A RARE JAPANESE WOODBLOCK PRINTED BOOK BY HAYASHI SHIHEI (1783 - 1793).

Sangoku tsuran zusetsu (Illustrated survey of the three country), 1 vol, printed in black and white, an embossed cream coloured covers with green printed title-slip, preface 3 pp. signed by Katsurakawa Hoshu Kuniakira, dated Temnei 6 (1786), text 51 pp. including an introduction signed by Hayashi Shihei, dated Tenmei 5 (1785), 5 double-page, 22 single page illustrations of custom and costume of the Ainu people, a colophon giving the publisher's name, Suharaya Ichibei dated Temmei 6 (1786), 27 X 18.5cm.

Provenance: S. Oliver collection

林子平　三国通覧図説　版本

During his life time, Hayashi’s work was considered controversial as it was opposed the opinion to the government. He criticised the shogunate’s sakoku (national isolation) policy and pointed to a need for Japan’s coastal defence against the Russian and other countries in his self-printed book ‘Kaikoku Heiden’. This led to his books being seized and the printing blocks were destroyed, however, the work circulated secretly in manuscript form. Sangoku tsuranzusetusis the first book to define the Japanese borders with the neighbouring countries Ezo (Hokkaido), Ryukyu (Okinawa) and Chosen (Korea), and was accompanied by five maps.
A copy of this book was eventually brought to Europe by Issac Titsingh, a senior official of the Dutch East India Company, in 1796 and later translated into French. Hayashi died under the house arrest two years after his books was banned.