Mōko Shūrai Ekotoba
Encyclopedia
is a set of two Japan
ese illustrated handscrolls (emakimono
) composed between 1275 and 1293. They were commissioned by the samurai
Takezaki Suenaga
in order to record his battlefield valor and deeds during the Mongol Invasions of Japan
.
The author and artist are unknown. The scrolls show images of battles between the Mongol invaders and Japanese defenders, on land and on the seas. Pictures are occasionally truncated by accompanying text. Several versions of the scrolls exist: the original 13th century version, an 18th century copy, a hand-drawn copy by Fukuda Taika dating from the 19th century, and a 21st century reconstruction. The original is currently stored at the Museum of the Imperial Collections
, in Tokyo Imperial Palace.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese illustrated handscrolls (emakimono
Emakimono
, often simply called , is a horizontal, illustrated narrative form created during the 11th to 16th centuries in Japan. Emakimono combines both text and pictures, and is drawn, painted, or stamped on a handscroll...
) composed between 1275 and 1293. They were commissioned by the samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
Takezaki Suenaga
Takezaki Suenaga
was a retainer of the Higo Province, Japan who fought in both the Battle of Bun'ei and the Battle of Kōan during the Mongol invasions of Japan. Suenaga commissioned the Mōko Shūrai Ekotoba, a pictorial scroll showing his own valor in war, composed in 1293. During the Mongol invasion of 1274,...
in order to record his battlefield valor and deeds during the Mongol Invasions of Japan
Mongol invasions of Japan
The ' of 1274 and 1281 were major military efforts undertaken by Kublai Khan to conquer the Japanese islands after the submission of Goryeo to vassaldom. Despite their ultimate failure, the invasion attempts are of macrohistorical importance, because they set a limit on Mongol expansion, and rank...
.
The author and artist are unknown. The scrolls show images of battles between the Mongol invaders and Japanese defenders, on land and on the seas. Pictures are occasionally truncated by accompanying text. Several versions of the scrolls exist: the original 13th century version, an 18th century copy, a hand-drawn copy by Fukuda Taika dating from the 19th century, and a 21st century reconstruction. The original is currently stored at the Museum of the Imperial Collections
Museum of the Imperial Collections
The Museum of the Imperial Collections is located on the grounds of the East Garden of Tokyo Imperial Palace. It showscases a changing exhibition of a part of the imperial household treasures...
, in Tokyo Imperial Palace.
See also
- Takezaki SuenagaTakezaki Suenagawas a retainer of the Higo Province, Japan who fought in both the Battle of Bun'ei and the Battle of Kōan during the Mongol invasions of Japan. Suenaga commissioned the Mōko Shūrai Ekotoba, a pictorial scroll showing his own valor in war, composed in 1293. During the Mongol invasion of 1274,...
- Battle of Bun'eiBattle of Bun'eiThe , also known as the First Battle of Hakata Bay was the first attempt by the Yuan Dynasty founded by the Mongols to invade Japan. After conquering the Tsushima Island and Iki, Kublai Khan's fleet moved on to Japan proper, landing at Hakata Bay, a short distance from Kyūshū's administrative...
- Battle of KōanBattle of KoanThe ', also known as the Second Battle of Hakata Bay, was the second attempt by the Yuan Dynasty founded by the Mongols to invade Japan...
- Mongol Invasions of JapanMongol invasions of JapanThe ' of 1274 and 1281 were major military efforts undertaken by Kublai Khan to conquer the Japanese islands after the submission of Goryeo to vassaldom. Despite their ultimate failure, the invasion attempts are of macrohistorical importance, because they set a limit on Mongol expansion, and rank...
External links
- Scrolls of the Mongol Invasions of Japan - Full digitized scans of the scrolls, all versions, including commentary and translations, Bowdoin College Museum of Art
- Mōko Shūrai Ekotoba (蒙古襲来絵詞) - High resolution scans of the 18th century copy, digital archives of Kyushu UniversityKyushu UniversityKyushu University is one of the most prestigious universities in Japan. It can be seen in the several rankings such as shown below.-General Rankings:The university has been ranked 8th in 2010 and 2009 in the ranking "Truly Strong Universities" by Toyo Keizai...