This is an authentic Japanese woodblock-printed edition of the Confucian classic “書経 / Shujing (Book of Documents)”, one of the Five Classics of Chinese philosophy, traditionally studied by scholars, educators, and students of moral governance.
Produced in the late Edo to early Meiji period, this edition features traditional kanbun (classical Chinese) text with Japanese kundoku reading marks, reflecting how Confucian teachings were read and interpreted in Japan. The printing uses the distinctive vertical layout associated with scholarly books of the period and is preserved in a fukuro-toji (stitched-bound) format with an embossed patterned cover.
The Shujing is a foundational text in East Asian intellectual history, containing early teachings on morality, leadership, filial duty, virtue, and statecraft. Japanese reprints like this were used in temple schools (terakoya), Confucian academies, and samurai education, making this volume a compelling piece of cultural and educational heritage.
Well-preserved for its age, this volume is a remarkable acquisition for collectors of Japanese philosophical texts, Confucian literature, kanbun studies, Edo-Meiji educational printing, and traditional woodblock-bound books.
