Antique Japanese Book "Mastery Of Poetry" Set, Ikeda Kansei, 7th Ed. c. 1880

Meiji-era Japanese reference set 《詩韻精英》 (Shiin Seiei; Chinese: Shīyùn Jīngyīng), compiled by Ikeda Kankan and published by Shōshodō. First issued in 1878, this printing is from September 1880 (Meiji 13) and still has its original title labels, publisher marks, and editorial seals and is in relatively good condition given its 145 year old age.

This is the complete seven-volume rhyme dictionary used by scholars for composing and interpreting Classical Chinese poetry (kanshi). Characters are arranged by traditional tone categories: level, rising, departing, entering, and oblique, with fanqie spellings, variant forms, and definitions based on major works like the Guangyun and Kangxi Dictionary. These tools were essential for understanding kanbun (Classical Chinese), since Chinese and Japanese differ greatly in grammar and pronunciation.

Printed vertically on mulberry-fiber paper with clear woodblock text, the set reflects the fine craftsmanship of late 19th-century Japanese bookmaking.