Volume 2 of "Collection of Japanese Poems Ancient and Modern" (Gen'ei-Era Version)

The Collection of Japanese Poems Ancient and Modern was compiled during the Heian period. It is the earliest example of Japanese poetry anthologies commissioned by emperors. Only transcripts of the original have survived to the present day. This extremely valuable work is the oldest extant copy and it was passed down in more-or-less its original form. It comprises two books bound together with string. It is named the “Gen'ei era version” after an inscription at the end of the first book, which dates the work to the 24th day of the 7th month of Gen'ei 3, or 1120 in the Western calendar. The Gen'ei-era version is characterized by its resplendent paper. Each double-page spread alternates between paper with printed patterns and paper decorated with small pieces of cut gold and silver foil. The patterns are also richly varied, while the writing style and positioning changes artfully over each double-page spread. The writer is thought to be Fujiwara no Sadazane, great-grandson of the renowned calligrapher Fujiwara no Kozei. The Japanese kana script was established at the start of the Heian period. As kana calligraphy became more refined and beautiful during the late Heian period, writing paper also becoming more lavish, as this epitome of Japan's elegant court culture shows.

Almost in its original state, this booklet is from the oldest extant complete set of transcriptions of a classical poetry anthology. Copied on exquisite Chinese-style paper made in Japan, the calligraphy is attributed to Sadazane, a great-grandson of the renowned calligrapher Fujiwara no Kōzei. Members of the imperial family and nobility composed poetry called [waka] to express their cultural refinement. Published in the early 900s, the [Collection of Japanese Poems Ancient and Modern] was Japan’s first imperial collection of [waka] poetry. While the original version no longer exists, the Museum holds the oldest complete copy, created in two volumes in the 1100s. Volume two is displayed here. The paper is painstakingly decorated, suggesting that this copy was a luxury gift from one noble to another. It is coated with a pigment made from powdered seashells and embellished with patterns using stencils and mica dust. Scholars believe that the poetry was transcribed by the nobleman and master calligrapher Fujiwara no Sadazane (before 1077–after 1119), whose flowing script contrasts beautifully with the decorated paper.

— Museum description: Tokyo National Museum (CC BY 4.0), via ColBase / Japan Search.