Japan, Pair of folding screens by Takabayashi Nobuyoshi (1819-1897)

Pair of 6 folds screens composed of a series of calligraphy by Takabayashi Nobuyoshi (1819-1897), Japan, 1878, 19th century.

The text is a passage from a text in classical Chinese by the historian and statesman Sima Guang (1019-1086), entitled ? "The garden of unique Pleasure". Sima Guang had moved to Luoyang in 1071. Two years later, he bought land away from his house, which he transformed into a garden with a pond with an island, a waterfall, a square of medicinal plants, a small tower etc. He had a small library pavilion erected in the center of his garden. His essay explains the reasons why he named his garden so.
It seems that this text has never been translated into a Western language. I sincerely thank Mr. Alain Briot who took advantage of the confinement to translate it
I read books every day [in the library in my garden]. Among the best authors, I took the great sages as masters and among the others, many are my friends. I studied the sources of the virtues of humanity and justice and I looked for the origins of the rites. The Principle of all things, which already existed before the appearance of matter and which is found everywhere up to and even beyond the confines of the universe, is there, concentrated before my eyes. However, I suffer from never having been able to reach it by study but how and to whom could I ask it? What can I expect from the outside world? When my mind is tired and my body tired, I throw my fishing rod I fish for fish: I lift the bottom of my dress and I pick medicinal herbs; I dig channels to irrigate the flower beds: wielding the ax, I cut bamboo; I refresh myself ...
... by dipping my hands in a bowl of cool water; I go up on a height and I look in the distance; I wander around on an adventure. All I want is that when the hour comes when the moon shines, a fresh wind will rise. When I walk, there is nothing that drives me. If I stop, no stake holds me back. My ears, my eyes, my lungs, my intestines, all my organs are autonomous. I relax and take my ease as I please. Is there another pleasure in Heaven or on Earth, which can replace that one? I do not know. This is why I baptized [my garden] the "unique pleasure garden"
The screen is signed with the name of the calligrapher, Nihô, ("The two peaks"), followed by the seal of his personal name Nobuyoshi no in (Seal of Nobuyoshi) and the seal of his artist name Nihô
It is dated; A spring day in the year of the Earth's Elder Tiger, Meiji era (1878)
Nihô ? ? is the artist name of Takabayashi Nobuyoshi(1819-1897), Japanese artist from the department of Gunma, who learned calligraphy by himself. He is the father of Takabayashi Gohô, (Les Cinq pics ") who was also a renowned calligrapher.
Each of these screens measures approximately 170 x 360 cm.
They are kept in their original box.