Japanese Works : Zenrin kokuhō kōki

Japanese Works

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Zenrin kokuhō kōki 善隣国宝後記 is a collection of diplomatic and religious documents produced by Japanese rulers, for communication with the neighbouring countries, China and Korea. It was the continuation of the more well-known Zenrin kokuhōki 善隣国宝記. Zoku zenrin kokuhōki 続善隣国宝記 is itself a continuation of Zenrin kokuhōki. Both were compiled by the same author, Gentō 原棟 (a Buddhist priest). Although some have conflated these two books, Zenrin kokuhō kōki is actually different from Zoku zenrin kokuhōki.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Gunsho ruijū 群書類従 is a large collection of Japanese classics in literature and history which consists of 1,270 titles compiled by the blind scholar Hanawa Hokiichi (1746−1821) and its first series was completed in 1819. The continuing series was titled Zoku gunsho ruijū 続群書類従 and was published by Hanawa Hokiichi's followers. Zenrin kokuhō kōki was planned to be included in Zoku gunsho ruijū, but it was not published until 1972, because a copy prepared for printing had been missing. In 1972, Zenrin kokuhō kōki was published as a gleaning volume of Zoku gunsho ruijū (続群書類従 拾遺部). It seems to us that our copy of Zenrin kokuhō kōki could be a missing copy intended for Zoku gunsho ruijū. Originally our copy was planned to be included in Zoku gunsho ruijū as Zoku zenrin kokuhōki, but our copy was then realised to be different from Zoku zenrin kokuhōki and its title was changed to Zenrin kokuhō kōki accordingly.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The correction of the external title, Zoku zenrin kokuhōki to Zenrin kokuhō kōki and the ex-libris stamp, Wagaku Kōdansho 和学講談所 suggest that our copy was probably a missing one prepared for Zoku gunsho ruijū.</p>