Hashiragaki: Gorōshū jō (ge) 五老集上 (下) + folio no. In a western style half-leather binding. Edition: The only recorded movable type edition of this little-known work, which may have originated in Japan and not in China. The appearance of the type suggests a date towards the end of the period of early movable type printing, i.e. late-Kan'ei period; a manuscript shikigo in the copy owned by Jingū Bunko, dated Kan'ei 20 (1643), indicates clearly that the work was published on or before that date. Contents: Collections of short letters written by five eminent Chinese literary men, including Su Shi 蘇軾 (Su Dongpo 蘇東坡). They comprise the following: (1) 東坡先生蘇公小簡; (2) 仲益尚書孫公小簡; (3) 柳南先生盧公小簡; (4) 秋崖先生方公小簡; (5) 清曠先生趙公小簡.
Gorōshū 五老集
This material is held atBritish Library Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections
- Reference
- GB 59 ORB 30/203
- Dates of Creation
- [1635-1644]
- Language of Material
- Japanese
- Physical Description
- 1 volume Condition: Good, but with some worm damage (unrepaired) affecting text in places. Impression: Type shows distinct signs of wear. Seals of ownership: None. Manuscript notes: Textual notes in upper margins of maki 上, okurigana and kaeriten in black, and some shubiki and kutōten in red, all added shortly after publication of the work.
Scope and Content
Access Information
Not Public Record(s)
Unrestricted
Acquisition Information
Acquired from Ernest M. Satow, 22 Sept. 1884.
Other Finding Aids
Kenneth Gardner, Descriptive Catalogue of Japanese books in the British Library printed before 1700 (London and Tenri, 1993). A. Chinese works 漢籍 7. Chinese literature 中国文学
Bibliography
Kokatsujiban no kenkyū 古活字版の研究, p. 839, pl. 858; Jingū bunko kanseki zenpon kaidai 神宮文庫漢籍善本解題, p. 51, pl. 154-5; Ryūmon bunko zenpon shomoku 竜門文庫善本書目, p. 181.