Shinkyu shisho [Illustrated Explanation of the Locations of Acupuncture Points]

Numerous woodcut illustrations in the text. Title-page, 31 folding leaves, one leaf of colophon. 8vo, orig. patterned blue semi-stiff wrappers, orig. block-printed title label on upper cover (label rubbed), new stitching. Tokyo, Kyoto, & Osaka: 1864.

First edition and rare. Imamura (1814-90), was a leading physician and historian of Japanese medicine of his period. Professor of medicine at Tokyo University, he was physician to the future Emperor Taisho when he was a youth.

Imamura found that many of the contemporary Japanese works on acupuncture had strayed from the classic teachings of the Chinese physicians. In this work, he (truncated) makes a series of corrections to refine the fourteen meridians.

The numerous woodcuts depict various parts of the body and pressure points.

Very nice copy. Light stain to first few leaves.

❧ Mestler, Old Japanese Medical Books, I, p. 297. (Inventory #: 7485)