1906. THE HISTORY OF JAPAN TOGETHER WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE KINGDOM OF SIAM 16

KAEMPFER, Englebert.

Beschreibung

Glasgow 1906, MacLehose. Red decorated cloth, very good copy 3 vol., 336+396+385p., 162 maps, illustrations, many folding small margin stain last few page edges,text clean,solid copy untrimmed, reprint of London 1727, 15 x 22 cm., tops gilt. A reduced size, but exact and complete reprint of the First edition, published 1727 by J.G. Scheuchzer. . The 2nd. edition in 1778 was improved containing a second index, & a 75-page appendix on the Natural History of the Japanese tea, with accurate description of that plant, its culture, growth, preparation and uses. Also of the paper manufacture of the Japanese. Of the Cure of the Cholick [sic] by the acupuncture, or needle-pricking as it is used by the Japanese. An account of Moxa, an excellent caustic of the Chinese and Japanese, showing how & where to insert the needles & where to burn. In all, the original had 45 finely engraved copper plates and maps, with early illustrations on Japanese tea plants, herb logy & acupuncture adorn this work. * SUBTITLE: Giving an Account of the Ancient and Present State of government of that Empire, of its Temples, Palaces.of the chronology & Succession of the Emperors.Together with a Description of the Kingdom of Siam.Kaempfer [1651-1716] was a German doctor with a passion for traveling. He went to Nagasaki in 1690-91. His work covers Japanese history & a very reliable & lucid description of the political, social & physical state of the country in the 17th century. * For upwards of 100 years this work remained the chief source of reliable and primary information for the rest of the world. Kaempfer was essentially stationed in Nagasaki harbor on the prison-like island of Dejima, the entrance of which was controlled by the Japanese. There he performed his medical duties as Dutch East India Company physician. Once a year, a representative of the Company was allowed to go to Edo under very strict military guard, to be observed by the Shogun. The entourage went by way of Nagasaki to Kokura, Osaka, Miaco [Kyoto], Fammamatz [Hamamatsu], to Edo, basically up the Tokaido highway. Kaempfer was sent to the Shogun's palace in Edo he was ordered to dance, sing & eat while being scrutinized by the Shogun who shielded himself behind a Sudare or bamboo curtain. The Shogun secretly watched the Oranda-jin [a Dutchman]. Kaempfer was a very open & free-thinking educated man, who was also an intellectual. The Shogun took to him & granted the favor of free travel throughout Japan, unheard of during this period of Japan's & fear of Westerners and isolation to the rest of the world. The Dutch were allowed just so many vessels to visit annually & trade with their "window to the world" at Dejima. Nagasaki became a gathering place for curious Japanese, as well as would-be Ran-gaku-sha [Japanese Scholars of Dutch Learning] who studied science, medicine, astronomy, geography, cartography and the Western art of copper plate printing. From this very tiny island "window" Japan's curious intellectuals made a school & began to teach Western style knowledge to an elite Japanese intelligentsia. * WHO WAS DR. ENGELBERT KAEMPFER: Kaempfer was one of the scant few who gave favor to the rise of such Japanese and taught them what he could. This most famous primary resource has been celebrated since its publication as THE single most important book on Japan in the 18th century. Over the past two centuries & a half, this work has maintained its position as one of the three most important books on Japan done in English in the West. Highly collectable and coveted by connoisseurs, historians & librarians renders this a magnificent primary resource with fabulous etchings. The addition of the appendices in 1728 on the Tea Camellia is the first appearance of this in English. Also the first discussion of acupuncture & the use of Moxa [Mogusa] as a medical remedy. The West is still learning about effectiveness of these two medical treatments to this day. Kaempfer's influence on the Japanese is diffic. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 22003507

Bibliografische Details

Titel: 1906. THE HISTORY OF JAPAN TOGETHER WITH A ...