[Pocket almanac]. (Heian [Kyōto] : Nakano Sōzaemon, Hōreki
2 [1752])
This
book comes from the Suetsugu collection, held in Rare Books. This large
collection of eighteenth and nineteenth century Japanese books consists
primarily of Japanese editions of Chinese classics and Chinese and Japanese
commentaries on them. The collection, which includes some manuscripts, was the
working library of a traditional Japanese Confucian scholar, maintained and
supplemented over several generations. It was donated to Monash Library by
Captain L.K. Sheperd, who met Mr Susumu Suetsugu of Matsue while in Japan,
initially as an Intelligence Linguist with the British Commonwealth Occupation
Force, from 1947-1956. Much later, following Captain Sheperd’s return to
Australia, he became the recipient of Mr Suetsugu’s collection.
This pocket almanac is dated 1752 and is amongst the
oldest in the collection. It contains information such as the emperor’s family
tree, a calendar, a map of Japan, a catalogue of coins, Chinese poetry and
Japanese poetry. The drawing is of 'Nihon kōzan (Japanese High Mountain)', Mount
Fuji. The text on the facing page lists the rivers and mountains of Japan,
the highest one being Mount Fuji.
