Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Kuniyoshi’s Heroes of China and Japan

A catalogue of the Ashmolean’s collection of warriors by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861) by Oliver Impey and Mitsuko Watanabe (published Oxford, 2003).

Kuniyoshi’s Heroes of China and Japan by Oliver Impey and Mitsuko Watanabe

Publications online: 20 objects

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Gōtenrai Ryōshin (Ling Zhen)

  • Literature notes

    Suikoden chapter 59


    Gōtenrai Ryōshin was born in Enryō (Yanling). He was an expert artilleryman and maker of cannonballs, mastering many military arts including horsemanship and archery. Gōtenrai, which means ‘artillery fire reaching the heavens’, was the second messenger under the command of Kōjoko in Tōkei (Dong jing). He was skilled in several types of cannon such as those called Fūkahō, Kinrinhō, and Gōteihō all of which had a significant fire power and all appear in the Suikoden. In his battle against the Ryōsanpaku forces, he confused his enemy by firing three cannonballs in rapid succession, one directly at the forces breaking their camp of Chōshinan (Yazuitan) and two towards the water. This caused great confusion in the ranks of the Ryōsanpaku forces. However, he later became a member of the Ryōsanpaku


    In this print, Ryōshin has just shot a cannonball at the Ryōsanpaku forces and is about to fire another, holding a flaming linstock in his hand.
  • Details

    Series
    One of the 108 Heroes of the Popular Water Margin
    Associated place
    AsiaJapanHonshūKantōTōkyō prefecture Tōkyō (place of creation)
    AsiaJapanHonshūKantōTōkyō prefecture Tōkyō (place of publication)
    Date
    1827 - 1830
    Artist/maker
    Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797 - 1861) (designer)
    Associated people
    Kagaya Kichibei (active c. 1804 - 1880) (publisher)
    Material and technique
    Woodblock
    Dimensions
    mount 55.5 x 40.4 cm (height x width)
    print 38 x 26.1 cm (height x width)
    Material index
    Technique index
    Object type index
    No. of items
    1
    Credit line
    Presented by George Grigs, Miss Elizabeth Grigs, and Miss Susan Messer, in memory of Derick Grigs, 1971.
    Accession no.
    EA1971.100
  • Further reading

Location

    • currently in research collection

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Publications online

  • Kuniyoshi’s Heroes of China and Japan by Oliver Impey and Mitsuko Watanabe

    Kuniyoshi’s Heroes of China and Japan

    Suikoden chapter 59


    Gōtenrai Ryōshin was born in Enryō (Yanling). He was an expert artilleryman and maker of cannonballs, mastering many military arts including horsemanship and archery. Gōtenrai, which means ‘artillery fire reaching the heavens’, was the second messenger under the command of Kōjoko in Tōkei (Dong jing). He was skilled in several types of cannon such as those called Fūkahō, Kinrinhō, and Gōteihō all of which had a significant fire power and all appear in the Suikoden. In his battle against the Ryōsanpaku forces, he confused his enemy by firing three cannonballs in rapid succession, one directly at the forces breaking their camp of Chōshinan (Yazuitan) and two towards the water. This caused great confusion in the ranks of the Ryōsanpaku forces. However, he later became a member of the Ryōsanpaku


    In this print, Ryōshin has just shot a cannonball at the Ryōsanpaku forces and is about to fire another, holding a flaming linstock in his hand.
Notice

Object information may not accurately reflect the actual contents of the original publication, since our online objects contain current information held in our collections database. Click on 'buy this publication' to purchase printed versions of our online publications, where available, or contact the Jameel Study Centre to arrange access to books on our collections that are now out of print.

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