Eight Dogs, or Hakkenden | Eight Dogs, or Hakkenden

Front cover of a Japanese book. Two large white rings, each containing two dogs facing each other in an arrangement that looks like the character for “eight.” In the background are what look like pawprints on cracked ice. Back cover of a Japanese book. A large white ring containing two dogs facing each other in an arrangement that looks like the character for “eight.” In the background are what look like pawprints on cracked ice

Like Volumes I, II, and II, Volume IV of Hakkenden was originally published by Sanseidō, proprietor Yamazaki Heihachi. The first edition sported this cover, featuring the repeated motif of two dogs in a circle facing each other; the shape of the two dogs suggests the character for “eight.”

Front cover of a Japanese book. Five roundels, each containing two dogs facing each other in an arrangement that looks like the character for “eight.” In the background are what look like pawprints on cracked ice. Back cover of a Japanese book. Three roundels, each containing two dogs facing each other in an arrangement that looks like the character for “eight.” In the background are what look like pawprints on cracked ice.

Bunkeidō, proprietor Chōjiya Heibei, took over publication with Volume VIII in 1832. Shortly thereafter the blocks for Volumes I through VII came into his possession, allowing him to reprint from them. The Bunkeidō covers for Volume IV featured a re-imagining of the Sanseidō design.

A dog dressed in Chinese armor, holding a bow and arrow, beneath a constellation of stars. Author, title, illustrator, and publisher information are given beside and above the dog.

Large characters on right: The Lives of the Eight Dogs, Volume IV
Smaller characters in box, top right: Written by Kyokutei Bakin
Smaller characters in box, middle left: Pictures by Yanagawa Shigenobu
Smaller characters, unboxed, bottom right: Printed by Sanseidō
Archaic characters within illustration: Dog General
Notes: The upper element of the illustration is a constellation, drawn after the manner of Chinese star charts. It does not appear to correspond precisely to any particular constellation, but it closely resembles the chō (Ch. zhang) constellation, known in English as “extended net,” the twenty-sixth of the twenty-eight Lunar Mansions. However, the chō constellation contains six stars, while the one in the illustration contains eight (one additional star on each arm appended to the central diamond shape). The presence of stars may be a reminder of Hakkenden’s roots as an adaptation of Shuihu zhuan, whose heroes are the mortal incarnations of 108 stars that are in turn identified with demons. If a reference to the chō constellation is intended, then it may be a pun: the character for chō can also be read haru, meaning to bend or string a bow. The lower element of the illustration is a humanoid dog (or dog-headed human) dressed as a Chinese general and holding a bow. The illustration may derive from popular depictions of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac as generals, related to their conflation with the twelve heavenly generals associated with the buddha Bhaisajyaguru (J. Yakushi). The 1682 compendium of calendrical and cosmological lore Hoki genkai taizen includes a diagram of the chō constellation nearly identical to that in the illustration (minus the two extra stars), as well as a depiction of the dog heavenly general similar to that in the illustration.

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