Nenbutsu sōshi 念佛草紙 [念仏草紙]

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

  • Reference
    • GB 59 16055.c.40
  • Dates of Creation
    • [1661-1673]
  • Language of Material
    • Japanese
  • Physical Description
    • 1 volume Condition: Fair. Worm damage (unrepaired) and soiled folios. Impression: Atozuri, from blocks showing considerable wear. Illustrations: 5 single-page sumizuri woodcuts on ff. 3a, 8a, 20a and 23a of maki 上; double-page mihiraki on ff. 4b-5a and single-page woodcut on fol. 11a of maki 下. All in primitive, unsophisticated style. Seals of ownership: None.

Scope and Content

Alternative reading of title: Nenbutsu-zōshi. Author/compiler: Suzuki Shōsan 鈴木正三, Zen teacher and writer, 1579-1655. Imprint: N.p., n.d. [c. Kanbun period, 1661-73] . No kanki. Description: 2 kan, 1 satsu, in a chitsu case of thin board. (上) ff. 1-9, 10 / 15 (十ノ十五), 16-24; (下) ff. 15. 26 x 19.2 cm. Fukurotoji. Blockprint. Printing frame 22.5 x 17.4 cm. (average). No borders except round illustrations. No frame to hanshin. No fishtail design on hanshin. Hiragana-majiri text, with printed furigana, dakuten and kutōten. 13 lines to page, 24-28 characters to line. Grey, soft paper of inner cover survives, with fragments of original brown covering paper adhering. No title slip. Manuscript gedai (modern) on label loosely attached to front cover. Title from naidai at head of maki 上 and 下. Hashiragaki: Sōshi jō (ge) 草紙上 (下) + folio no. Edition: A mid-17th century edition without publisher or date, but earlier than the two dated editions of Jōkyō 3 貞享三年 (1686) and Kyōhō 12 享保十二年 (1727). An edition of Kanbun period (1661-73) held by Kyōdai and Tōdai is recorded by Kokusho sōmokuroku 国書総目録, but most other recorded copies are undated and not described in sufficient detail for comparison with the present copy. Contents: A kana-zōshi story, ending in questions and answers in simple language about how to attain enlightenment from the Zen standpoint, especially through the efficacy of nenbutsu recitation.

Access Information

Not Public Record(s)

Unrestricted

Acquisition Information

Acquired by purchase, 11 May 1959.

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 5. Literature - fiction 国文-小説 f. Kana-zōshi 仮名草子

Bibliography

Nihon koten bungaku daijiten 日本古典文学大辞典, vol. 4, p. 668; Katei bunko mokuroku 霞亭文庫目録, p. 38 (undated 10-line edition).