Wakan Sansai Zue
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wakan Sansai Zue (和漢三才図会?) is a Japanese encyclopedia published in 1712 in the Edo period. It consists of 105 volumes in 81 books. Its name means "Japanese and Chinese illustration of the three worlds". The three worlds, or sansai (三才?), of the title, are heaven, earth, and man. Its compiler was Terajima Ryōan (寺島良安?), a doctor from Osaka. It describes and illustrates various activities of daily life, such as carpentry and fishing, as well as plants and animals, and constellations. Terajima's idea was based on a Chinese encyclopedia with a similar name, known in Japan as the Sansai Zue (三才図会?). Reproductions of the Wakan Sansai Zue are still in print in Japan.
