Sakai edition. Publications by merchants, doctors, and others in Sakai, Senshu from the Warring States period to the end of the Muromachi period are referred to as Sakai edition. 『The Variorum Edition of Confucious Analects』 is the oldest Confucian classics in Japan. It is also known as Shōhei version of Confucious Analects due to the afterword that reads this copy was published in Shōhei 19 (1364) by Sakai’s Doyukoji yet his life has not been known yet. Woodblocks for first edition prints disappeared early on, and reissued editions published later have the single afterword and the double afterword. This collection has no afterword as its single afterword and record of date were deleted; only its imprint is believed to be that of the late Muromachi period. Red dots (ink or ink stick) and punctuation dots to read out kanji are found in the body text, which are thought to be made at that time.(en)
Binding: Traditional Japanese hardcover bookbinding(en) , 『National Diet Library Chinese Text List』Page 37, Left, 無跋本, 『國立國會圖書館漢籍目録』37頁左, 装丁 : 綫装, No afterword