An Analysis of the Manuscript of Kaifūsō in the Yamamoto Dokushoshitsu Collection

Abstract

The manuscript of Kaifūsō 懐風藻 in the Yamamoto Dokushoshitsu Collection has an ink inscription on the back of the front flyleaf that reads “Kyōan Hori sensei shinpitsu” 杏菴堀先生真筆 (true handwriting of Master Kyōan Hori).In this paper, we prove that it is not the handwriting of Hori Kyōan (1585–1643). In fact, it is a transcription of Kaifūsō from the edition published in the second year of Hōei (1705). To this was added a false postscript with, at its end, a false signature of “Shōi,” the real name of Hori Kyōan: “Kō’ei Gan Nen Okugaki Shōi” 康永元年奥書 正意 (postscript of the first year of Kō’ei [1342] Shōi).