About This Print

Number 21* of 200 prints issued as part of the series Nōga taikan (Encyclopedia of Noh Plays) depicting a scene from the play Kōtei by the playwright Kojirō Nobumitsu 小次郎信光 (?1435 or 1450-1516.)  This print still maintains its semi-transparent cover sheet providing information on the play and its characters.

The Play - Kōtei

Source: A Guide to No, P.G. O'Neill, Hinoki Shoten, 1929, p. 86-87.

While the Emperor Gen-sō (Hsuan Tsung) of T'ang is keeping an anxious vigil over the sick-bed of his favourite, Yō-kihi (Yang Kuei-fei), an old man comes to the palace and tells the Emperor that he is the ghost of Shō-ki (Chung K'uei), a former retainer who committed suicide when he failed in an examination.  The Emperor, however, graciously appointed him posthumously to Court rank and gave him a fine burial; in return he has now come to drive the sickness away from Yō-hiki.  He askes that a certain sacred mirror be placed at the head of her bed, and then disappears.  When this is done, the devil who is afflicting Yō-hiki is seen in the mirror, but when the Emperor draws his sword to strike it down, it vanishes.  The spirit of Shō-ki returns and succeeds in vanquishing the devil.  Having this repaid his debt, Shō-ki promises the Emperor that he will become a protective deity and then disappears again like a figure in a dream.

Print Details

IHL Catalog	#726
Title	Kōtei 皇帝 (The Emperor)
Series	Nōga taikan 能画大鑑 (Encyclopedia of Noh Plays or A Great Mirror of Noh Pictures or A Great Collection of Noh Pictures)
Artist	Tsukioka Kōgyo (1869-1927)
Signature	Kōgyo
Seal	no seal
Date	July 5, 1926
Edition	unknown
Publisher	Seibi Shoten (or Seibi Shoin), Tokyo
Carver	Uchida Eikichi
Printer	Yoshida Takesaburō
Impression	excellent
Colors	excellent
Condition	excellent; one pin hole upper left of image; binding holes right side
Genre	ukiyo-e
Miscellaneous
Format	oban yoko-e
H x W Paper	10 x 14 3/4 in. (25.4 x 37.5 cm)
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