REFERENCE MATERIALS:

 

Dictionaries/Language:

 

Kadokawa shinpan kogo jiten 角川新版古語辞典 / Hisamatsu Sen'ichi 久松潜一, Satō Kenzō 佐藤謙三 (Eds.). 

Tōkyō: Kadokawa Shoten, 1973 (1974 printing).

A typical single-volume classical Japanese dictionary with entries listed under historical spellings in the order of the Japanese syllabary.  Adjective class, verb grades (dan), and transitive/intransitive function are clearly marked. 

EAsia Reference: PL682 .K33 1973   

 

Dai Kan-Wa jiten 大漢和辞典 / Morohashi Tetsuji 諸橋轍次.

Tōkyō: Taishūkan Shoten, 1989-1990 (1996 printing).

A 12-volume dictionary for reading classical Chinese with two index volumes.  In one index, characters are listed by kun and on readings, and in the other, by compounds.  It is also possible to search by radical, although this takes more time.  Meanings are given for isolated characters, with each character followed by an extensive list of character compounds that often includes citations from classical Chinese texts puctuated with ichiniten.

EAsia Reference: PL681 .C5 M6 1989 

 

Kō Kan-Wa jiten 廣漢和辭典 / Morohashi Tetsuji 諸橋轍次 et al. 

Tōkyō: Taishūkan Shoten, 1981-1982.

This three-volume dictionary is a smaller version of the above.  While the entries themselves are not the easiest to use (Kan and Go readings are unlabelled—users should consult the preface for notes on layout—and verb grades also appear to be unmarked), they do include information of interest: traditional kanji forms, Middle Chinese fǎnqiè spellings, and classical Chinese citations with all classical Japanese inflections and particles written in.  This dictionary is noteworthy for the sheer variety of methods by which one can locate a character.  The index contains total stroke count subdivided by radical, kun- and onyomi, proper noun, general vocabulary, and pīnyīn sections, in addition to a four-corners index.  There is also a radical index at the front of each volume.

EAsia Reference: PL677.5 .M6

 

Iwanami Bukkyō jiten 岩波仏教辞典 / Nakamura Hajime 中村元 et al. (Eds.).

Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, 2002.

A single-volume Japanese-language dictionary of Buddhist terms and figures arranged in the order of the Japanese syllabary with a Sanskrit index at the back.

EAsia Reference: BQ130 .I95 2002 

 

Kadokawa kogo daijiten 角川古語大辭典 / Nakamura Yukihiko 中村幸彥, Okami Masao 岡見正雄, Sakakura Atsuyoshi 阪倉篤義 (Eds.).

Tōkyō: Kadokawa Shoten, 1982- .

A five-volume dictionary of classical Japanese with all entries listed under historical spellings in the order of the Japanese syllabary.  (Compounds also have pronunciations indicated in modern spellings.)  Although fewer compounds are listed than in Dai Kan-Wa jiten, citations from classical Chinese are included, rendered in classical Japanese.

EAsia Reference: PL682 .K32 1982

 

Nihon kokugo daijiten 日本国語大辞典.

Tōkyō: Shōgakkan, 2000-2002.

A 13-volume dictionary with a single-volume index supplement.  Single characters can be looked up by total stroke count subdivided by radical or by kan’on.  Compounds can be looked up by total stroke count of their first character, subdivided by radical.  A kun-reading index and a list of sources are also included.  Entries are in the order of the Japanese syllabary.

EAsia Reference: PL675 .N46 2000

 

Shin jigen 新字源 / Ogawa Tamaki 小川環樹, Nishida Taichirō 西田太一郎, Akatsuka Kiyoshi 赤塚忠 (Eds.).

Tōkyō: Kadokawa Shoten, 1968.

A compact, easy-to-use character dictionary that lists some variant forms, Kan and Go readings, some archaic spellings, and numerous compounds.  There is a total stroke count index in the front (with radicals in red), and an index arranged by readings in the back.

EAsia General Stacks: PL681 .J3 S5 1968   

 

Iwanami kogo jiten 岩波古語辞典 / Ōno Susumu 大野晋, Satake Akihiro 佐竹昭広, Maeda Kingorō 前田金五郎 (Eds.).

Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, 1974 (1975 printing).

Another useful basic classical Japanese dictionary.  This dictionary is distinctive in its listing of verbs by ren’yōkei rather than shūshikei.

EAsia Reference: PL682 .O6 1974

 

Gakken Kan-Wa daijiten 学研漢和大字典 / Tōdō Akiyasu 藤堂明保 (Ed.).

Tōkyō: Gakushū Kenkyūsha, 1978.

The ultimate single-volume reference.  Characters can be looked up by kun- or onyomi, and total stroke count, sub-divided by radical.  Kan and Go readings are clearly marked, (as well as the Guăngyùn rhyme and Middle Chinese tone category).  Definitions for single characters and compounds are provided and include historical and modern kana, and each character is followed by a list of archaic readings.

EAsia Reference: PL677.5 .G3

 

Itaiji kaidoku jiten 異体字解読字典 / Yamada Katsumi 山田勝美.

Tōkyō: Kashiwa Shobō, 1987.

A dictionary of non-standard character forms, organized by total stroke number and then subdivided by radical.  Although a quick and easy to way to confirm/disprove a suspected character’s identity, it is not the ideal resource for locating a completely unidentifiable character.

EAsia Reference: PL677.5 .I83    

 

Zengaku daijiten 禪學大辭典.

Tōkyō: Taishūkan Shoten, 1978.

A two-volume dictionary of Zen Buddhism with a one-volume supplement, including indexes in Japanese, Sanskrit, and Pali, as well as maps, tables, photos, etc.  

EAsia Reference: BQ9259 .Z462 1978 

 

Yuǎn dōng Hàn Yīng dà cí diǎn 遠東漢英大辭典 (Far East Chinese-English Dictionary) / Zhāng Fāngjié 張芳杰, Liáng Shíqiū 梁實秋 et al (Eds.).

Taibei shi: Yuan dong tu shu gong si, 2000.

Useful for locating Chinese compounds or character meanings and traditional character forms.  Characters can be looked up using total stroke count, radical, U.N. Mandarin Phonetic Symbols (similar to Hànyǔ pīnyīn), Gwoyeu Romatzyh, Wade-Giles Romanization, or Mandarin phonetic symbols (ㄅㄆㄇㄈ).

EAsia Reference: PL1455 .Y83 2000

 

Dictionaries/People and Place Names:

 

Chimei yomikata jiten 地名よみかた辞典.

Tōkyō: Nichigai Asoshiētsu: Hatsubaimoto Kinokuniya Shoten, 1989.

A quick reference on how to read place names with an onyomi index, although it does not provide historical locations.

EAsia Reference: DS805 .C467 1989 

 

Dai jinmei jiten 大人名事典. 

Tōkyō: Heibonsha, 1953-1955.

A nine-volume dictionary of people’s names (foreign and Japanese) with a one-volume index in the Roman alphabet and Japanese.

EAsia Reference: CT203 .J3 D3 1953

 

Dai Nihon jinmei jisho 大日本人名辭書.

Tōkyō: Dai Nihon Jinmei Jisho Kankōkai: Hatsubaijo Naigai Shoseki Kabushiki Kaisha, 1937.

A five-volume biographical dictionary.  Users unable to convert dates from Japanese era titles to Western dates may wish to consult additional materials, as dates, when given, are done in the former style.

EAsia Reference: CT1832 .D34 1937

Earlier editions can be found at:

EAsia Auxiliary:   CT1832 .D34 1926

EAsia General Stacks:  CT1832 .D34 1912 (different publisher)   

 

Kokushi chimei jiten 国史地名辞典 / Fujioka Tsuguhei 藤岡継平.

Tōkyō: Murata Shoten, 1976.

A historical reference for place names with a character index in the front and a color map in the back.

EAsia Reference: DS805 .F794 1976       

 

Chinese Biographical Dictionary / Giles, Herbert Allen.

London: Bernard Quaritch; Shanghai: Kelly & Walsh, 1898.

An English-language reference of historical Chinese figures.

EAsia Reference: DS734 .G46

Suzzallo/Allen Stacks: DS734 .G46

EAsia Reference:  DS734 .G46 1939  (1939 edition)

 

Biographical Dictionary of Japanese History / Iwao Seiichi. (Burton Watson, transl.) .

Tōkyō: International Society for Educational Information, 1978.

Although most of the work features more modern historical figures, there are 146 pages of entries on ancient and medieval figures (some with illustrations).  A handy English-language reference for short biographies of prominent Japanese historical figures.  (Some entries on Chinese figures are also included.)

EAsia Reference: DS834 .B56 1978   

 

Kokushi daijiten 国史大辞典.

Tōkyō: Yoshikawa Kōbunkan, 1979-.

A 14-volume encyclopedia of Japanese history with a three-volume index arranged by topic, personal names, and place names. 

EAsia Reference: DS833.K64

 

Wa-Kan shiika sakka jiten 和漢詩歌作家辞典 / Mori Tadashige 森忠重.

Tōkyō: Mizuho Shuppan, 1972.

A biographical dictionary of Chinese and Japanese poets that includes some illustrations.  Dates are given in both Japanese and Western styles, and the index is arranged by correct name-reading.

EAsia Reference: PL 727 M6

 

Zhōngguó rén míng dà cí diǎn 中國人名大辭典 / Zāng Lìhé 臧勵龢 (Ed.).

Taibei: Taiwan shang wu yin shu guan, 1977.

A Chinese-language reference of historical Chinese figures.

EAsia Reference: DS734 .C622 1979   

 

Textbooks and General Reference:

 

An Introduction to Kambun / Crawcour, Sydney. 

Ann Arbor: Center for Japanese Studies, University of Michigan, 1965.　

Contains a basic introduction to classical Japanese grammar and kambun punctuation. There are explanations of Chinese sentence types with Japanese translations thereof and numerous examples of Chinese sentences with kundoku versions for comparison.

EAsia General Stacks: PL627 .C72 1965

EAsia Auxiliary: PL627 .C7 1962

 

Available for free download at: http://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cjs/akz7043.0001.001

 

Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japan.

Tōkyō; New York, NY: Kodansha, 1983.

An eight-volume English-language encyclopedia on Japan with a one-volume index.  It can also be connected to on-line via JapanKnowledgege.

EAsia Reference: DS805 .K633 1983

Kokugo kokubungaku techō 国語国文学手帖 (The Guide to Japanese Literature).

Tōkyō: Shōgakkan, 1990.

A general reference on Japanese traditions and literature, including (but not limited to) sections on colors, seasonal flora and fauna, clothing, hairstyles, a timeline and brief history of Japanese literature, maps, etc.  A color-coded index arranged by readings immediately follows the table of contents.

EAsia Reference: PL716 .K6435 1990 

 

An Introduction to Japanese Kanbun / Komai Akira and Rohlich, Thomas H..

Nagoya: University of Nagoya Press, 1988.

Contains numerous exercises, but no answer key.  Although there are explanations of classical Chinese grammar, they are not necessarily consistent with classical Chinese grammar as it is taught here.  The extensive use of kunreishiki Romanization in examples and terminology may prove difficult for students unaccustomed to working with Romanized Japanese.

EAsia General Stacks: PL1103 .K56 1988

Suzzallo-Allen Stacks: PL1103 .K56 1988

 

Kanbun nyūmon 漢文入門 / Ogawa Tamaki 小川環樹, Nishida Taichirō 西田太一郎.

Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, 1957.           

Contains a basic explanation of what kambun and kunten are, followed by explanations of grammar at the word and sentence level.  There are many short readings punctuated with ichiniten, followed by a kundoku and commentary/gloss.

EAsia General Stacks: PL1271. O4

 

Kanbun nyūmon 漢文入門 / Sakakibara Kunihiko 榊原邦彦.

Osaka: Izumi Shoin, 1992.

An introduction to kambun.  The first chapter explains kunten and gives examples of classical Chinese sentence structures.  Although the Chinese grammar explanations in the first chapter are cursory at best, the following chapters present an excellent set of practice texts from several genres of Chinese literature that provide limited furigana, punctuation, and a useful gloss (especially for students unfamiliar with Chinese literature and/or history).

Asia General Stacks: PL1271. S25 1992

 

Kanbun kaishaku jiten 漢文解釈辞典 / Setoguchi Takeo 瀬戸口武夫, Taku Kōichi 多久弘一.

Tōkyō: Kadokawa Shoten, 1979.

Contains explanations of sentence types found in classical Chinese with an index in the back.  Under each illustrated point, there are multiple examples, followed by sentences with reading marks, an explanation of the meaning, and various readings.

EAsia Reference: PL1109 .S47 1979

 

Classical Japanese: A Grammar / Shirane Haruo. 

New York: Columbia University Press, 2005.

A handy reference for classical Japanese grammar, in particular verb inflections and grammatical particles, with easy-to-follow grammar explanations and example sentences.  Also contains a limited glossary.

EAsia Folio: PL531.3 .S55 2005

 

Shakaijin no tame no Kanshi Kanbun Shōhyakka 社会人のための漢詩漢文小百科 / Tabei Fumio 田部井文雄 et al.

Tōkyō: Taishūkan Shoten, 1990.

Contains a useful grammar section starting from page 123.  Characters with related/similar meanings are grouped together, followed by explanations of how to read the example sentences and what they mean.

EAsia General Stacks: PL3050 .S53 1990 

                        

Kambun with Kundoku and/or Other Annotation:

 

Shinshaku kanbun taikei 新釈漢文大系.

Tōkyō: Meiji Shoin, 1961-.

A 113-volume set of Chinese texts presented first with ichiniten, followed by a kundoku, modern translation, gloss, and misc. notes—ideal for self-study.

EAsia General Stacks: PL2452 .S4 (incomplete set)

 

Shodō rikutai daijiten 書道六軆大字典 / Fujiwara Sosui 藤原楚水. 

Tōkyō: Sanseidō, 1965.

Contains an on-kun index at the back, and a chronological index (arranged by dynasty) in the front.  Useful if one has an idea of a character in a seal and would like to see historical variations of it, including seal script.

 EAsia Reference: NK3634 .A2 S55 1965

 

Seals:

 

Japanese Colour Prints / Binyon, Lawrence  and Sexton, J. J. O’Brien .

London: R. Sawers, 1923.

Contains seal script tables for the celestial stems and 12 zodiacal signs, as well as 4½ pages of Edo publishers’ seals (1675-1868).  UW libraries own the 1960 and 1978 editions, and the 1923 edition is available through Summit.

Art General Stacks: NE1310 .B5 1978, NE1310 .B5 1960

Odegaard General Stacks: NE 1310 .B5 1960

 

Yìn wén xué  印文學 / Tián Yuán 田員.