A BRIEF HISTORY OF BOTANY IN OLD JAPAN 215 



was used for the first tinie as the text hook iu the investigation of 

 Chinese materia medica. The Tang Pents'ao in 20 volumes was com- 

 piled in 669 iu China. This book was brought to Japan by a Jaj)auese 

 student who went to China soon after its compilation. In China this book 

 is not extantj only extracts being ft)und in the later Fents'ao. Fortunately 

 in Japan ten out of the twenty volumes were maintained in their original 

 condition, and the reproduced edition of these volumes can be had even 

 at present. 



Between 925 and 929, Minamoto no Shitago wrote Wamyoruizimho 

 in 20 volumes. This book treats of the Chinese names of all things 

 with Japanese translation, iu which names of natural objects are also 

 to be seen. 



In 984 Tamba Yasuyori wrote an elaborate work on Chinese medi- 

 cine, Ishimpo, in twenty volumes, in which a list of the Chinese 

 materia medica with corresponding Japanese names is given. 



In 1156 Heuchiin ISeiken wrote three books, one on drugs, one on 

 perfumery, and the other oa cereals, entitled Yaku Shu iSho, Ko Yo 

 Sho, and Kohuruisho respectively. These books contain extracts from 

 different Chinese pents'ao and from ludian literatures. One interestiug 

 point to be noticed in these books is the reproduction of the illustra- 

 tions of tlie Juko JJonzo Dsukyo (;£ ^ ;^ ;^ {Ij ,^) published in 

 1060 in China. In China, the original edition of this work is 

 not extant, and the illustrations of Seiken's work only give the original 

 condition of the figures of the Chinese work. 



In 1267 J3ai zu Kan, or colored illustrations of seventeen medical 

 plants for horse diseases by Seia appeared. The figui-es are exactly 

 depicted, and are very artistic and are famous as a treasure of 

 the fine arts as well as of botany. In 1282 Koremune Tomotoshi 

 wrote the Honzo Irolia /Sho. This is an index of the names 

 and synonyms of the plants mentioned in the Cheng lei Fents'ao 

 (^ M ^ ^) '^^^ other medical works. The Cheng lei Fents'ao, 

 published iu China in 1086, was brouglrt to Japan soon after and 

 served as a handbook of materia medica till the appearance of 

 the Pents'ao kammu. In about 1530 Gessu is said to have written 

 a commentary on the introduction of the Cheng lei Fents'ao. Iu 1582 

 Manase Dosan gave lectures on this work, and Yoshida Ian in 1603 

 wrote a detailed commentary on the introduction in seven volumes 

 which was put iu jn-iut in 1G41. 



In the middle of the 16th century European ships reached 

 Japan and the missionaries of ISpain and Portugal began the 



