Dengyō daishiden 傳教大師傳 [伝教大師伝]

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

  • Reference
    • GB 59 16006.b.29
  • Dates of Creation
    • 1689
  • Language of Material
    • Japanese
  • Physical Description
    • 1 volume Condition: Excellent. No worm damage or stains. Impression: Atozuri from moderately worn blocks. Illustrations: Single-page sumizuri woodcuts, illustrating scenes in the life of Saichō, on ff. 4a, 9b, 又12a, 14b-15a, 19a, 21b of maki 上; and on ff. 2b, 6a-b, 11a, 17a, 21a-b, 26b, of maki 下. Artist unknown. Seals of ownership: None.

Scope and Content

Author/compiler: Kakushin 覺深, abbot of Tendai sect, also known as Hisai 非際. Imprint: Kyōto, Ogawa Tazaemon, n.d. (kanbun preface and batsu dated Genroku 2 元禄己巳, 1689). Okuzuke on final endpaper reads: 台宗書林 ／ 京師六角通寺町西江入町 ／ 柳枝軒 小川多左衛門刻. Description: 2 kan + furoku (appendix), 1 satsu. ff. [2] (preface signed by U Ton'an 宇遯菴), 22 (maki 上), 29 (maki 下), 18 (furoku 附録 + batsu). 25.8 x 18.4 cm. Fukurotoji. Blockprint. Printing frame 20.4 x 15.8 cm. Single line borders. Single fishtail design on hanshin. Hiragana-majiri (main text) with furigana, and kanbun text (preface and furoku). 9 lines to page, 20 characters (average) to line. Original yellow covers embossed with basket-weave pattern. Original printed title slip on left, with gedai: Dengyō daishi denki 傳教大師傳記. Same title on tobira (mikaeshi), flanked by two stylised dragons in sumizuri. Hashiragaki: 傳教大師傳上 (下) + folio no. In a buckram slip-case. Edition: The only recorded pre-Meiji edition. Contents: Illustrated biography of Dengyō Daishi, also known as Saichō 最澄, 767-822, founder of the Tendai sect in Japan.

Access Information

Not Public Record(s)

Unrestricted

Acquisition Information

Acquired from James Troup, 29 June 1908.

Other Finding Aids

Kenneth Gardner, Descriptive Catalogue of Japanese books in the British Library printed before 1700 (London and Tenri, 1993).B. Buddhist works 仏書 10. Tendai sect 天台宗

Bibliography

Bussho kaisetsu daijiten 仏書解説大辞典, vol. 8, p. 165; Shōwa genson Tendai shoseki sōgō mokuroku 昭和現存天台書籍綜合目録, p. 1033.