Hasai no ko to Koshi no monto, by Yashima Gakutei

An image of Hasai no ko to Kôshi no montô. Gakutei, Yashima (Japanese, 1786(?)-1868). Surimono. Colour print from woodblocks, with metallic pigment and blind embossing (karazuri). Shikishi-ban. Circa 1820-circa 1829. Ukiyo-e. Signed: Gakutei. Poets: Bunsô Kaoru and Bumbunsha Kanikomaru. Late 1820s. Notes: From the series of Spring kyôka surimono entitled Uji shûi monogatari (Additional tales from Uji). Confucius met a child who asked him: ‘Which is further, the city of Luo Yang, or the place where the sun sets?’. ‘The place where the sun sets is further’ answered Confucius. ‘But you can see where the sun sets and you cannot see Luo Yang; so the sun must be nearer’, replied the boy. The poems read: ‘The fragrance of the young potted plum tree rises higher than the pine which looks up to it in admiration.’ (Bunsô). ‘Is the sky closer than the capital? Where in the trailing mist are the rays of the rising sun?’ (Bumbunsha).

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Hasai no ko to Kôshi no montô. Gakutei, Yashima (Japanese, 1786(?)-1868). Surimono. Colour print from woodblocks, with metallic pigment and blind embossing (karazuri). Shikishi-ban. Circa 1820-circa 1829. Ukiyo-e. Signed: Gakutei. Poets: Bunsô Kaoru and Bumbunsha Kanikomaru. Late 1820s. Notes: From the series of Spring kyôka surimono entitled Uji shûi monogatari (Additional tales from Uji). Confucius met a child who asked him: ‘Which is further, the city of Luo Yang, or the place where the sun sets?’. ‘The place where the sun sets is further’ answered Confucius. ‘But you can see where the sun sets and you cannot see Luo Yang; so the sun must be nearer’, replied the boy. The poems read: ‘The fragrance of the young potted plum tree rises higher than the pine which looks up to it in admiration.’ (Bunsô). ‘Is the sky closer than the capital? Where in the trailing mist are the rays of the rising sun?’ (Bumbunsha).

Image data

Accession Number: P.306-1937
Photograph copyright © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
Aperture: f/20.0
Focal length: 120
Camera: Hasselblad H4D-31
Photographer name: Sam Cole
Image height: 1025 pixels
Image width: 897 pixels
Processed with: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.0 (Windows)
Filesize: 0.98MB
Exposure time: 1/250
ISO Speed: 100
Fnumber: 20/1
Captured: 2017:09:04 10:17:24

Key words

19th Century blind embossing boys colour printing Confucius Edo Period embossed embossing Fitz_PDP Gakutei Japan Japanese karazuri kyoka verse male master metallic pigment philosopher philosophy pigment poem poetry poets print Shikishiban sun sunshine surimono teacher teaching ukiyo-e verses woodblock woodcut Yashima Gakutei

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            The Fitzwilliam Museum (2026)
            "Hasai no ko to Koshi no monto, by Yashima Gakutei"
            Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/image/media-3980600808 Accessed: 2026-01-14 11:24:30

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            |title=Hasai no ko to Koshi no monto, by Yashima Gakutei
            |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2026-01-14 11:24:30|publisher=The
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