About This Print
This print is one of fifty prints from the first part of the three part series One Hundred Victories, One Hundred Laughs. (Hyakusen hyakushô) created by the artist Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915), the writer Nishimori Takeki (1861-1923), alias Koppi Dōjin, and the publisher Matsuki Heikichi (1870-1931).
Chinese warships in the form of mice or rats are fleeing into a bag from a Japanese warship in the form of a cat. When this print was issued in April 1895, China had already signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki ending the war under unfavorable terms. The bag is a gift bag (noshi) and China will have fill it with the spoils of war.
About The Series One Hundred Victories, One Hundred Laughs
This series One Hundred Victories, One Hundred Laughs was issued in three parts and presented parodies of the enemy, the Chinese in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 and ten years later the Russians in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. The first part of the series titled Long Live Japan: One Hundred Victories, One Hundred Laughs, consisting of fifty prints, was issued between September 1894 and August 1895. The second part of the series titled Magic Lantern Society: One Hundred Victories, One Hundred Laughs, consisting of twelve prints, was issued between November 1895 and December 1896. Both of these parts parodied (often in a racist manner) the Chinese people, leadership and war effort. The third and last part of the series, consisting of eight-six prints, used the same title as the first part Long Live Japan: One Hundred Victories, One Hundred Laughs. Issued between April 1904 and April 1905, the prints parodied the Russian war effort. For more information about the series see the article One Hundred Victories, One Hundred Laughs on this site.
Print's Inscription - Japanese and English
Source: University of Vienna website http://ukiyoe.univie.ac.at/detail.asp?docid=949&lang=j&first=1
袋（ふくろ）の鼠（ねずミ） 骨皮道人
猫（ねこ）に遂（お）はれた腰抜（こしぬけねずミ）が、餘ほど途方（とはう）に暮（くれ）たと / 見（ミ）へて、思案（しあん）も分別（ふんべつ）も出（で）れバこそ忠々（ちうちう）と云（い）ふのハ / 唯（ただ）ほんの口（くち）の先（さき）ばかり、其実（そのじつ）忠臣（ちうしん）らしい者（もの）/ ハ一疋（いつぴき）も居（を）らぬ 甲「実（じつ）に是（こ）れ危窮損毛（ききうそんもう） / の秋（とき）で御座る、斯（かく）なる上（うえ）ハ最早（もはや）尻尾（しつぽ）を下（さげ） / て、何（いづ）れへなりとも一生懸命（やうけんめい）に逃出（にげだ）すより外（ほか） / に手段（しゆだん）ハ御座（ござ）るまい 乙「是（これ）ハ甲鼠君（こうそくん）のお詞（ことバ）とも / 心得（こころえ）ぬ、窮鼠（きうそ）却（かへつ）て猫（ねこ）を喰（は）むチウ事（こと）もあれバ、/ 喩（たと）ひ此（この）身（ミ）ハ頭（あたま）から武者武者（むしやむしや）と齧（かぢ）らるるとも/ 丙「御詞（おことバ）のチウだが夫（それ）ハ併し猪武者（いのししむしや）なら知（し）らぬ / 事（こと）迚（とて）も我々（われわれ）鼠輩（そはい）の及（およ）ぶ所（ところ）でハ御座（ござ）らぬ、夫（それ）/ よりハ矢張（やはり）君子（くんし）ハ危（あやう）きに近寄（ちかよ）らずで、先（ま）づ命（いのち）/ を助（たす）かる工夫（くふう）を附（つけ）た方（はう）が上策（しやうさく）で御座（ござ）らう、イヤ夫（それ） / でハ何（なん）だの是（これ）でハ斯（こう）だのと、頻（しきり）に小田原評議（おだはらひやうぎ）を / して居（い）る所（ところ）へ、ニヤーンだァと大喝一声（だいかついつせい）、大猫（おほねこ）に / 飛込（とびこん）で来（こ）られたから、窮鼠（きうそ）ハ孰（いず）れも狼狽（ろうばい）し / て、矢庭（やにハ）に袋（ふくろ）の中（なか）へ飛込（とびこ）んだ、猫（ねこ）ハ夫（それ）と見（ミ）るより / 跡（あと）を追掛（おつかけ）て行（ゆ）くと、其（その）袋（ふくろ）にハチヤンと熨斗（のし）が / 附（つい）て、其（その）上書（うわがき）に粗支那進上（そしなしんじやう）
last revision:
猫（ねこ）に遂（お）はれた腰抜（こしぬけねずミ）が、餘ほど途方（とはう）に暮（くれ）たと / 見（ミ）へて、思案（しあん）も分別（ふんべつ）も出（で）れバこそ忠々（ちうちう）と云（い）ふのハ / 唯（ただ）ほんの口（くち）の先（さき）ばかり、其実（そのじつ）忠臣（ちうしん）らしい者（もの）/ ハ一疋（いつぴき）も居（を）らぬ 甲「実（じつ）に是（こ）れ危窮損毛（ききうそんもう） / の秋（とき）で御座る、斯（かく）なる上（うえ）ハ最早（もはや）尻尾（しつぽ）を下（さげ） / て、何（いづ）れへなりとも一生懸命（やうけんめい）に逃出（にげだ）すより外（ほか） / に手段（しゆだん）ハ御座（ござ）るまい 乙「是（これ）ハ甲鼠君（こうそくん）のお詞（ことバ）とも / 心得（こころえ）ぬ、窮鼠（きうそ）却（かへつ）て猫（ねこ）を喰（は）むチウ事（こと）もあれバ、/ 喩（たと）ひ此（この）身（ミ）ハ頭（あたま）から武者武者（むしやむしや）と齧（かぢ）らるるとも/ 丙「御詞（おことバ）のチウだが夫（それ）ハ併し猪武者（いのししむしや）なら知（し）らぬ / 事（こと）迚（とて）も我々（われわれ）鼠輩（そはい）の及（およ）ぶ所（ところ）でハ御座（ござ）らぬ、夫（それ）/ よりハ矢張（やはり）君子（くんし）ハ危（あやう）きに近寄（ちかよ）らずで、先（ま）づ命（いのち）/ を助（たす）かる工夫（くふう）を附（つけ）た方（はう）が上策（しやうさく）で御座（ござ）らう、イヤ夫（それ） / でハ何（なん）だの是（これ）でハ斯（こう）だのと、頻（しきり）に小田原評議（おだはらひやうぎ）を / して居（い）る所（ところ）へ、ニヤーンだァと大喝一声（だいかついつせい）、大猫（おほねこ）に / 飛込（とびこん）で来（こ）られたから、窮鼠（きうそ）ハ孰（いず）れも狼狽（ろうばい）し / て、矢庭（やにハ）に袋（ふくろ）の中（なか）へ飛込（とびこ）んだ、猫（ねこ）ハ夫（それ）と見（ミ）るより / 跡（あと）を追掛（おつかけ）て行（ゆ）くと、其（その）袋（ふくろ）にハチヤンと熨斗（のし）が / 附（つい）て、其（その）上書（うわがき）に粗支那進上（そしなしんじやう）
Source: University of Vienna website http://kenkyuu.jpn.univie.ac.at/karikaturen/detail.asp?docid=949&lang=e&first=1
Fukuro no nezumi Koppi Dōjin
Neko ni owareta koshinuke nezumi ga, yohodo tohōnikureta to / miete, shian mo funbetsu mo derebakoso chūchū to iu no wa / tada hon no kuchi no saki bakari, sono jitsu chūshin rashi mono / wa ippiki mo oranu. Kō “Jitsu ni kore kikyūsonmō no / toki de gozaru, kaku naru ue wa mohaya shippo o sage/te izure e nari tomo isshōkenmei ni nigedasu yori hoka / ni shudan wa gozarumai. Otsu “Kore wa Kōso-kun no o-kotoba tomo / kokoroenu, kyūso kaette neko o hamu chū koto mo areba, / tatoi kono mi wa atama kara mushamusha to kajiraruru to mo / Hei “O-kotoba no chū daga sore wa moshi inoshishi-musha nara shiranu / koto, totemo wareware sohai no oyobu tokoro dewa gozaranu, sore / yori wa yahari kunshi ayauki ni chikayorazu de, mazu inochi / o tasukaru kufū o tsuketa hō ga jōsaku de goyarō, iya sore / dewa nan da no kore dewa kō da no to shikiri ni Odawarahyōgi o / shite iru tokoro e, nyânda to daikatsu issei, ō-neko ni / tobikonde korareta kara kyūso wa izure mo rōbai shi/te, yaniwa ni fukuro no naka e nigekonda, neko was pre to miruyori / ato o okkakete yuku to sono fukuro niwa chan to noshi ga / tsuite sono uwagaki ni Soshina shinjō
Fukuro no nezumi Koppi Dōjin
Neko ni owareta koshinuke nezumi ga, yohodo tohōnikureta to / miete, shian mo funbetsu mo derebakoso chūchū to iu no wa / tada hon no kuchi no saki bakari, sono jitsu chūshin rashi mono / wa ippiki mo oranu. Kō “Jitsu ni kore kikyūsonmō no / toki de gozaru, kaku naru ue wa mohaya shippo o sage/te izure e nari tomo isshōkenmei ni nigedasu yori hoka / ni shudan wa gozarumai. Otsu “Kore wa Kōso-kun no o-kotoba tomo / kokoroenu, kyūso kaette neko o hamu chū koto mo areba, / tatoi kono mi wa atama kara mushamusha to kajiraruru to mo / Hei “O-kotoba no chū daga sore wa moshi inoshishi-musha nara shiranu / koto, totemo wareware sohai no oyobu tokoro dewa gozaranu, sore / yori wa yahari kunshi ayauki ni chikayorazu de, mazu inochi / o tasukaru kufū o tsuketa hō ga jōsaku de goyarō, iya sore / dewa nan da no kore dewa kō da no to shikiri ni Odawarahyōgi o / shite iru tokoro e, nyânda to daikatsu issei, ō-neko ni / tobikonde korareta kara kyūso wa izure mo rōbai shi/te, yaniwa ni fukuro no naka e nigekonda, neko was pre to miruyori / ato o okkakete yuku to sono fukuro niwa chan to noshi ga / tsuite sono uwagaki ni Soshina shinjō
Source: University of Vienna website http://ukiyoe.univie.ac.at/detail.asp?docid=941&lang=e&first=1
The mice in the bag [by] Koppi Dōjin
The cowardly mice, who are being chased by the cat, seem to not have a clue what to do. As if there were no such thing as thoughtfulness or sense, they peep (worship) [the] “obedience”, even though that's no more than lip service, because in truth there exists not (one animal), who is a true subject.
Kō: “This really is a great danger. And since it's come so far their tails go limp and they flee with all their might because there is no other possibility left.”
Otsu: “Your reaction is disappointing. After all, they say: When confronted with death, the mouse can devour a cat. That's why I'm staying here, whether I get ruthlessly chewed to bits or not.”
Hei: “Excuse me for interrupting, but we can only achieve that if we were brave daredevils, but we can't even consider that because we are weak and small. A wise man, though, tries to steer clear of dangers and thinks about saving his own life above all. This to me seems to be a better way.”
During this endless discussion about how this and that may be, the big cat suddenly runs towards them yelling with a loud voice “What's this about?” (rmk. nyan = cat sound). The cornered mice panic and jump into the bag. Watching them, the cat chases after them. On the bag it says: “China's leftovers to give away” with a noshi carefully attached to it.
Print Details
| IHL Catalog | #45 |
| Title or Description | Mice in a Trap Fukuro no nezumi 袋の鼠 |
| Series | Long Live Japan: One Hundred Victories, One Hundred Laughs [also translated as Long Live Japan! One Hundred Selections, One Hundred Laughs] Nihon banzai: Hyakusen hyakushō 日本萬歳 百撰百笑 [日本万歳 百撰百笑] |
| Artist | Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915) |
| Signature | Kiyochika |
| Seal | Kiyochika |
| Publication Date | April 1895 (Meiji 28) |
| Publisher | Matsuki Heikichi (松木平吉) proprietor of Daikokuya |
| Impression | excellent |
| Colors | good |
| Condition | good - light soiling throughout; full margins, not backed |
| Genre | ukiyo-e; senso-e (Sino-Japanese War); giga; fūshiga |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Format | vertical oban |
| H x W Paper | 14 1/2 x 9 3/4 in. (36.8 x 24.8 cm) |
| H x W Image | 14 x 9 1/4 in. (35.6 x 23.5 cm) |
| Literature | |
| Collections This Print | Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division FP2-JPD no. 27; National Museum of Japanese History H-22-1-21-10; Honolulu Academy of Arts 2395; Östasiatiska musee (The Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Sweden) OM-2010-0018; Five Colleges and Historic Deerfield Museum Consortium AC 2005.177; Princeton University Art Museum 2008-102.36 |
3/9/2020
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