Patricia Fister et al.

　　Catalogue from the exhibition held
　　at the University Art Museum,

　　Tokyo University of the Arts,
　　Ueno Park, Tokyo,

　　April 14 through June 14, 2009.

　　9x11 inch softback; 384 pages; full color,

　　fully bilingual English and Japanese
　　Published by the sponsor, Sankei Sinbun, Tokyo　　

　　The exhibition entitled Amamonzeki:
　　A Hidden Heritage, Treasures of
　　the Japanese Imperial Convents, held from
　　April 14th through June 14th, 2009, was the culmination of more than
　　a decade of research and restoration work carried out in Kyoto and Nara
　　by the Chusei Nihon Kenkyujo directed by Barbara Ruch and with
　　a research team led by chief curator Patricia Fister, and including
　　Monica Bethe, and numerous Japanese professionals.

　　The fully bilingual catalogue illustrates all 194 exhibited items in full color
　　and includes detailed essays and labels by eleven scholars. It is the first book
　　in any language to give the histories of all 13 remaining Japanese Imperial
　　Buddhist Convents (Amamonzeki jiin) and the biographies of their founding
　　abbesses and later restoration abbesses. These elite women, who lived from
　　the 7th century through the 19th century, are represented by portraits
　　and by a wide range of religious and secular works that they themselves
　　created or that are associated with them. Many of their calligraphies,
　　paintings and sculptures have never been made public before. New discoveries
　　include religious robes (kesa) belonging to 13th and 14th century abbesses.

　　Objects related to the daily life of the nuns that reflect their background
　　and continuing participation in court culture include furnishings,
　　beautifully lacquered kitchen and bath tools, dolls presented to them
　　by emperor-fathers, card games, board games, and illustrated scrolls.

　　The exhibition included a representation of the Zenzaidôji rites held at
　　Hokkeji Imperial Convent and reconstructions of the old altar
　　at Chûgûji Imperial Convent and of the jodan no ma royal reception suite
　　from Reikanji Imperial Convent.



　　The catalogue can be purchased on line. (Price￥3,000＋shipping)
　　http://www.newspace.co.jp/amamonzeki/index.html
　　Order in English : http://www.newspace.co.jp/amamonzeki/e/index.html
　　For English language inquiries, contact Medieval Japanese Studies Institute
　　for information: chusei-books@energy.ocn.ne.jp
　　EMS shipping is in the neighborhood of ￥3600 for one copy (weights 1500gr)


　　☆For the U. S. residents
　　　 Order through Paragon Book Gallery
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　　　Table of Contents　（日本語）

　　　Forward
　　　A Hidden Heritage − The Story of an Exhibition  
　　　by Barbara Ruch

　　　I THE RELIGIOUS WORLD

  　　　The Lives of Imperial Nuns

　　　　Honoring the Convent Founders and Restorers:
　　　　Portraits and Treasured
　　　　Possessions From Princess to Abbess:
　　　　The Life Cycle of Imperial Nuns
　　　　　Ceremonies, Temple Furnishings, and Objects of Worship

             　　Ritual Calendar of Imperial Convents

             　　Worship Sanctuary: Altars and Their Surroundings

             　　Zen Paintings and Calligraphy by Emperors and Imperial Nuns

             　　Faith in the Bodhisattva Kannon
　　　
　　　II PALACE CULTURE

　　　　Residential Quarters and Furnishings

　　　           The Reception Suite at Reikanji Imperial Convent

　　             Imperial Gifts and Objects Connected with Everyday Life

　　             The Dolls of Imperial Convents
　　　　Cultural Education and Pastimes

           　　  Imperial Convents as Literary Salons

            　　 The Rinkyuji Imperial Tekagami Album
　　　　　　　Games and the Education of Princess-Nuns: Incense
　　　　　　　Shell-matching, Cards, and Sugoroku

　　　　Female Patrons of Imperial Convents

　　             Empress Tofukumon’in and Empress Shoken

　　　　Textile Photo Data

　　　　Essays

 　　　　　　　　 　Daughters of the Dharma: The Religious and
　　　　　　　　　　Cultural Pursuits of Four Imperial Nuns
　　　　　　　　　　　by Patricia Fister

　　　　　　　　　　　Imperial Convents and Buddhist Faith
　　　　　　　　　　by Manabe Shunsho

　  　　　　　　　　Textiles in the Imperial Convents
　　　　　　　　　　by Monica Bethe

　  　　　　　　　　Intertwined Threads: The World of the Enshoji Altar Cloth
　　　　　　　　　　by Yamakawa Aki

　  　　　　　　　　Empress Tofukumon’in and the Imperial Convent
　　　　　　　　　　by Hanafusa Miki

　  　　　　　　　　Interior Wall Paintings in the Reception Suite of Reikanj
　　　　　　　　　　by Furuta Ryo

　　　　　　　　　　Motifs and the Treasures of the Imperial Convents
　　　　　　　 　　　by Yokomizo Hiroko

　　　　Convent Histories

　　　　Map of Convent Locations

　　　　List of Works

　　　　Critical Acclaim for this publication

   　　　　　“an unexpected gem … one of the most aesthetically
　　　　　　pleasing of all the exhibitions this year, and
　　　　　　certainly the best researched”

                                                                      Marius Ganbrich

                                                                      Special to the Japan Times

  　　 　　“The exhibition is revolutionary in that it makes us
　　　　　look completely anew at the extraordinary contribution of
　　　　　the Imperial nuns to Japanese culture.
　　　　　… this magnificent bilingual catalogue … should be in every
　　　　　university library and every scholar of Japan’s library.
　　　　　… it cannot help but change the way we think about
　　　　　(and teach!) a plethora of subjects.”

                                                                      Peter MacMillan