Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IX.djvu/584

564 death in 1843. The Gioku Sekizasshi (1843), and its supplement (1848), in 20 volumes, by Kurihara Nobumitsu, contain much antiquarian information not to be found elsewhere. The Shiuko Jisshiu is a magnificent collection of engravings of antique objects, in 80 folio volumes, arranged under the following headings: copper utensils, seals, inkstones, musical instruments, armor, saddlery, swords, bows and arrows, flags, inscriptions on bells and on tombstones, pictures, and autographs. The Shincho (6 vols.), Monshiu, Kanzen Yawa (5 vols.), and Inaka Chawa (5 vols.) are collections of modern tales. The Sozan Chomon Kishiu is a work on ordinary Japanese superstitions. The Honcho Rigen (10 vols., 1714), by Izawa Nagahide, and Kotowaza-gusa (7 vols., 1700), by Kaibara Koki, are collections of proverbs and common sayings, with explanations and derivations. The Wajishi and Kanjishi (6 vols.), by Kaibara Koko (1697), are works of reference for the introduction of inventions, the origin of customs, &c., in Japan and China respectively. The Zokusetsu-ben (1715–'22), by Izawa Nagahide, which with its supplements extends to 51 volumes, is a work on popular errors with respect to mikados, princes, nobles, samurai, women, priests, modern times, houses, topography, persons, offices, arts and accomplishments, books, utensils, music, pictures, seasons of the year, Buddhism, plants and trees, animals, fishes, and insects. Most worthy also of notice is the collection of rare books formed by Hanawa Hokiichi (1746–1821), containing 636 separate works in 530 volumes. These consist of works connected with the Shinto religion (28), history of the mikados (15), appointments of officials (16), genealogies (4), biographies (6), offices (5), laws (4), court ceremonies (35), costumes (10), prose (16), letters (8), Japanese poetry (16), romances (13), diaries (7), travels (14), music (12), foot ball (3), hawking (2), games (6), eating and drinking (5), wars (30), history of the military class (25), Buddhism (21), and miscellaneous (84). Hanawa restricted his labors to works of not over three books each. Thirty years were occupied in collating manuscripts and in the engraving of the blocks, which number about 40,000, and the cost was over $10,000. In addition to the collections already printed, he got together about as many more books, making a total of about 1,300. So great a work was perhaps never achieved before by any private individual, under similar circumstances. He was blind from infancy.—The history of Japanese literature may be divided into four periods. The first will commence far back in the age which preceded the introduction of Chinese literature and writing, and extend down to the end of the 9th century A. D. During this period the only purely Japanese literature consisted of poetry and sacred liturgies, the Chinese language being adopted as the vehicle of all other forms. The beginning of the second period is marked by the preface to the Kokinshiu, and ends with the later romances, extending thus from the early years of the 10th to the end of the 13th century. This is the age of classical prose. The Tsuredzure-gusa, though composed in the 14th century after earlier models, belongs properly to this period. Up to this time learning was confined to the immediate vicinity of the court. During the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries the domination of the military class put an effectual stop to its cultivation except by a few priests. This was the dark age of Japan. With the 17th century begins the fourth and modern period of general culture, inaugurated by Iyeyasu, the first of the Tokugawa shoguns, who, after firmly establishing the power of his family, and reducing the other military chiefs to the position of vassals, devoted his later years to collecting manuscripts. Though the art of printing seems to have been introduced in the 13th century, it had not yet been turned to much use, and the rapid multiplication of books by its aid dates from his time. Chinese literature began to be ardently cultivated by a succession of scholars, of whom Hayashi Kazan (also called Doshin, 1583–1657) and Ishikawa Jozan (1583–1672) were the earliest. Among their successors the most distinguished were Hayashi Shunsa (1618–'80), Hayashi Shuntoku (1624–'61), Nakaye Tojiu (1608–'48), Yamazaki Ansai (1618–'82), who under his other name of Suiga is known as the founder of a separate school of Shinto, Kumazawa Banzan (1619–'91), Ito Jinsai (1627–1705), Nakamura Tekisai (1629–1702), Kaibara Tokushin (1630–1714), Arai Hakuseki (1657–1725), Ogiu Sorai (1666–1728), Miwa Shissai (1669–1744), Ito Togai (1670–1736), Dazai Shuntai (1680–1747), Hattori Nankuaku (1683–1759), Ando Toyu (1683–1719), Yamagata Shiunan (1687–1752), Hirano Kinkua (1688–1732), Usami Junsui (1710–'76), and Rai Sanyo (1780–1832). These writers all belong to the class called jiusha, or Chinese scholars, but they also wrote in the Japanese language. Arai Hakuseki's Tokushi-Yoron, Toga, Goji-riaku, Koshi-tsu, Seiyo Kibun, Sairan Igen, and Seiyo Dzusetsu, Sorai's Seidan and Keizai-ron, and Dazai's Keizai-roku, are all works of great merit in the vernacular. Sorai also did great service by translating Chinese standard works, not the least important of which is the penal code of the Ming dynasty. About the same time the ancient literature of Japan began to be studied with great attention by men who received little countenance and encouragement from the shoguns. The leaders in this movement were the priest Keichiu (1640–1701), Shimokawabe Choriu (1622–'84), and Kadano Adzumamaro (1669–1736), the last of whom may be fairly regarded as the founder of the modern school of pure Shinto. Keichiu is the first who made any real progress in interpreting the ancient poems of the Manyoshiu, but he made no original contributions to the literature of his country. To these men succeeded Kamo no Mabuchi, whose commentaries on