Title: Mokuhan he, or Kyōgire (Ancient Sutra Fragments), Circa 1100-1600. A Collection of 16 Early Printed Leaves from Japan and China, with Heian and Possible Song Fragments
Author: Attributed to Shinsui Zenkoji Temple; Famen Temple; Baoshan Temple; Shinko-ji Temple
Condition: Very Good
A collection of 16 printed leaves, dating from the Heian and Song to Early Edo and Qing Period or 12th to 17th century, which I’ve dubbed Mokuhan he, or Kyōgire, also known as Ancient Sutra Fragments.
As entailed, these leaves are surviving sections from a various collection of sutras fascicles, including the Sutra of Immeasurable Life, The Lotus Sutra, and others. The printing sources are various, but some identified examples seem to come from Shinsui Zenkoji Temple and Shinko-ji Temple in Japan, but also Baoshan Temple and Famen Temple in China.
Most of the fragments are from Japan, likely from Kasuga-Ban editions of sutras, but several are certainly more likely of Chinese origin, and each one has been produced on fine paper, with a number (most likely the Japanese ones) being treated with mica dust. On their own, each piece is an interesting piece of Medieval Japanese history and Buddhism, and as a collection they make an astounding series of materials for study and further preservation.
Each printed sutra fragment has been loosely mounted onto a modern cardboard sheet, with an early title slip for a number of them.
Sixteen woodblock print sutras fragments, 17 x 12.5 cm smallest to 16.1 x 9.9 cm largest
These fragments are in very good shape, with minor staining and worm tracks to some of them, and two fragments more heavily worn or wormed with slight character loss.