TELDAP Collections
A Slice of Wonder
Facets of Taiwan
Exhibitions
| Illustrations of the Japanese Species of Bamboo 坪井竹類圖譜 |
This book was written by Isuke Tsuboi (1843~1925), a man who devoted himself to the research of bamboo for nearly forty years and was known as “Japan’s foremost bamboo guru.” In 1881, he set up a farm to experiment with bamboo planting. Over the many years of his hard work, Tsuboi accumulated fruitful knowledge in bamboo species and their phytogeographic patterns. He also developed efficient planting methods, identified the causes of withering and discovered efficient ways to fight against pests. During his years of research, Tsuboi made frequent trips between Taiwan, China and Japan, which demonstrate the seriousness and diligence with which he pursued the study of bamboo. He was the first man to build a bamboo specimen garden in Japan, a place that displayed his categorization of all native bamboo species in Japan. Botanists, directors of bamboo groves and bamboo lovers of his time all came to marvel at the richness of his collection. Sadly, after Tsuboi passed away, the garden was abandoned and then vanished in disrepair. Tsuboi’s Illustrations of the Japanese Species of Bamboo stands as one of the great achievements of his research. The book depicts various species and morphology of bamboo and contains intricate sketches of their inner parts. Even by today’s standard, this book still retains great value as a reference guide. Note. The book was published in 1916.
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