Ancient Japanese Writing - Old Scroll #2

[Marino F]

thank you for any assistance

[SteveM]

Left picture:

 

素志與白雲同悠 

 

A classical Chinese poem from Rong Wang (5th century). 

I don't have a translation, but something like "A pure mind is calm, like the distant clouds" 

 

Under that is a date. March in the year of the cow, (in the sexegenary cycle of fire and cow - hinotoushi in Japanese).

[Marino F]

Thanks again Steve - i will search for the year of the cow - fire and cow...from what i have found so far...could be 1277?

[SteveM]

1277, or every 60th year after that up to 1997 (1337, 1397, etc..). Or every preceding 60th year. So there are a lot of possibilities. I don't think that piece of paper is 700-800 years old. I would say your most likely candidates are something from the past 200 years - maybe 1937. Cloth and paper just doesn't hold up that well through the years unless it is very well protected from light and moisture, bugs, etc...