Bag of Historical Treasures and People of Japan and China (Ehon shahō-bukuro), 5th of 10 Volumes Possibly 1770

Curator: Here we see a page from "Bag of Historical Treasures and People of Japan and China," specifically the fifth volume in this ten-part series by Tachibana Morikuni. Editor: It’s quite striking, isn’t it? These horses seem to burst off the page in frantic movement. Are they escaping something? Curator: Perhaps! Morikuni, who lived from 1679 to 1748, was working in a time of relative peace in Japan, but images of animals, like these horses, often referenced earlier periods of conflict and movement across borders. Editor: The horse, a symbol of power and freedom, is rendered in simple lines but conveys such energy. The water and the weeping willow on the right page also evoke a sense of melancholy, of something lost or longed for. Curator: Right, and these "historical treasures" the title alludes to are in part, visual symbols meant to invoke a shared cultural memory, even across national lines, as the title also notes the people of China. Editor: It’s fascinating how a simple ink drawing can carry so much historical and emotional weight, isn't it? Curator: Indeed, and its place within a larger series encourages a deeper engagement with that history.