Comparative Studies on Various Editions of “Kokon Hoi”

Abstract

The “Kokon Hoi” was compiled by Koga Tsugen and was the most widely used formulary in the Edo era. Here are the results of this author's examination of various “Kokon Hoi” editions.
1) Koga Tsugen received the source book of “Kokon Hoi” from the publisher Umemura, and compiled “Sanpo Kokon Hoi”.
2) The original edition of “Kokon Hoi” was published by Umemura in around1692. This edition was a lengthwise book and contained 1263 prescriptions, which is the fewest of all the editions examined here.
3) Umemura published an expanded edition of the original “Kokon Hoi” around1696. This was an oblong book, and included almost all of the prescriptions of the original “Kokon Hoi” with an additional 273 prescriptions.
4) At the request of Umemura, Koga Tsugen published “Sanpo Kokon Hoi” with an additional 348 prescriptions in 1733, and subsequently, “Jutei Kokon Hoi” with an additional 43 prescriptions in 1747. “Jutei Kokon Hoi” was then reprinted in the years 1780, 1808 and 1862.