Title: Ojoyoshu, 1883
Author: Genshin
Condition: Very Good
A Meiji Period and late 19th century edition of the Ojoyoshu, or, The Essentials of Rebirth in the Pure Land, a Buddhist trilogy of texts written by the Japanese monk Genshin, who lived during the tail end of the Heian era. It was considered his most well received work, for the extremely brutal detailing of Hell and the afterlife, and was published several times throughout the centuries, including this Edo era edition.
The three volumes are broken into the following realms: Hell, Hungry Ghosts/Violent Spirits, and Paradise.
There are 12, 9, and 10 half page woodblock print illustrations, with vivid illustrations of torture and suffering in Hell, along with various scenes in the realms of Hungry Ghosts and Paradise. The woodblocks appear to be reduced variations of the full-page woodblock illustrations depicted in 18th and other 19th century editions.
Three volumes in octavo, 22, 22, 26 leaves
These volumes are in very good shape, with minor rubbing and staining to the binding. One of the pastedowns is torn. There is virtually no foxing or staining throughout.