User:Bamse/List of National Treasures (writings: Chinese books)


 * 1
 * oldest books are chinese 400
 * first peak of import in sui+tang dynasties (through missions and foreigners settling in japan)


 * 2
 * chinese books and language played a big role in government and (male) education in heian period
 * chinese books were copied on large scale in libraries from nara period onward


 * 3
 * printing books played minor role in japan until 17th c.; books were mainly copied by hand
 * commercial printing started in Song Dynasty
 * increased trading activity after heian period (1192)->second peak of book imports

=General=
 * early Japanese literature consists of three major types of works: (i) Chinese works written by Chinese people in China in classical chinese; (ii) Works composed by Japanese authors in Japan in the Classical Chinese; (iii) Works composed by Japanese authors in Japan in Japanese. In addition there exist various mixed forms for instance where one work is written in a variety of languages/scripts or where (during an initial phase) the Japanese language was expressed in Chinese script. This list is about "(i)"
 * for the period in question (/for these treasures) three types of manuscripts are distinguished depending on the location/authorship and way of production (handwritten/printed): "Chinese manuscripts"->Tang, "Japanese manuscripts"->Heian, Song printed editions->Southern Song


 * chap 8, p 156ff

Japan's first experience with books and written language was with books written in Classical Chinese in China that reached Japan via the Korean kingdoms at least by the 5th and probably by the end of the 4th century. According to legend, the scholar Wani came to Japan in 406 and brought with him the Confucian Analects and Thousand Character Classic. In subsequent years, these were followed by the Five Classics (Book of Odes, Book of History, Book of Rites, Book of Changes and the Spring and Autumn Annals) which became well known in Japan by the 6th century. Quotations in the Seventeen-article constitution, compiled in 604 by Prince Shōtoku, allow the identification of 18 Chinese books known in Japan at the time: Odes, Rites, Classic of Filial Piety, Analects, Chronicle of Zuo, the Han Chronicles (Book of Han and Book of the Later Han, Wen Xuan anthology, works of Zhuangzi and other classical Chinese writers.

The first peak in the distribution of Chinese books to Japan was reached in the Sui and Tang dynasties. During this period books reached Japan together with continental people that settled in Japan (and who were mostly literate) and via official missions send out by the Japanese court. Four envoys to Sui China were dispatched under Prince Shōtoku, but this number quickly increased during the Tang dynasty which saw sixteen envoys of circa 200 to 600 people each travelling sent out to study Chinese culture and to acquire Chinese books. One of the most celebrated missions was that by Kibi Makibi who left Japan in 717, spent 17 years in China and returned with books on various subjects. Examples of works imported during this period include the first Chinese pharmacopoeia (Xinxiu Bencao), compiled and imported in the same year (713), or Tang poetry by Li Bai, Wang Wei and Bai Juyi. Towards the end of the Tang Dynasty at the end of the 9th century about half of all Chinese literature was present in Japan including texts of all major Tang poets. In his "Book Catalogue in Japan" compiled from 876 to 884, Fujiwara Sukeyo counts 1,568 Chinese books of the classics, history, philosophy and anthologies located in Japan. Due to the cessation of missions to China in the late 9th century, relatively few Chinese books were imported through the mid and late Heian period.

Hardly any of the early imported manuscripts have survived. An exception is the National Treasure Wang Bo Ji at the Tokyo National Museum which was copied before 690.


 * comment: thousand character classic as known today was not compiled at time of wani!!!!
 * many (?) chinese books were destroyed in china (Burning of books and burying of scholars???), and NT in this list in some cases are the oldest extant manuscripts of the given work (i.e. older than any manuscripts in China)


 * transmission of chinese books to japan has played fundamental role in formation of japanese book culture and intellectual enquiry


 * Japan's initial experience with books was with books in Chinese; reached japan via korean kingdoms at least by the 5th c. and probably by the end of the 4th
 * first mention of imported books is in Nihon Shoki and Kojiki: Wani came to Japan in 285 (or really 406) and brought Analects and Thousand Character Classic with him


 * according to Nihon Shoki over the next couple of hundred years (after wani) there were a number of occasions when gifts of books and teachers reached japan
 * Chinese five classic became well known (?) in Japan from 6th century
 * first Analects then five major classics (Odes, Annals, Rites, Changes, and Spring and Autumn Chronicles) were brought to Japan
 * quotations in Seventeen-article constitution allow identification of 18 Chinese books (known in Japan) at the time of compilation (604): Odes, Rites, Book of Filial Piety, Analects, Tso-chuuan, Han Chronicles, Wen-hsuan anthology, works of chwang tzu and other classical chinese writers


 * Sui+Tang dynasties was the first high tide in history of distributing ancient Chinese books to the east
 * four envoys to Sui China with the task to study chinese culture and to acquire chinese books; in tang dynasty number of envoys/missions increased dramatically (During the period of the 264 years from 630 to 894 A.D., the Japanese government sent their ambassadorial groups to the Tang Dynasty sixteen times in groups of from 200–300 people or 500–600 people each time.)
 * through the 7th and 8th c. books reached japan together with continental people settling in Japan (who were often literate) and via official missions to the Sui and Tang courts


 * initially (probably until early 8th c.) accumulation of books remained passive (by chance); earliest known bookbuyer reached tang court in 717


 * One of the significant marks of the prosperous Tang Dynasty (618–906 A.D.) is the influence of Chinese culture upon neighboring countries and the formation of the “Chinese Culture Circle.
 * most celebrated mission was Kibi Makibi's who left Japan in 717 to spend 17 years in China and return with books on many subjects
 * Tang Poetry was also brought to Japan in the prime Tang Dynasty, such as the poems by Li Bai, Wang Wei and Bai Juyi
 * most influential tang poet in japan was Bai Juyi; copy of his collected works was imported ca. 838
 * example: first Chinese pharmacopoeia “Xin Xiu Bencao (浙修武禾New Rised Book of Medical Herbs)” was compiled and completed in 713 A.D. and there was a manual copy in Japan at the same year.
 * the Japanese government set up an (Institute of Copying Chinese Classical Books" (in Nara p.?)


 * according to Fujiwara Sukeyo's "Witness Book Catalogues in Present Dynasty" (AKA "Book Catalogue in Japan") compiled from 876 to 884 A.D, there were 1,568 Chinese books of the classics, history, philosophy and collected works located in Japan at the time
 * according to the chinese scholar Yan Shaodang, one half of all chinese literature was in japan in the 9th c.
 * texts of all major tang poets were available in heian japan
 * cessation of missions in 9th century until end of heian p. -> little import of chinese books


 * hardly any of the early many imported Chinese manuscripts have survived, one exception being: Wang Bo Ji (NT at TNM, copied before 690, with ownership seal of Kofukuji from nara p.)
 * extensive imports so that works lost in china (e.g. destroyed in buddhist persecution) had survived in japan and were subsequently re-exported to china

Due to the large size of the imports, some of the works were re-exported to China after they were lost there. Hardly any of the early imported manuscripts have survived. An exception is the National Treasure Wang Bo Ji at the Tokyo National Museum which was copied before 690.

Japanese manuscripts
Until the Heian period, Classical Chinese was the language of government and ritual with decrees, codes, commands, communications and certificates all composed in Chinese. Consequently Chinese books were essential for the education of the (male) aristocracy and starting readers studied books such as the Mencius or the Thousand Character Classic. In order to prepare selected sons of the nobility for a career in government, Emperor Tenji established the Daigaku-ryō ("Academy") towards the end of the 7th century. The curriculum initially consisted mainly of Confucian Classics and Chinese history Chinese learning thrived in the 9th century and the Academy's curriculum saw a rise in literary composition based on the Chinese books Wen Xuan, Records of the Grand Historian and the Books of Han and Later Han. Unlike in China at the time, Classical Confucian studies, especially the historical and political side of Confucianism, were still held in high esteem in the Heian period with commentaries used for study dating to the Han Dynasty. In fact, one of the Japanese emperor's prescribed activities was listening to lectures on the Chinese classics, histories, and poetic anthologies.

Chinese books had reached Japan since ca. 400 AD and had been imported in large quantities through a number of missions during the Sui and Tang Dynasties. Official missions ended after 894, but books continued to reach Japan in the mid to late Heian period through commercial exchange or via priests travelling to China. Imported Chinese books were copied at Japanese libraries, but unlike for sutra copying little is known about the actual copying process of Chinese secular works in Japan. The Japanese aristocracy and clergy sponsored the transcription of religious and government texts on a large scale by the Nara period.

The first state library was the Zusho-ryō ("Bureau of Archives") established by the Taihō Code from 701. It was attached to the Daigaku-ryō and in charge of the custody (collection and preservation) and transmission of Buddhist and Confucian books from the Nara to its destruction by fire in the mid-Heain period (11th century). Collection depended largely on the copying of texts held elsewhere. In addition to the Zusho-ryō, books were also copied at imperial palace libraries, private libraries of aristocrats, temple libraries and at libraries of organs of the state. In the Heian period, the majority of works held in libraries (both those produced in China and those copied in Japan) consisted of Chinese works and scholarly collections were dominated by Chinese secular works. At the end of the Heian period, the great fire of Kyoto in 1177 and the burning of temples by the Taira in 1180 destroyed a large part of the literary heritage. New libraries such as the Kanazawa Bunko were founded by the warrior class in the Kamakura period.


 * daigaku
 * Daigaku-ryo (=Academy) attached to the Ministry of Ceremonial, the branch of government in charge of evaluating candidates for office; was probably founded at Otsu in the time of Emperor Tenji
 * at start of 8th c. Academy provided instructions in Chinese classics
 * The ninth century saw the rise of the curriculum in letters (monjddo) to the highest status and prosperity. The subject of this curriculum was the art of elegant literary composition, its textbooks Wen hsuan and three historiesthose of the Records of the Historian and of the Former and Later Han.
 * Wen Xuan was standard item on reading lists for academy examinations
 * daigakuryo established by emperor tenji towards end of 7th c. as training school for selected sons of nobility for careers in government service
 * curriculum consisted mainly of confucian classics and chinese history (also medicine, astronomy, mathematics, music)


 * libraries
 * zushoryou
 * produced chronicles, housed historical records and collected buddhist and confucian literature
 * zushoryou probably copied mainly buddhist texts and sinological texts for educational use
 * zushoryou (bureau of archives) established in 701 by Taihō Code was in charge of custody and transmission of texts in nara and heian periods
 * the Japanese government set up “An Institute of Copying Chinese Classical Books.” Many of the handwritten copies are still well preserved today
 * lawcodes promulgated in 702 established first state library (Zushoryou) and also the daigaku-ryo
 * zushoryou was responsible for both collection and preservation of buddhist and confucian books; collection depended largely on copying of texts held elsewhere
 * z. ceased to exist in 11th c. (destroyed by fire)


 * other libraries
 * by nara period japanese aristocracy and clergy sponsored transcription of religious texts and governmental documents on large scale
 * in heian p. in addition to z. also imperial libraries, private libraries of aristocrats
 * in addition to z. several organs of state had own libraries in which copies were made of items held elsewhere; main of these repositories destroyed in 1226, others earlier
 * also palace had its own libraries where copies of books held elsewhere were produced
 * in heian p. majority of works in libraries (both temples and scholarly) were chinese works (either produced in china or copies made in japan); scholarly collections were dominated by chinese secular works
 * in kamakura p. warrior class established libraries, most famous being kanazawa bunko


 * destruction by fire etc
 * kyoto fire of 1177 and wanton destruction of temples by taira in 1180 destroyed a large part of nara/heian cultural production
 * z. suffered fires in 833, 1027 and a great fire in 1177


 * chinese books among aristocracy
 * Chinese was language of state documents
 * (in heian p.) Chinese language was basis of government and ritual: memorials, decrees, codes, administrative regulations, ordinances, commands, communications, certificates all in chiense


 * in heian p. classical confucian studies were still regarded as of great importance (unlike in china), especially historical and political side of confucianism; commentaries to be used for study were those from Han Dynasty (not recent); -> Classic of Filial Piety was widely read but Analects study almost abandoned
 * essential texts for starting readers in heian period (e.g. upper class boys at age 6): Mencius, Thousand Character Classic and Baiyong/Hundred Compositions


 * chinese books were essential for the education of male aristocracy
 * One of the emperor's prescribed activities was to hear lectures on the Chinese classics, histories, and poetic anthologies; Lectures were also held in the regent's mansion
 * chinese learning thrived particularly in 9th c.
 * after 894 (?) end of official missions (mission planned for 894 was abandoned); in mid to late heian period (commercial exchange increased by end of heian p.) basically only priests travelled to china; but contact existed through private commerce and missions from the Po-hai kingdom

NT
23 NT of ??? (watch out for commentaries, which could be separate works!) works

Records of the Grand Historian (史記 shiki) x 5

 * original: by Sima Qian, written 109 BC to 91 BC
 * type: historical chronicle

Spring and Autumn Annals annotated (春秋経伝集解 Shunjū keiden shikkai) x 3; also chinese manuscript NT

 * original: ???
 * type: (commentary on) historical chronicle

Book of Han (漢書 kanjo) x 2

 * original: by Ban Biao, Ban Gu, and Ban Zhao, completed ca. 111 CE
 * type: historical chronicle

Book of Odes commentary (毛詩鄭箋残巻 mōshi teisen) x 1

 * type: (commentary) on collection of poems and songs

Wenguan cilin (文館詞林 Bunkan shirin) x 2

 * type: poetry collection


 * lost in china but preserved in japan since early 9th c.

Anthology of Tang Dynasty Poems (新撰類林抄 shinsen ruirin-shō x 1

 * original: by unknown, probably Tang Dynasty
 * type: poetry anthology
 * 

Annotated edition of Wen Xuan (文選集注 monsen shicchū) x 2

 * type: (annotation to) poetry collection

Yupian (玉篇 gyokuhen) x 1; also Chinese manuscript NT

 * original: by Gu Yewang (顧野王; Ku Yeh-wang; 519-581); compiled ca. 543 CE
 * type: dictionary

Kanen (翰苑) x 1

 * original: written/compiled in Tang dynasty 660, by 張楚金 (Chōsokin)
 * type: Book by category
 * 


 * annotations by 雍公叡 (Yōkōei)
 * only extant old manuscript of this work
 * lost in china

Ryōkyō shinki (両京新記); Chi. Liangling xinji; = "New book of the two capitals" x 1

 * original by Wei Shu (韋述) in 722
 * type: historical chronicle?
 * account of the life at the palace/government offices/monks quarters/temples/residences in the capitals Luoyang and Chang'an

Book of politics (群書治要 gunsho chiyō) x 1

 * original: by Wei Jen (on order of emperor taizong), 631
 * type: digest on statecraft


 * see remarks
 * also read by Emperor Ninmyō and considered extremely important book by later Jap. emperors

Chōgyokushū (琱玉集) x 1

 * original: ??
 * type: encylopedia of ancient legends
 * 

Newly Revised Pharmacopoeia (新修本草 Shinshū honzō) x 1

 * original: compiled and completed in 713
 * type: botanical compilation, Pharmacopoeia

Huangdi Neijing (黄帝内経 kōteidaikei) x 1

 * original: by unknown, compilation date unknown according to several theories around 1st to 4th c. CE
 * type: medical text

Chinese manuscripts

 * ,

NT

 * 20 NT of ??? works

Spring and Autumn Annals annotated (春秋経伝集解 Shunjū keiden shikkai) x 1; also japanese manuscript NT

 * original: ???
 * type: (commentary on) historical chronicle

Book of Han (漢書 kanjo) x 1

 * original: by Ban Biao, Ban Gu, and Ban Zhao, completed ca. 111 CE
 * type: historical chronicle

Classic of Rites annotated edition (礼記子本疏義 raiki shihonsogi) x 1

 * original: Confucius and later editing and rework; 551-479BC and Han Dynasty (206-220CE) for the editing
 * type: Confucian text

Mao Shi (毛詩 mōshi) or Book of Odes x 1

 * original: ??
 * type: collection of poems and songs


 * 

Old-Script Document of Antiquities (Guwen Shangshu) (古文尚書 kobun shōsho), i.e. Book of History x 2

 * original: **
 * type: historical records

Wang Bo collection (王勃集 Ōbotsu-shū) x 2

 * original: unknown; ca. 676-690
 * type: collected writings (of Wang Bo), both poetry and prose


 * oldest extant copy of 30 vol. work
 * this manuscript from before 690

Anthology of Emperor Huizong of Song (徽宗文集序 Kisō bunshūjo) x 1

 * original (=NT manuscript?!): 1154, preface by Emperor Gaozong (in own handwriting)
 * type: poetry anthology


 * 

Kanrin gakushi shishū (翰林学士詩集) x 1

 * original:?
 * type: poetry collection
 * 60 four and five character verses (shigonshi/gogonshi) by great calligraphers working under Emperor Taizong of Tang: Chu Suiliang, Ouyang Xun, Yu Shinan
 * ="Poetry anthology of members of the Hanlin Academy"

D Yupian (玉篇 gyokuhen) x 3; also Chinese manuscript NT

 * original: by Gu Yewang (顧野王; Ku Yeh-wang; 519-581); compiled ca. 543 CE
 * type: dictionary


 * representative character dictionary of ancient chinese period
 * total: 30 vols.
 * destroyed/lost early in china
 * in total 7 scrolls remain, many of them as fragments
 * only extant complete volumes are vols. 22 (Japanese manuscript NT at Ise Shrine) and 27 (Chinese manuscripts NT at Kozanji/Ishiyamadera)

Shuowen Jiezi (説文木部残巻 setsumon mokubu zankan) x 1

 * original: Xu Shen, 2nd century
 * type; dictionary


 * see remarks column and Shuowen Jiezi

Shishuo Xinshu (New Account of Tales of the World) (世説新書 sesetsu shingo) x 4

 * original: compiled by Liu Yiqing (403-444) during the Song (420-479), one of the Southern dynasties of the Six Dynasties period (220-589), and later annotated by Liu Xiaobiao during the Liang dynasty (502-557
 * type: collection of anecdotes


 * see remarks column

D Meihōki (冥報記), Mingbao-ji x 1

 * original: by Tang Lin (唐臨); mid 7th c.
 * type: collection of Chinese Buddhist setsuwa


 * topic: karma/reward or punishment for one's past behaviour
 * distributed widely but lost in China
 * oldest extant manuscript of the meihoki
 * thought to have been brought to Japan by Engyō (円行), a pupil of kukai, in 838
 * one of two chinese collections that the Nihon Ryōiki was modelled on

D "Elegant Orchid" in the Jieshi Tuning (Jieshidiao Youlan) (碣石調幽蘭 kessekichōyūran) x 1

 * original: attributed to Qiugong; end of the Liang era (502-557)
 * type: music score for guqin


 * lost in china
 * see remarks column