Catalogue Of Oriental Manuscripts Xylographs Etc In Danish Collections Catalogue Of Chinese Manuscripts And Rare Books

This two volume selection features 335 Chinese manuscripts and rare books held at the Royal Library in Copenhagen. Designed as a source of reference for scholars working in all aspects of manuscript and rare book studies, the catalog includes over 290 full page illustrations that help identify most of the books and manuscripts listed.

This volume gives a description of 110 Korean manuscripts and rare books, the majority of which belonging to the Royal Library, Copenhagen (another 13 items being part of the Ethnographic Collection of the National Museum of Denmark). Most of the manuscripts and rare books date from the Yi or Chŏson dynasty (1392-1910), the last Korean dynasty. A small part dates from the Japanese occupation (1910-1945) or from the establishment of the Republic of Korea (in 1953). The texts portray a traditional Confucian society and illustrate the interests of Korean scholars and lay people in earlier times. Most of the items in the catalogue are written in Chinese characters, some with Korean reading marks. A smaller number of items are written in Hangul letters. In line with other volumes in the COMDC series, the catalogue is intended to be a reference tool for scholars working on Korean subjects.

This unique work catalogues the Yao holdings of the Royal Library, Copenhagen. Originating in northern China but found today in southwestern China, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand, the various Yao subgroups speak various Miao-Yao languages but continue to write their texts in the Chinese language with Chinese characters. To a large intent, they have maintained traditional Chinese social values and the Daoist religion. The catalogue describes 37 Yao texts, all written in Chinese and mainly dealing with traditional Chinese religion and social life. Dating from the 18th to early 20th centuries, the manuscripts include Chinese characters special to the Yao. Designed especially as an essential source of reference for scholars working in all aspects of manuscript and rare book studies, the catalogue includes 48 illustrations (many in color) that help identify this material.

This catalogue explores the entire collection of early Japanese woodblock-printed books, maps and single-sheet prints held in the Royal Library, Copenhagen, these appearing for the first time in print. The collection spans the whole of the Edo period (1603-1867). Items from the latter part of the Edo period are best represented with many literary genres including Japanese editions of Chinese classical works. The woodblock-printed books and single-sheet prints of the Meiji period (1868-1912) are also included. The catalogue comprises 152 entries covering multi-volume works and series of woodblock prints and provides both concise bibliographical data and additional material gathered from various sources. It furthermore provides reproductions of pages of each of the books and a representative selection of the woodblock prints for a visual appreciation of the works. The introduction outlines the history of the collection, identifying some of the more important items and explains the bibliographical principles on which the catalogue has been compiled. Indexes and a comprehensive list of references are also included.