[Veterinary medicine manuscript, 6 volumes].
| Format: | Book |
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| Language: | Japanese |
| Published: |
Japan :
[publisher not identified],
[date of publication not identified]
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| Subjects: |
| Item Description: | Jonathan Hill, bookseller, description: Six manuscripts, on paper, the majority illustrated, written in several fine hands, from the Hachijo school of horsemanship. Many illus. Six vols. Small 4to to small folio, orig. wrappers (see below for more), new stitching. Japan: 1596-1757. Very good to fine condition. The wrappers have been dyed with bitter persimmon juice, a traditional Japanese treatment to make paper water resistant (also used in Japanese paper umbrellas). There is some occasional inoffensive worming and waterstaining. The Hachijo school of equestrianism was one of the most important schools of military horsemanship in Japan, founded in the early 16th century by Fusashige Hachijo, a master of horses. It was a branch of the Ogasawara school which taught horsemanship, archery, and etiquette. Hachijo was born in Musashi province (now Saitama Prefecture). The 16th-century was a particularly tumultuous and warring period in Japan’s history and proper care for their horses — there was a comparative scarcity of horses in Japan — was of paramount importance to the samurai soldiers. This need for healthy military horses triggered a strong demand for horse doctors. These manuscripts are all concerned with veterinary medicine, deliberately kept in manuscript as they contain secret remedies, vital to the success of the mounted samurai. We will describe each volume: Hill description continued: 1st volume: Small 4to (215 x 168 mm.), 13 folding leaves, three double-page & ten full-page brush and ink illus. (some in remarkable color). This volume consists of a series of case histories. Almost each double-page opening contains an illustration and accompanying text describing the horse’s illness, with red dots showing the relevant pressure points, with measurements to specify the locations of the pressure points, for acupuncture or moxibustion. There are comments on which needle to use, how many to use, and from what angle the needles should be inserted. The quality of the horse’s tail is considered as a sign of illness. Some of the illnesses are diseases of the liver, heart, spleen, lung, and kidneys. The Buddhist influence of the five elements predominates in the description of the illnesses of the horse with the anonymous author giving accounts of the five chief internal organs (lung, heart, liver, spleen, and kidney). On one double-page opening, these organs are displayed in their relative position to the spine, all in dramatic color. One of the illustrations shows a horse in great agony, writhing on its back. Another dramatic illustration shows the six intestines, the spine, the legs, and the horse’s skin, all separated from the body. The final seven pages contain pharmaceutical recipes. The year compiled is written: 1592. On the final page we find the word “Hakuraku,” a hero in Chinese mythology, charged by the Emperor to find the perfect horse. It became a synonym in Japanese for a horse veterinarian. The year “1596“ is written next to it. Hill description continued: 2nd volume: Small folio (280 x 160 mm.), 30 folding leaves, 48 black-and-white brush and ink illus. in the text, with red ink dots depicting pressure points for acupuncture and moxibustion. This volume gives a systematic account of 48 horse diseases, with recommended drugs and suggested nourishments. There is a fascinating section on gonorrhea in horses and hemorrhages. We also find sections on broken bones, sweating, skin diseases, liver problems, hip problems, diagnosis by urine, diseases of the eyes, insect infestations, stomach problems, cholera, vomiting, shaking the head uncontrollably, diseases of the mouth and tongue, swollen abdomen, leg problems, nervous diseases, shoulder and hip pain, diseases of the hooves, bleeding, a horse unable to stand (“insert the needles shallow”), etc., etc. On the final leaf, the years 1645 and 1661 are written along with the last name “Nitobe.” Hill description continued: 3rd volume: Small 4to (217 x 166 mm.), 79 folding leaves. This volume contains a series of case histories, arranged seasonally. For example, “in autumn you shouldn’t let the horse eat anything bitter” and “give this particular mixture of hay in summer.” The horse stables must be kept clean. There are accounts of the different kinds of sweat a horse produces with recommendations about what kind of medicines are suitable cures. There are descriptions of the progression of various kinds of illnesses. Consultations from famous veterinarians are given. The final leaf gives the name of the founder of the Hachijo school of horsemanship (“Fusashige Hachijo”) and his title “Omi no kami” (high government official of Omi province in today’s Shiga Prefecture). Several other names are given who are important in the Hachijo school (including “Kuroda” and “Chida”). The year 1656 is written. Hill description continued: 4th volume: Small folio (313 x 200 mm.), 55 folding leaves. This manuscript begins with the signature of “Chida” of the previous manuscript and is largely pharmaceutical. There are sections on intestinal worms and lists of drugs, their constituents and amounts, and their suitable usages: garlic soaked in sake, basil and salt, dried chicken feces, raccoon livers, red peppers, dill, many Chinese herbal medicines, etc. The author describes the upper, middle, and lower six meridians. The final pages describe the pressure points on a horse and their relation to horses’ diseases. At the end we find the year 1669 and the last name of “Fujiwara no kami” (a high government official named Fujiwara), Shinsaku Takahashi, and Nitobe (Nitobe’s name appears in the second manuscript). On the final leaves, a series of secret cures are written (including a roasted head of a dog). Hill description continued: 5th volume: Small folio (325 x 210 mm.), 92 folding leaves, one double-page illus. & 12 illus. in the text. The manuscript starts with a remarkable index on the first eleven pages of 254 diseases of horses. Each disease is described in the ensuing text. The illustrations depict pressure points on the horses with extremely detailed instructions on the correct acupuncture method. Towards the end, there is a full-page image of the anatomy of the horse with the five most important internal organs, with adjacent characters in Sanskrit, along with their corresponding elements: wood, gold, fire, water, and earth. The following full-page illustration depicts the pressure points on the horse, suitable for acupuncture or moxibustion treatments with instructions on how to measure placement of needles. The following illustration depicts the kidneys, liver, and small intestine of the horse, with measurements of their size. Facing this is another full-page illustration of the lungs, large intestines, and spleen of the horse. On the next page, there is a back-view of the horse with the five organs revealed: Liver controls wood, intestines, eyes, muscles, and hooves; Heart controls fire, small intestine, tongue, blood, and the coats of horses; Spleen has influence on earth, stomach, lips, and chest; Lungs controls gold, large intestine, nose, skin, and breath; Kidneys control water, bladder, bones, and teeth. This is followed by seasonal advice. Finally, there is text stating this information was passed from the hakuraku (horse doctor) to the people listed here and that this information is extremely valuable, as valuable as gold. Some of the names include Kawamura, Nitobe, and Chida (these names are mentioned in several of the earlier manuscripts). Three dates are given: 1611, 1670, and 1757. Hill description continued: 6th volume: Small 4to (220 x 165 mm.), 17 leaves. This manuscript is again mostly pharmaceutical: the author recommends a series of substances to cure various illnesses in the horse. Also, the names and locations of the pressure points are given. Various ointments are described and recipes given (chicken livers, sake, the liquid of the grated plum, miso, azuki beans, etc.). On the final leaf, we again find the name of the founder of the Hachijo school of horsemanship (“Fusashige Hachijo“) and his title “Omi no kami.” The names of the succeeding leaders are also given: Tomoshige Hachijo (fl. 1532-55); Takatsugu Ujiie (his title is “Mikawa no kami,” a high government official in Mikawa in today’s Aichi Prefecture); and Takatane Kimibukuro. |
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| Physical Description: | 6 volumes |