Stèles

Complete with the fragile half-leaf title label, serving as a false spine, mounted inside the two wooden boards — often torn or missing. This addition was meant to make the book easier to identify on library shelves. As in the 1912 edition, the Chinese title is vertical and printed in green, while the Crès edition adds the French title printed at lower left on the front board.

This edition is enlarged with 16 new poems, bringing the total number of Stèles to 64 — a number recalling the 64 hexagrams of the Yi King, the divinatory book embodying the principles of Yin and Yang. The order of the pieces has also been changed. A postface by Segalen, entitled “Justification de l’édition,” is likewise added.

This edition was decided upon by Segalen to broaden the readership of Stèles beyond the first, limited printing (about 200 copies). The Crès presses issued this edition in 640 numbered copies: 35 on grand papier de tribut, 35 on vergé nacré and 570 on vergé feutré, in keeping with the strict requirements Segalen imposed regarding papers and folding and presentation techniques, which make Stèles a truly spectacular livre-objet.

Light foxing to the spine and covers.