Fascinating and feisty women from SOAS Special Collections to celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month 2023. Even after the signing of the 1895 peace treaty marking the end of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95, Taiwanese resistance forces, led by General Liu Yongfu (1837-1917) of the Black Flag Army, continued to attack the occupying Japanese troops. Madam Zhang (in the middle, on a blue horse), wife of Commander-in-chief Sun,
The first edition of this work (abbreviated drawings of birds and beasts), by Kitao Masayoshi (1764-1824) was printed in 1719, but this 1813 edition is still a superb impression (never judge a book by its cover!) A pupil of Kitao Shigemasa, and later Kano Yosen’in Korenobu, Masayoshi worked as an ukiyoe artist under the name Kitao Masayoshi. He then became official painter to the daimyo of Tsuyama and worked in
This week’s blog looks at one of SOAS Library’s most treasured manuscripts, Chōsen shisetsu gyōretsu zukan or Procession of Korean Ambassadors, currently on display at the School’s Brunei Gallery. It also features on an episode of the BBC Antiques Roadshow, hosted from the University of London’s Senate House, which screened on Sunday 22nd October 2017 – part of the School’s Centenary celebrations. This handscroll painting, over 12 metres in length, captures the pageantry surrounding
SOAS Archives has recently hosted two specialist workshops showcasing beautiful examples of Asian art in the collections of rare books and manuscripts held by the section, with a focus on material relating to Japan. The most recent session, pictured here, took place on 4th June, for students taking the SOAS Diploma in Asian Art (Japan and Korea module). A separate session held in April, was for SOAS students taking the
Today we’re highlighting a new transfer to the SOAS Library rare book collection – Kinshūdan (錦繡段) by Ten’in Rytaku, 1422-1500 (龍沢, 1422-1500); SOAS Library Classmark: EF.c.351.c.59 /127896. The work, Kinshūdan, is a Japanese edition, published in Osaka in 1701, of a collection of Chinese poems, originally published in 1483. This work is in Chinese script, with additional notes and kaeriten by Utsunomiya Ton’an, ?1633- ?1707 (宇都宫遯庵, ?1633- ?1707). This
