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XIAOLIN SI. [SHAO-LIN MONASTERY/TEMPLE, CHINA.]. LI DAI SHAO LIN SHI GIA JEN WU SHI GI. HISTORICAL CHINA MAP.A MAGNIFICENT & LARG.
A GRAND SIZE & EARLY WOODBLOCK PRINTED XIAOLIN CHINA MAP The Xiaolin Xi [Monastery/Temple ]is a Chan [Zen] Buddhist temple at Song Shan near Zheng Zhou City, Henan Province in Dengfeng, China. It is led by Venerable abbot Shi Yongxin. Founded in the 5th century, the monastery is long famous for its association with Chinese martial arts and particularly with Shao Lin Kung Fu, and it is the Mahayana Buddhist monastery perhaps best known to the Western world. The Shao Lin Monastery and its famed Pagoda Forest were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010 as part of the Historic Monuments of Dengfeng. Extracted from Wikipedia. * THE EDITION: Reprinted and published in Japan by Katsuragawa Hosan in 1750, reproduced from the Chinese original of Kangxi 27 [1679]. The original Chinese edition has been exceptionally obscure and impossible to come by for over the last two-hundred years and is believed now to be lost to posterity. * PRINTING TECHNIQUE AND THE PAPER: The work is woodblock printed by hand on hand-made Washi paper, then hand-colored in delicate pastels. *** CHINESE VIEW OF ANCIENT CHINA: This grand scale work covers a very large space and is quite handsome, suitable for framing and display. The map shows a full view of all of China, from the Great Wall in the North, Shanghai, the East coast, down to the oceans in the South and Hainan Island, and the coasts along he Eastern shores. This is a spectacular work, showing each province in pastel colors, with outlines, large numbers of place names, rivers & the major waterways, mountains named and located. By and large inspired to show all of the known lands considered a part of China, delineating the country and its exterior boundaries. * Japan and other islands are not shown, but boxes with notes in Chinese as to their existence and location are well documented. The lower portion has text discussing the population of the various provinces and other notes. Areas beyond the traditional lines of China, i.e.: North of the Great Wall, and to the West are known and noted as "Barbarian Lands." *** RARITY OF THE MAP AND ITS MAKERS: This grand-scale and truly spectacular work is virtually never found on the market. The Xiaolin Monastery monks were the original founders of the celebrated and now famous Kung-fu martial art school, located in Henan province. The priests were legendary and the most feared for their martial art prowess. They were also covert with their powerful political force in China. * XIAOLIN SI [TEMPLE/MONASTERY] LEGENDARY CUSTOMS: Priests who passed the highest level of Kung-fu martial art were invited to participate in a recognition ceremony. They were allowed to self-brand themselves by picking up a red-hot iron brazier that had long temple dragon decorations on the sides. The branding was accomplished by clamping the brazier between their forearms until the dragon image was branded on them. These brazier dragons are identical to the long dragon found at the top of this historic map. * Another ancient practices used was the Jieba. It is an ancient ceremony where nine marks are burned onto the head with sticks of incense. In 2007 the Chinese government partially lifted the 300-year ban of the Jieba, allowing the the mentally and physically prepared to participate in the ancient tradition. Incense or moxa was used on top of the shaved head and burned in a ceremony of dedication to the Xiaolin Si [temple/monastery] by the most skilled of martial artists. * WHY THE DRAGON SYMBOL WAS USED BY XIAOLIN MONKS: The top of the map show the dragon as a symbol of the Xiaolin Si. In China the dragon is the first of twelve zodiac animals and is the most powerful of all and represents the ultimate and greatest of all powers known. It is also the one and only legendary animal in the zodiac, the rest are actual animals. Because this map was conceived of, carved and printed at the Xiaolin monastery [or temple] by these very priests, they put the most powerful symbol at the top, a dragon. The symbolic meaning indicated that China was superior to all other nations. It was also a private pun by the Xiaolin priests indicating for all to see and know that the Xiaolin temple and its priests were above all others. Additionally it reminded and indicated that the Xiaolin priest were the most powerful martial artists and covert political force in all China. *** RARITY: The original Chinese edition has been exceptionally obscure and impossible to come by for over the last two-hundred years and is believed now to be lost to posterity. * Xiaolin Si [temple/monastery] imprints are very R A R E ! Few references or examples exist of their woodblock printed works. This edition was a copy of the original re-carved by the Japanese and reissued. Not only is this map of great interest to Chan [Zen] Buddhists, Xiaolin Kung-fu collectors, martial artists and historians, but to students of Chinese cartography, collectors and museums. *** CONDITION: The map has been professionally rebacked due to the large amount of old worming. It is now solid and stable. Due to the rarity of this work, a complete map found in any condition would be now considered exceptionally R A R E ! Please scrutinize the map carefully to observe the old worming and its condition. We are more than happy to answer any inquiries or questions. Additional scans can be sent. * BINDING: The map has been bound in non-original paper covers, perhaps about 75-100 years ago. It is contained in a brown cloth Chuan [Chitsu] folding slipcase, with ivory clasps, cloth a bit faded, one a bit edge worn, else solid. * THE SCANS: While we have made efforts to take good digital photographs and scans of our copy, due to the exceptionally large size of the map, these photos are not of the highest quality. We therefore are additionally using copies of this map from the Oda reference book illustrations as samples of what the map is like, please see details in the bibliography below, [see our site image illus08.jpg]. We can also send a copy of Oda's Japanese text on request. All other scans on our site are taken from the actual map by our digital camera. * BIBLIOGRAPHY: G. Beans: A LIST OF JAPANESE MAPS OF THE TOKUGAWA ERA, Supplement A, on p.14, as #1750.1, with confirmation date of 1750. Beans gives this the title: "THE BEST COLLECTION OF ANCIENT AND MODERN WORKS CONCERNING THE HISTORICAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE DYNASTIES, BY THE MONASTERY OF SHAO-LIN." * T. Oda: THE WORLD IN JAPANESE MAPS UNTIL THE MID-19TH CENTURY, p.52-53, item #24 for 2 excellent color examples. He shows the Japanese title: REKIDAI JISEKI ZU: HISTORICAL MAP OF CHINA, reproduced from the Chinese original of 1679 by Katsuragawa Hosan, 1750. Beautifully reproduced here in full color. * Meir Shahar: The Xiaolin Monastery: History, Religion, and the Chinese Martial Arts. * Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaolin_Monastery * EXCEPTIONALLY RARE AND LARGE DELUXE WALL-SIZED MAP OF CHINA * Color scans can be sent by email. Images displayed may not be the actual copy in stock for sale at any given time; if you want to see the exact image of the book or edition in stock, please request this by email and an image will be returned to you by attachment. * * * BUY WITH * * * * SHIPPING: WE SHIP WORLD WIDE * * * * * The shipping costs displayed for our books on ZVAB are ONLY AN ESTIMATE !!! * ACTUAL costs are based book weight, destination and value. * We will inform you of shipping costs and options once you select the book. **FOREIGN: We usually ship by registered/insured airmail to customers abroad. **DOMESTIC: We ship to USA customers by UPS/FEDEX or U.S. MAIL, appropriate insurance/registry and signature required will appply. ***** Please inquire if you have any questions regarding shipping or payments .

Edo 1750, Suharaya Mohei. Large folding map, 170 x 200 cm. old mended worming, rebacked,pastel colors, Japanese reprint of a map printed in Henan in 1679, folds down to be 21.5 x 25.5 cm., woodblock printed, hand color. V E R Y R A R E !

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