Setsuko Noguchi publishes article on PUL’s Shōmono Acquisition

Setsuko Noguchi

Princeton University Library’s Japanese Studies Librarian Setsuko Noguchi published an article in Brill’s “East Asian Publishing and Society” (EAPS) journal that chronicles the acquisition of Chūkō zenrin fūgetsushū shō, a rare Japanese book of Chinese poems.

The book, which translates to “Commentary on the Anthology of Poetry from the Revitalized Grove of Zen,” is a 16th-century manuscript featuring translated and annotated Chinese poems that were used by Japanese monks to study Chinese literature. The acquisition spurred an international working group that is creating a historical record of the books by dissecting the manuscript’s language.

“Chūkō zenrin fūgetsushū shō joins a growing collection of shōmono and Gozanban (books printed by the Five Mountain temples) at the East Asian Library,” Noguchi said in the article. She hopes her article will encourage those in her discipline to publish articles about new acquisitions and developments in the field. 

Related Reading: International research group studies PUL's acquisition of a 16th century book of Chinese poetry

Published on April 5, 2022

Written by: Brandon Johnson, Communications Specialist

Media Contact: Barbara Valenza, Director of Library Communications