Sake cup gifted to Konoe Iehiro 300 years ago by Tei Junsoku found preserved in Kyoto

Sake cup gifted to Konoe Iehiro 300 years ago by Tei Junsoku found preserved in Kyoto

The Kōrinkaihai that Tei Junsoku presented to court noble Konoe Iehiro about 300 years ago during the Edo period (belonging to Yomei Bunko of Kyoto)  


 

February 9, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo

 

Recently it came to light that the Yomei Bunko Foundation of Kyoto has been preserving some artifacts relating to the Ryukyu Kingdom for about 300 years.

Among these items are a particular sake cup (called the Kōrinkaihai) that Confucian scholar Tei Junsoku of Kumemura (who served as magistrate of Nago) presented to the Edo period court noble Konoe Iehiro, and Chinese poetry associated with the Kōrinkaihai.

Also found to have been preserved were records (Butsugairō-ki) that Tei Junsoku and the statesman Sai On compiled concerning an estate of the Konoe clan, Butsugairō.

On February 9 the Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education announced the existence of these artifacts.

 

The Kōrinkaihai measures 26 centimeters by 21.5 centimeters, and its interior is adorned with gold paint.

Two volumes of records relating to the Kōrinkaihai and two volumes of the Butsugairō-ki were preserved together.

 

Midori Hokama, who is in charge of the section handling historical records in the Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education’s Cultural Assets Division, explained the significance of finding these artifacts now.

She said that with the artifacts, “We can get a glimpse of the close cultural exchanges between leading persons of culture of the time, including Konoe Iehiro, Tei Junsoku, and Sai On.”

 

Translator’s note: Names of the Edo period officials were left in the traditional arrangement, with the surname first and given name last.

 

(English translation by T&CT and Erin Jones)

 

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