Kotowazagusa 諺草

This material is held atBritish Library Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections

  • Reference
    • GB 59 16096.b.10
  • Dates of Creation
    • 1701
  • Language of Material
    • Japanese
  • Physical Description
    • 2 volumes Condition: Generally good, except for minor worm damage in maki 1 and brown stains in maki 1 and 7. Impression: Sharp and clear, shozuri or near. Seals of ownership: None.

Scope and Content

Author/compiler: Kaibara Yoshifuru (also read Kōko) 貝原好古, also known as Chiken 恥軒, nephew of Kaibara Ekiken, 1664-1700. Imprint: [Kyōto] , Uejima Sehei, Nagao Heibē, Tanaka Shōbē, Genroku 14, 1701. Kanki following batsu at end of maki 7 reads: 元禄十四年辛巳春正月吉旦 ／ 上島瀬平 ／ 長尾平兵衞 ／ 田中庄兵衞 ／ 仝梓. Description: 7 kan, formerly in 10 satsu, rebound in 2 satsu. (Maki 1) ff. [1] (tobira), 3 (序), 5 (凡例), 60; (2) ff. 50; (3) ff. 38; (4) ff. 27; (5) ff. 43; (6) ff. 63; (7) ff. 29, 2 (跋). 22.2 x 15.6 cm. Fukurotoji. Blockprint. Printing frame 17.7 x 13.6 cm. (average). Single-line borders. No fishtail design on hanshin. Hiragana-majiri text with some printed furigana, interspersed with passages in kanbun with printed kunten. 9 lines to page, 16-18 characters to line. Dark blue covers of original maki 1 上 and 4, enclosing the two satsu. Original printed title slips with gedai: 諺草 一之上 (四). Title from naidai. Hashiragaki: 諺艸 + maki no. + folio no. Edition: First recorded edition, followed by further editions in Kyōhō 6 (1721) and Bunka 13 (1816). Contents: Collected proverbs and common sayings, classified by categories in iroha order, with explanations and quoted sources.

Access Information

Not Public Record(s)

Unrestricted

Acquisition Information

Acquired from Mrs. F. Joly, 12 Feb. 1921.

Other Finding Aids

Kenneth Gardner, Descriptive Catalogue of Japanese books in the British Library printed before 1700 (London and Tenri, 1993).C. Japanese works 和書 3. Language 言語 b. Proverbs 諺

Bibliography

Nihon koten bungaku daijiten 日本古典文学大辞典, vol. 2, p. 650; text reprinted in Ekiken zenshū 益軒全集, vol. 3.