A PRELIMINARY STUDY ON A MIRROR OF JAPAN (RIBENYIJIAN)

After the reign of Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty, as the Japanese pirates’ problembecame more and more serious, books devoted to the study of Japan began to be published. Amongthem, the most important ones are A Brief Survey of Japan (Ri Ben Kao Lue), A Compilation of JapaneseMaps (Ri Ben Tu Zuan), A Mirror of Japan (Ri Ben Yi Jian), A Survey of Japan (Ri Ben Kao), A Recordof Japanese Customs (Ri Ben Fen Tu Ji), and A Biography of Japanese Pirates in Qiantai (Qian Tai WoZhuan). Out of these, A Mirror of Japan is a special one. In addition, there are also special booksthat depict the general ambiance of Japan, such as A Collection of Coastal Military Maps (Chou HaiTu Bian), Resistance to Japanese Pirates in Ming Dynasty (Huang Ming Yu Wo Lu), the Compilationof Coastal Defense (Hai Fang Zuan Yao) and the Continuation of Coastal Defense Category in Zhedongand Zhexi Regions (Liang Zhe Hai Fang Lei Kao Xu Bian). Zheng Shungong, the author of the bookA Mirror of Japan, visited Japan twice, so many contents in the book are based on his own experienceand knowledge. Therefore, the breadth and scope of his research on Japan had gone beyond the similarliterature of the Ming Dynasty. Moreover, the Japanese pirates’ record and analysis in the book are ofgreat research value. Before the publication of Huang Zunxian’s Annals of Japan (Ri Ben Tu Zhi), AMirror of Japan was one of the highest levels of monographs on Japan in ancient China.