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).
In this print, two Japanese soldiers are taking a walk in occupied Beijing. They laugh as they pick sad-faced bracken and horsetail (weak Chinese soldiers) growing around Beijing Castle.
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
Source: University of Vienna website http://ukiyoe.univie.ac.at/detail.asp?docid=938&lang=j&first=1
北京（ぺきん）の摘草（つみくさ） 骨皮道人
勇気（ゆうき）勃々（ぼつぼつ）たる征清（せいしん）の兵士（へいし）が二人（ふたり）揃（そろ）つて散（さん）/ 歩（ぽ）に出掛（でかけ）しに図（はか）らずも妙（めう）な広場（ひろば）を発（みつ）/ 見（け）出（だ）せしより 甲「ヤァ君・・・コリヤどうぢやい、 / 御同様（ごどうよう）に北京城（ぺきんじやう）を攻略（せめおと）してペンペン草（ぐさ）を / 生（はや）して呉（くれ）やうと思（おも）つて居（い）たのに、何時（いつ）の間（ま） / にか此様（こない）な野原（のはら）なつて、土筆（つくし）だの蕨（わらび）だの / 様々（いろん）な物（もの）が生（は）へちよるワ・・・エエヲイ是（これ）を見（み） / 給（たま）へ是（これ）を、おわらび草（ぐさ）チウ洒落（しやれ）でもあるまい / が何（なん）にしても双（そう）の拳（こぶし）ハ振（ふり）あげて居（い）ても、元（もと） / 元ハ意気地（いくじ）のないちやんちやん国（こく）ぢやから、山（やま） / の横面（よこつら）を春風（はるかぜ）チウ勢（いきほ）ひもないノウ 乙「なる程（ほど）是（これ）は / 奇々妙々（ききめうめう）と変法来（へんぽうらい）ぢや、今度（こんど）の戦争（せんそう）に就（つい）ち / やァ随分（ずいぶん）伯夷叔斎（はくいしゆくせい）が多勢（おおぜい）出来（でき）たと見（ミ）える / わい、ぢやが北京（ぺきん）で摘草（つミくさ）をするチウのも亦（また）一興（きやう）ぢ / や、ナント此奴等（こやつら）を片（かた）つ端（はし）からペキンペキンと折（をつ） / て遣（や）らうぢやないか 甲「止（よ）せ止（よ）せ芸（げい）もない、此様（こない） / な物（もの）を取（とつ）た所（ところ）が却（かへ）つて荷厄介（にやつかい）で仕方（しかた）がない / がや 乙「夫（それ）でも先方（さき）ぢやァ折角（せつかく）心土筆（こころつくし）ぢやチウ / て、態々（わざわざ）蕨（わらび）のしを附（つけ）て居（い）るでハないか
Pekin no tsumikusa Koppi Dōjin
Yūki botsubotsu taru seishin no heishi ga futari sorotte san/po ni dekakeshi ni hakarazumo myōna hiroba o mitsuke daseshi yori Kō „Yā kimi …korya dō jai, go-dōyō ni Pekin-jō o seme otoshite penpengusa o / hayashite kureyō to omotte ita noni itsu no ma / ni ka konai na nohara ni natte tsukushi da no warabi da no / ironna mono ga haechiyoru wa…ee oi kore o mi/tamae kore o, owarabigusa chū share demo arumai / ga nan ni shite mo sō no kobushi wa furiagete item o moto/moto wa ikuji no nai Chanchan-koku ja kara , yama / no yokotsura o harukaze chū ikioi mo nai nō / Otsu „Naruhodo kore wa / kikimyōmyō to henpōrai ja, kondo no sensō ni tsui/chā zuibun hakuishukusei ga oozei dekita to mieru / wai, ja ga Pekin de tsumikusa o suru chū nomo mata ikkyō j/a, nanto koyatsura o katappashi kara pekin pekin to ot/te yarō ja nai ka Kō „Yose yose gei mo nai, konai / na mono o totta tokoro ga kaette niyakkai de shikata ga nai / gay a Otsu „Sore demo saki jā sekkaku kokorozukushi ja chū / te, wazawaza warabi-noshi o tsukete iru dewa nai ka
Print Details
| IHL Catalog | #44 |
| Title or Description | Tearing Weeds Out In Peking Pekin no tsumikusa 北京の摘草 |
| 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 | excellent |
| 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 | The Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum of Waseda University 201-1801 |
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