48 folding leaves. 8vo, orig. wrappers, orig. stitching (coming loose). Changsha: [Privately published by] Ye shi ??, 1908. A collection of ancient Daoist medical texts, published by the scholar, bibliophile, and publisher Ye Dehui (1864-1927). According to the Preface of our book, "these classics are all discussing matters of the bedchamber." That is to say, they are collections of a sexological nature. Through certain sexual practices, one is supposed to maintain good health. These practices tally with a greater Taoist interest in nourishing life in search for longevity and immortality. Ye explains in the Preface to Classic of the Plain Maiden (dated 1903, guimao) that the text was mentioned in medieval bibliographies but subsequently not seen in China. Ye recovered it from the medieval Japanese medical work Ishinp? ??? from 982 CE. To our knowledge, our book is the earliest extant edition of the Classic of the Plain Maiden to be published in China. The versos of the title pages of the Classic of the Plain Maiden, Secret Chants of the Jade Chamber, and Master of Thoroughly Penetrating Darkness, as well as the Prefaces to these works, say that they were printed in 1903 (Guangxu guimao), whereas the verso of the title page and the Preface of the Recipes says 1908 (wushen). As this is the most recent date that we find in our book, we have taken it to be the date of publication. Our book was published as part of Ye s collectanea Shuang mei ying congshu ?????? [Collectanea of the Shady Darkness Beneath the Two Plumtrees]. Very good copy. Seller Inventory # 10062

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Title: Su nü jing ??? [Classic of the Plain Maiden]...

Binding: Soft cover

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Specializing since 1978 in rare and important books in the history of science, medicine, natural history; books on wine and bibliography, early printed books, technology, engineering, and Japanese and Chinese books, manuscripts, and scrolls

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