Taishokan (The Great Woven Cap)

ENQUIRE

Taishokan ["The Great Woven Cap"]

[Creator unidentified].

[Japan: publisher unidentified, ca. early Edo period (1600-1700)?].

The jō (first) volume (presumably of a jōge (two-volume) set) of an illustrated edition of Taishokan, one of the most popular kōwakamai ballad drama pieces of the Edo period. The Library of Congress provides the following description of the story:

"Taishokan is a story loosely based on the life of Fujiwara no Kamatari (614-69), who was a famous court official. In the story, the daughter of Kamatari is married to the emperor of China. When she hears that her father is going to build the main hall of the Kōfuku-ji Temple in Nara, she sends him Mugehōju, a precious crystal with divine powers, as a gift. While a military escort is sailing to Japan with the crystal, dragons attack the ship and the treasure is carried down to the palace of the dragon king at the bottom of the sea. To get the gem back, Kamatari devises a clever plan: he lures the dragon king up to the surface with dazzling music and dance, at the same time sending his concubine, who is an ama (woman diver), to sneak into the dragon's palace and retrieve the crystal."

This volume includes eight pages of illustrations (including one double page spread) that closely resemble those included in the circa Kan'ei 12 (1635) copy held by the National Institute of Japanese Literature and an undated copy in the holdings of Rikatei Bunko in the Ishikawa Prefectural Library. A nice example of an early illustrated printing of this important work of Japanese literature. 

Volume one (of two). One four-hole-bound (yotsumetoji) volumes, complete, on double leaves, traditional East Asian binding style (fukurotoji). Presumed original wrappers heavily worn, soiled, and scraped, losses to lower outer corners. Several marks, large but light stains, and creases internally. Minor losses to lower opening corner of all leaves. 25 leaves. 23 x 16.8 cm.

❧ Taishokan. [Place of publication not identified: publisher not identified, 1600 to 1699] Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021667438/.

❧ Melanie Trede. Image, text and audience: the Taishokan narrative in visual representations of the early modern period in Japan, Peter Lang, 2004. 3631399383. https://ndlsearch.ndl.go.jp/books/R100000136-I1130282270414741632

Taishokan (The Great Woven Cap)
SOLD