Title: Hogen Heiji Tou Zue (Illustrated Guide to the Hogen and Heiji Battles), 1801. Volumes 2-10, with 163 Full-Page Woodblock Illustrations
Author: Akisato Rito; Nishimura Chuwa
Publisher: Tohto
Condition: Very Good
A Late Edo Period, early 19th Century edition of The Tale of Hogen Heiji, being an illustrated chronicle to the Hogen and Heiji battles, two Heian conflicts. This edition was printed in Kyowa 1 and is lacking the first volume.
The Hogen Rebellion, being fought in 1156, was a brief civil war fought to resolve a dispute regarding Japanese Imperial succession, by Emperor Go-Shirakawa, against the retired Emperor Sutoku, of which Go-Shirakawa won. As for the Heiji Rebellion, it was yet another brief civil war between rival subjects of the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa in 1160, fought in order to resolve a dispute about political power. The battling parties were the Taira clan and the Minamoto clan, the latter of which lost and its leaders banished, though this action was one of many which eventually led to the Genpei War, in which the Minamoto Clan took their eventual victory, the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate under Minamoto no Yoritomo, and the downfall of the Taira Clan was brought about.
Altogether, there are 163 full page woodblock illustrations throughout, many being double page scenes, with depictions of court meetings, massive, scaled battles, looting and plundering, and more.
Nine volumes in quarto (25.2 x 18 cm), 26, 25, 24, 25, 24, 24, 23, 38, 34 leaves
These volumes are in very good shape, with some rubbing and wear to the bindings. There is minor damp staining to the upper right margins of volumes 2 and 4, and very little staining or soiling elsewhere.