Chie no Hakari (The Scales of Wisdom)

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Chie no Hakari ["The Scales of Wisdom"]

Mantei, Ōga [text by]; Seisei [Kawanabe], Kyōsai [illustrated by]. 

Tōkyō: Kobayashi [Tsuruya] Kiemon ... [et al.], Meiji 7 [1874].

A set of three Kyōsai-Ōga zasshi issues, complete, on the perceived superiority of (Western) academic knowledge and the true superiority of the wisdom earned in labour-based work. M. William Steele (2010) records that in the work "a village chief installs a set of scales in his village in order to measure intelligence; scholars (gakusha), however, are found to be lacking in wisdom whereas farmers and merchants have it in abundance". The Kyōsai-Ōga zasshi Baka no Daimyōyaku (1874-1879) carried a similar message. This Kyōsai-Ōga zasshi is one of several jointly published by the well-known hanmoto Tsuruya Kiemon (Senkadō). A fourth issue is advertised in the back matter of the third, but it appears this issue was never published. 

Three karitoji-bound volumes, complete, on double leaves, traditional East Asian binding style (fukurotoji). Browning, occasional creases, minor stains, and light foxing to leaves and original wrappers. Kaisei-in seals to upper wrappers. Sticker removal to frontispiece of issue 1. Very light continuous stain to leaves of issue 3. Previous binding holes present. 8; 8; 8 leaves. 22.2 x 14.8 cm.

❧ Steele, M. William. "Meiji Twitterings: A Parody of Fukuzawa's An Encouragement of Learning". Ajia Bunka Kenkyū 18 (2010), 55-77.  

Chie no Hakari (The Scales of Wisdom)
Price: $2,500.00 (USD)