The Second Volume of the Spring and Autumn Classics

Chunqiu Jingzhuan Jijie, Volume 2 Fragment: A Rare Tang Dynasty National Treasure

Hidden within the quiet rooms of the Yūrinkan Museum in Kyoto's cultural Okazaki district lies one of Japan's most extraordinary National Treasures: the Chunqiu Jingzhuan Jijie, Volume 2 Fragment (春秋経伝集解巻第二残巻). This ancient manuscript, handwritten during China's Tang dynasty (618–907), is the only National Treasure among the four designated copies of the Chunqiu Jingzhuan Jijie that was actually produced in China. The other three were transcribed in Japan. For lovers of East Asian calligraphy, classical scholarship, and the deep intellectual traditions connecting China and Japan, this manuscript offers a rare and deeply moving encounter with the past.

What Is the Chunqiu Jingzhuan Jijie?

The Chunqiu Jingzhuan Jijie (春秋經傳集解), often translated as "Collected Explanations of the Spring and Autumn Annals Classic and Commentary," is one of the most important works in Chinese classical scholarship. It was composed by Du Yu (杜預, 222–284), a distinguished military commander and scholar of the Western Jin dynasty.

Du Yu combined the text of the Spring and Autumn Annals (春秋)—a chronicle of the state of Lu covering the years 722 to 479 BCE, traditionally attributed to Confucius—with the Zuo Zhuan (左傳), the most extensive of the three classical commentaries on the Annals. He then added his own detailed annotations, creating an integrated work that became the standard reference for studying the Annals for nearly two millennia.

During the Tang dynasty, this work was adopted as the official textbook for the study of the Spring and Autumn Annals in imperial academies, and it was transmitted to Japan during the Nara period (710–794), where it profoundly influenced Japanese Confucian learning.

Why Was It Designated a National Treasure?

The Chunqiu Jingzhuan Jijie, Volume 2 Fragment was designated a National Treasure of Japan on March 29, 1952. Its exceptional value rests on several key factors:

• The only Chinese-produced copy among the four National Treasure designations: While four manuscripts of the Chunqiu Jingzhuan Jijie hold National Treasure status in Japan, the other three—including the Volume 10 copy at the Tōyō Bunko—were transcribed in Japan. This fragment is the sole example written in China during the Tang dynasty, making it an irreplaceable witness to Chinese calligraphic and scholarly traditions of that era.
• Historical dating through the verso text: On the reverse side of the manuscript (known as shihei, or "paper back"), a Buddhist text titled Sōrin Zen'e Daishi Shōroku (雙林善慧大士小録) was written, bearing a date corresponding to the year 1078 (Jōryaku 2 / 承暦2年). This inscription provides a firm terminus ante quem, confirming that the manuscript had already assumed its current fragmentary form by the late Heian period.
• A tangible link in the cultural exchange between China and Japan: The manuscript embodies the transmission of Confucian learning from Tang China to Japan, illustrating how classical Chinese texts were treasured, reused, and preserved across centuries and cultures.

Highlights and Points of Interest

Although the manuscript is a fragment—Volume 2 of the original work, with some sections missing—its scholarly and aesthetic appeal is considerable. The calligraphy exemplifies the refined brushwork of Tang-era scribes, offering a window into the culture of manuscript production in medieval China. The practice of reusing precious paper by writing Buddhist texts on the reverse side speaks to the reverence with which such materials were treated in Japan.

Visitors who appreciate the art of calligraphy will find the brushstrokes of this manuscript captivating. Each character, penned over a thousand years ago, reflects the disciplined hand of a Tang-dynasty scholar-scribe. The aging of the paper itself—its warm patina and subtle texture—adds to the profound sense of history that the work conveys.

The Yūrinkan Museum: A Hidden Gem of East Asian Art

The Chunqiu Jingzhuan Jijie, Volume 2 Fragment is housed at the Yūrinkan Museum (藤井斉成会有鄰館), one of Kyoto's most distinctive and lesser-known cultural institutions. Founded in 1926 by Fujii Zensuke (1860–1934), a businessman and politician originally from Shiga Prefecture, the museum is the second-oldest private museum in Japan.

The museum's name, "Yūrinkan" (有鄰館), is derived from a passage in the Analects of Confucius and conveys the idea of "having good neighbors"—a fitting name for a collection that celebrates the cultural connections between China and Japan.

The main building, designed by the prominent architect Takeda Goichi, is a three-story reinforced concrete structure crowned by an octagonal Chinese-style pavilion. The pavilion's roof is covered with approximately 36,000 yellow glazed tiles from the Qianlong Emperor's era, creating a striking silhouette against the Kyoto skyline. The building itself is registered as a Kyoto City Tangible Cultural Property. The annex (Building No. 2), a Western-style wooden building originally from Kanazawa, and the storage facility are both registered as National Tangible Cultural Properties.

The collection spans over 4,000 years of East Asian art, including ancient Chinese bronzes, ceramics, Buddhist statuary, calligraphic works, seals, textiles, paintings, and nearly one hundred Dunhuang manuscripts. In addition to the National Treasure manuscript, the museum holds nine Important Cultural Properties.

Visiting the Museum

The Yūrinkan Museum maintains a limited opening schedule, which adds to its exclusive and intimate atmosphere. The museum opens on the first and third Sundays of each month, except in January and August. Designated cultural properties, including calligraphic works and paintings, are typically exhibited during the May and November opening days.

Visitors should note that photography is generally not permitted inside the museum. The intimate scale of the galleries allows for an unhurried and contemplative viewing experience that is rare among Kyoto's cultural institutions.

Exploring the Okazaki District

The Yūrinkan Museum is located in Kyoto's Okazaki district, one of the city's premier cultural zones. Within easy walking distance, visitors can explore a wealth of attractions:

• Heian Jingū Shrine: The iconic vermilion torii gate and the shrine's grand architecture, modeled on the original Heian-period imperial palace, are just minutes away. The shrine's expansive Japanese garden, designed by the celebrated landscape architect Ogawa Jihei VII, is especially beautiful during cherry blossom and autumn foliage seasons.
• Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art: One of the oldest public art museums in Japan, renovated in 2020 with a stunning modern design that complements the original 1933 building.
• The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto: Featuring modern and contemporary art with a focus on works from western Japan.
• Nanzen-ji Temple: A major Zen temple complex known for its imposing Sanmon gate, the picturesque brick aqueduct (Suirokaku), and serene sub-temples.
• Philosopher's Path (Tetsugaku no Michi): A scenic canal-side walkway stretching approximately 1.5 kilometers, linking the Nanzen-ji area to Ginkaku-ji (the Silver Pavilion), lined with cherry trees and quaint cafes.