Treasures of the Shosoin.

Umschlag berieben und besto�n, Pappschuber besto�n, sonst gutes Exemplar. - The eighth Century in Japan was the time when Buddhism thrived under strong national protection, and when Tang culture, imported through frequent communication with China, was eagerly absorbed, thus creating a golden age of Buddhist art. The making of the Great Buddha, the colossal bronze statue of Vairocana Buddha at the Todaiji Temple in Nara, was a grand cultural achievement of the time performed by the Emperor Shomu. The Shosoin is a treasure repository housing personal objects of the Emperor used during his lifetime, which were dedicated to the Great Buddha in A.D. 756 and 758 after his death by his Consort, the Empress Dowager Komyo, as well as articles used at various rituals observed at the temple for the Great Buddha. The Repository has therefore been preserved carefully under Imperial Seals and has survived intact through twelve centuries. The treasures in it are rich in quality and variety, excellent in designs and tech-niques, and very well preserved. Thanks to the existence of this Repository, the brilliant Japanese culture of the Nara Period can be visualized vividly, and the past glory of T�ang China and other Eastern countries is also imaginable. It, thus, is an invaluable treasure house, not only of Japan but of the entire world. It is indeed fortunate that the Repository, housing the most beautiful flowers of Eastern art, has survived in this island country isolated in the Far East. The value of the Repository lies not in its existence but in its being effectively used. The highly advanced designs and techniques shown by the Shosoin Treasures are well worth being utilized in the present and future ; we may even say that the spirit of beauty lying behind them will inspire future art with fresh vigour. The Shosoin Treasures, however, are still now kept under strict custody and are not freely acces-sible. Even when a part of them is shown to the public for about two weeks, in principle annually for the time being, it is not possible for visitors to examine them in detail. The present volume brings these glorious treasures to the reader�s desk for his close personal study, laden with reminiscence of the past and hope for the future. It is almost miraculous that the Shosoin Repository should have survived twelve centuries in our precarious world. The treasures housed in the Repository display the best of decorative arts of the eighth century, and range over various kinds for use in various aspects of religious and secular life. They enable us to envisage the highly civilized life in the Nara Period, and provide us with a key to lead us into old Eastern culture, particularly of the eighth century. In view of this significance of the Shosoin collection, the editors of this volume have adopted the novel system of classifying the treasures into twelve categories according to purposes, namely (1) dedicatory records, (2) articles relating to music and dance, (3) Buddhist pictures and ritual objects, (4) articles relating to annual functions, (5) pastime articles, (6) stationery and writings, (7) arms, (8) personal ornaments, (9) interior furnishings, (10) food and liquid receptacles, (11) medicines and medicinal articles, and (12) textiles. Selected in it are 100 odd articles which have been photographed over many years of diligent work and have been reproduced with precision. They sufficiently represent the entire aspect of the collection, and each is a source of artistic enjoyment and new inspiration. They are precious heritages from our ancestors, and gifts from the goddess of the arts. The treasures which have survived the long centuries will through this volume become widely accessible to offer lasting artistic entertainment. Just as grasses buried under snow bud forth and grow rapidly in spring, so the brilliant light of these treasures will find its way quickly and widely into the world.