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

　This is a biography of Kukai (Kobo Daishi; 774–835) created by compiling many historical materials chronologically.
　In the first volume, a rough chronology between Taiho 1 (701) and Hoki 4 (773) is written, followed by the history of Kukai from his birth in Hoki 5 (774) to the age of forty in Konin 4 (813). In the second volume, the articles between Konin 5 (814) and his death in Jowa 2 (835) are written, with the latter grand emperor’s (Emperor Junna) ‘Imperial Note of Condolence on the Death of Kukai’ and the stories of miracles observed by the chief priest Kangen added at the end.
　Various biographies of Kukai like this were compiled from Heian period (794–1185) to Edo period (1603–1868). When this biography was produced is not certain, however, it is thought to have been probably written by a priest in Daigoji Temple in the Heian period, and many parts of its contents are consistent with another biography of Kukai, “Kobo Daishi Gyoke ki,” which is included in “The Collection of Public Documents, the Second Volume (Zoku Gunshoruiju).”
　Phonetic script (kana) and grammatical markers (wokoto ten) in red ink added in the late Heian period can be seen in the text. Considering the style of calligraphy, this copy seems to have been written in the late Heian period. It is valuable in terms of the establishment of the biography of Kukai.