National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

Yuanwu Keqin (1063–1135) was a Chinese monk of the Linji (Jp. Rinzai) Buddhist sect active during the late Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). He was highly respected as a priest, having received the name of “Foguo” from Emperor Huizong during the Northern Song dynasty, and the name “Yuanwu” from Emperor Gaozong, the founding ruler of the subsequent Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279). He is also renowned as the author of Biyanlu, an important instructional text in Chan (Jp. Zen) Buddhism.

Compiled by Yuanwu’s disciple, the Teachings of Yuanwu contains his words regarding forty-two core sect principles. This edition, which comprises two volumes, was printed and distributed in 1238, during the Southern Song dynasty. The words were first printed on thin, quality sheets of bamboo paper, which were then folded into two and bound into books along the open edge with thread. Each half of a sheet (one page of the book) contains eleven lines separated by demarcations, and each line contains twenty words. The name of the carver was cut into the center of the printing blocks, and was thus printed along the folded edge of each page. From the crispness of printing, we can deduce that this particular copy was printed not long after the printing blocks were carved. Although the first twenty-eight sheets of the first volume in this object were reprinted at some point during the Muromachi period (14th–16th century), the second volume bears a colophon indicating precisely that it was printed in 1238 using newly carved blocks based on the original edition.

Both volumes of this copy bear annotations in red that were intended to help Japanese readers understand the text, which was originally written in Chinese. These annotations were added in Japan during the Kamakura to Nanboku-chō period (12th–14th century). There are also additional remarks and notes affixed to the pages, appended by monks of Gozan temples (a collective term for temples located in and around the capital of Kyoto) during the Muromachi period (14th–16th century). These demonstrate how the text had been studied and used in Zen sects in Japan as well. In addition, this Song-dynasty edition had also heavily influenced the locally published Gozan edition.