The "Rongo-so, Volume 6" held by the Mita Media Center (Keio University Library) (Mita Media Center) has recently been designated as a National Treasure. This material was designated as an Important Cultural Property one year ago, and its rarity and importance have been re-evaluated, leading to its designation as a National Treasure.
"Rongo-so," also known as "Rongo Giso," is a commentary on the "Analects of Confucius" written by Huang Kan (488–545) of the Liang Dynasty, a scholar during China's Northern and Southern Dynasties period. This "Rongo Giso" is widely known as an "Itsuzonsho" (lost book), meaning the text was lost within China and only survived in copies preserved abroad. This material, now designated as a National Treasure, is a manuscript from around the 6th century, only a few decades after the original "Giso" was written, and is believed to have been brought to Japan during the early Heian period.
It is among the oldest materials brought from China to Japan. Since the "Raiki Shihon Sogi, Volume 59" (a commentary on the "Book of Rites") compiled by Huang Kan and Zheng Zhuo (held by Waseda University Library), which dates from a similar period, has already been designated as a National Treasure, this work was evaluated as being of comparable value.
For more details regarding "Rongo-so, Volume 6," please see below.
"Rongo-so, Volume 6 (Held by Mita Media Center (Keio University Library)) and Rongo Giso (Held by Institute of Oriental Classics (Shido Bunko)): Facsimile, Explanatory Notes, and Research"
Edited by Keio University Rongo-so Research Group / Benseisha, November 2021, ISBN 978-4-585-31004-4
"Rongo-so, Volume 6" is available on the "Keio University Media Center Digital Collections."
For details regarding the National Treasure designation, please refer to this page in the Agency for Cultural Affairs press release.
"Report of the Council for Cultural Affairs (Designation of National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties (Fine Arts and Crafts))" (Agency for Cultural Affairs)