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==Styles of Traditional Bookbinding==

==Styles of Traditional Bookbinding==

*The [[handscroll]] (''kansubon'' 巻子本 or ''makimono'' 巻物) is perhaps the most traditional form of assembling sheets of paper (or silk) into a larger whole. Sheets or sections were arranged horizontally, pasted (or stitched, in the case of silk) to one another, end to end, and wrapped around a wooden dowel to form a scroll. Scrolls have the advantage over other forms of books (''sasshihon'' 冊子本) that they can be easily lengthened or shortened. One can cut nearly anywhere within a scroll, and insert or remove sections, while in a book, the nature of front and back (''recto'' and ''verso'') sides of a page, among other elements, makes this difficult. Scrolls have the disadvantage, however, of it being difficult to skim or skip forward to certain sections; whereas with a book one can simply flip the book open to a later section, a scroll has to be scrolled through from the beginning, a lengthy process. For this reason, along with the older history of the form (i.e. it being an older, more traditional form), and the association of scrolls as the format of imported Buddhist knowledge, scrolls came to often be the choice format for prestigious gifts, and treasures, to be kept and preserved, but not necessarily to be regularly opened or read.

*The [[handscroll]] (''kansubon'' 巻子本 or ''makimono'' 巻物) is perhaps the most traditional form of assembling sheets of paper (or silk) into a larger whole. Sheets or sections were arranged horizontally, pasted (or stitched, in the case of silk) to one another, end to end, and wrapped around a wooden dowel to form a scroll. Scrolls have the advantage over other forms of books (''sasshihon'' 冊子本) that they can be easily lengthened or shortened. One can cut nearly anywhere within a scroll, and insert or remove sections, while in a book, the nature of front and back (''recto'' and ''verso'') sides of a page, among other elements, makes this difficult. Scrolls have the disadvantage, however, of it being difficult to skim or skip forward to certain sections; whereas with a book one can simply flip the book open to a later section, a scroll has to be scrolled through from the beginning, a lengthy process. For this reason, along with the older history of the form (i.e. it being an older, more traditional form), and the association of scrolls as the format of imported Buddhist knowledge, scrolls came to often be the choice format for prestigious gifts, and treasures, to be kept and preserved, but not necessarily to be regularly opened or read.

*Butterfly binding (''detchôsô'' 粘葉装 or ''kochôsô'' 胡蝶装) is somewhat similar to accordion binding, but involves pasting the pages together all at one end, forming a spine, such that the outer edges (at the left and right extreme of each opening) are individual and free. In such books, openings alternate between opening quite freely and easily (where merely folded), and opening less completely (where pages are pasted). Though extensively used in Japan to a certain extent, this method of binding was more common in China.

*Butterfly binding (''detchôsô'' 粘葉装 or ''kochôsô'' 胡蝶装) is somewhat similar to accordion binding, but involves pasting the pages together all at one end, forming a spine, such that the outer edges (at the left and right extreme of each opening) are individual and free. In such books, openings alternate between opening quite freely and easily (where merely folded), and opening less completely (where pages are pasted). Though extensively used in Japan to a certain extent, this method of binding was more common in China.

*Album binding, or ''gajôsô'' (画帖装), also known by several other names, is a form related to butterfly binding, but with pages being pasted together at the outer edge, away from the spine. This is a common format for Chinese albums, and is quite rare among Japanese examples earlier than the Edo period. Whereas butterfly-bound books often alternate content pages with blank ones (the result of each page being illustrated or inscribed on only one side), the album binding hides these unsightly blank sides, providing an uninterrupted experience. However, such albums are open, or loose, at the spine, being held together only by the pasted outer edges, and are thus quite fragile.

*Album binding, or ''gajôsô'' (画帖装), also known by several other names, is a form related to butterfly binding, but with pages being pasted together at the outer edge, away from the spine. This is a common format for Chinese albums, and is quite rare among Japanese examples earlier than the Edo period. Whereas butterfly-bound books often alternate content pages with blank ones (the result of each page being illustrated or inscribed on only one side), the album binding hides these unsightly blank sides, providing an uninterrupted experience. Further, each two-page spread is printed onto a single (folded) piece of paper, thus providing a more continuous spread than most other formats, in which the gutter creates a break in the image. However, over time the paper tends to wear out at the fold and begin to tear. Furthermore, such albums are open, or loose, at the spine, being held together only by the pasted outer edges, and are thus quite fragile.

*''Retsujôsô'' (列帖装) or ''tetchôsô'' (綴葉装) binding, also known ironically as ''yamato toji'' (大和綴, lit. "Japanese binding") binding, is the closest of the traditional East Asian forms to standard Western modes of bookbinding. Like many other forms of Japanese bookbinding, it was invented in China. This form of binding involves nestling the folded leaves of paper into one another to form a series of packets or bundles, which are then sewn together to form a hard spine.

*''Retsujôsô'' (列帖装) or ''tetchôsô'' (綴葉装) binding, also known ironically as ''yamato toji'' (大和綴, lit. "Japanese binding") binding, is the closest of the traditional East Asian forms to standard Western modes of bookbinding. Like many other forms of Japanese bookbinding, it was invented in China. This form of binding involves nestling the folded leaves of paper into one another to form a series of packets or bundles, which are then sewn together to form a hard spine.

==Elements of a Book==

==Elements of a Book==

Medieval books were typically written on such thick paper that there was no need for a separate book cover. Titles were simply written on the "front" of the outermost sheet. However, by the Edo period, there had come to be a demand for formal covers, both for decorative/aesthetic purposes, and also in order to make the book seem like a more precious, and thus prestigious, object. Covers quickly became standard. Still, book covers, particularly on ''fukurotoji'' books, were made of simple paper, or paper lining a somewhat thicker piece of card-board made from recycled paper. These outer covers were often burnished with a sizing material called ''dôsa'' (礬水), made from alum and hide glue, which provided some protection for the books; covers were also often embossed, printed, painted, or burnished with simple patterns. These patterns were, sometimes, used exclusively by a single publisher, thus marking the book as having been produced by that publishing house. A paper slip known as a ''gedai'' (外題, "outside title"), affixed to the front cover, often gives the title of the book, along with other information, such as the volume number within a series.  

Medieval books were typically written on such thick paper that there was no need for a separate book cover. Titles were simply written on the "front" of the outermost sheet. However, by the Edo period, there had come to be a demand for formal covers, both for decorative/aesthetic purposes, and also in order to make the book seem like a more precious, and thus prestigious, object. Covers quickly became standard. Still, book covers, particularly on ''fukurotoji'' books, were made of simple paper, or paper lining a somewhat thicker piece of card-board made from recycled paper. These outer covers were often burnished with a sizing material called ''dôsa'' (礬水), made from alum and hide glue, which provided some protection for the books; covers were also often embossed, printed, painted, or burnished with simple patterns. These patterns were, sometimes, used exclusively by a single publisher, thus marking the book as having been produced by that publishing house. A paper slip known as a ''gedai'' (外題, "outside title"), affixed to the front cover, often gives the title of the book, along with other information, such as the volume number within a series.  

*Roger Keyes, ''Ehon: The Artist and the Book in Japan'', New York Public Library, 2006.

*Roger Keyes, ''Ehon: The Artist and the Book in Japan'', New York Public Library, 2006.

*Nakashima Takashi, Ogawa Yasuhiko, Unno Keisuke, lectures, Wahon Literacies symposium/workshop, UCLA & UC Santa Barbara, 31 Aug to 4 Sept, 2015.[http://www.alc.ucla.edu/event/wahon-literacies/]

*Nakashima Takashi, Ogawa Yasuhiko, Unno Keisuke, lectures, Wahon Literacies symposium/workshop, UCLA & UC Santa Barbara, 31 Aug to 4 Sept, 2015.[http://www.alc.ucla.edu/event/wahon-literacies/]

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==See Also==

==See Also==

*[[Printing and Publishing]]

*[[Printing and Publishing]]

[[Category:Historical Documents]]

[[Category:Historical Documents]]

[[Category:Art and Architecture]]

[[Category:Art and Architecture]]

[[Category:Edo Period]]

[[Category:Edo Period]]