Historical Catalogues
For information on works now lost, or to judge authenticity or completeness of an older work that is still extant, there are three main groups of sources:
A) bibliographical chapters in the standard 24 histories
B) bibliographies compiled to supplement dynastic histories
C) catalogs of imperial and private libraries.
A. Twenty of the first and second category are indexed in William Hong ¬x·~, et al., comp. Yiwenzhi ershizhong zonghe yinde ÃÀ¤å§Ó¤G¤QºØÁ`¦X¤Þ±o (Combined Indices to Twenty Historical Bibliographies). Harvard Yenching Institute Index Series no. 10. Beijing: Harvard Yenching Institute, 1933, various rpts.
Indices to authors and titles of all works included in the twenty bibliographies listed (and discussed) in the preface. The first two bibliographies, from the Hanshu and the Suishu are particularly important in tracing the history of editions.
1. "Yiwen zhi" ÃÀ¤å§Ó. Hanshu º~®Ñ juan 30.
This is the earliest extant catalog. and is based on the Qilve ¤C²¤ (Seven Summaries) of Liu Xin ¼BÝõ (ob.a.d. 23). In turn, the Qilve was based on a work compiled by Liu XinÕs father, Liu Xiang ¼B¦V (79-8bc.) called Bielu §O¿ý (Individuated List). In 26 bc, under commission from the emperor, Liu Xiang surveyed all of the books that had been collected in the imperial archives. Liu Xiang edited and collate the material, after which he presented summaries to the emperor; these reports included a table of contents and a brief description of the materials. Each description is usually followed by a biography of the author or a historical account of the work itself. Upon his fatherÕs death, Liu Xin assumed the task. He moved the books into a new library, the soon-to-be famous Tianlu ge ¤Ñ¸S»Õ. Liu collected the reports of his father, made a catalogue raisonne, and divided them into six classes, preceded by a general summary. The seven sections are:
jilve ¿è²¤ editorial summary The Six Summariesliuyilve ¤»ÃÀ²¤ the six arts=the classics zhuzilve ½Ñ¤l²¤ the various masters=thinkers shifulve ¸Ö½á²¤ poetry bingshulve §L®Ñ²¤ works on warfare shushulve ³N¼Æ²¤ techniques and numerology=divination, cosmology, the occult, alchemy, etc. fangjilve ¤è§Þ²¤ medical therapies This catalog was presented to the throne in 6 bc. When Ban Gu ¯Z©T( 32-92) abridged the Qilve and used it as his bibliographical monograph in the Documents of the Han º~®Ñ. He added a few titles unknown to Liu Xin. It does, however, miss some of the materials produced in the decades between 6 bc and the time of the HanshuÕs compilation in the second half of the first century A.D.
Editions and annotations:
Ban Gu, comp. Hanshu yiwen zhi ·s®Õº~®ÑÃÀ¤å§Ó. Ann. Yan Shigu ÃC®v¥j. Shanghai: Shangwu yinshu guan, 1957, rpt., Yang Jialuo ·¨®aÀd, ed. Xinjiao Hanshu yiwen zhi ·s®Õº~®ÑÃÀ¤å§Ó. Zhongguo muluxue mingzhu ¤¤°ê¥Ø¿ý¾Ç¦WµÛ, ser. 3. Taibei: Shijie shuju, 1963. EAL 9532 1160.08 1957; 9532 1160.08 1963------.Hanshu "Yiwen zhi" zhujie º~®ÑÃÀ¤å§Óª`¸Ñ. Ann. Yao Minghui «À©úÞk. Shanghai: Dadong shuju, 1933. EAL
------..Hanshu "Yiwen zhi" zhujshi huibian º~®ÑÃÀ¤å§Óª`ÄÀ·J½s. Ann. Chen Guoqing ³¯°ê¼y. Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 1983. EAL Z3102 P295
Gu Shi ÅU¹ê. Hanshu "Yiwen zhi" jiangshu º~®ÑÃÀ¤å§ÓÁ¿²¨. Shanghai: Shangwu yinshuguan, 1925. EAL 9532 1600
Yao Zhenzong «À®¶©v. Hanshu "Yiwen zhi" shibu º~®ÑÃÀ¤å§Ó¬B¸É. 8 juan. ca. 1892. Kuaige shishi shanfang congshu §Ö»Õ®v¥Û¤s©ÐÂO®Ñ. EAL 9530 4153 1936; rpt. in Ershiwu shi bubian ¤G¤Q¤¥v¸É½s.EAL 2455.25 7650 suppl., v. 2.
------. Hanshu "Yiwen zhi" tiaoli º~®ÑÃÀ¤å§Ó±ø²z. 8 juan. ca. 1892. Kuaige shishi shanfang congshu . EAL 9530 4153 1936; rpt. in Ershiwu shi bubian .EAL 2455.25 7650 suppl., v. 2.
Translations and studies:
Suzuki Yoshijiro ¹a¤ì¥Ñ¦¸¦. Kansho "Geimonshi" º~®ÑÃÀ¤å§Ó. Tokyo: Meitoku, 1968.
Koh Thong-ngee."The Beginning of Chinese Bibliography: A Study of the Record of Literature in the History of the Former Han Dynasty." Ts'e-fu, The Repository, no. 7/8 (1964):26-41; no. 9/10 (1964):1-26.
2. "Jingji zhi" ¸gÄy§Ó. Suishu ¶¦®Ñ. 4 juan.
This is the first extant catalogto be arranged by the "Four Categories" (sibu ¥|³¡) system and was intended to be a comprehensive list of all works written prior to the Tang--including the titles of works that were lost. The work is important because it contains the title of works that vanished before the Tang period. Marred by excessively orthodox criteria for selection (i.e., their moral worth), the bibliography is divided into four sections:
jingbu ¸g³¡ classics shibu ¥v³¡ history zibu ¤l³¡ philosophy section jibu ¶°³¡ belles lettres It was originally written for a History of the Five Dynasties which was to include the dynasties of Liang, Chen, Qi, Zhou, and Sui. Submitted to the emperor in 656.
Editions and annotations:
Yang Jialuo ·¨®aÀd, ed. Xinjiao Suishu "Jingji zhi" ·s®Õ¶¦®Ñ¸gÄy§Ó. Zhongguo muluxue mingzhu ¤¤°ê¥Ø¿ý¾Ç¦WµÛ, ser. 3. Taibei: Shijie shuju, 1963.Yao Zhenzong «À®¶©v. Suishu "Jingji zhi" tiaoli ¶¦®Ñ¸gÄy§Ó±ø²z. 52 juan. ca. 1897. Kuaige shishi shanfang congshu §Ö»Õ®v¥Û¤s©ÐÂO®Ñ.
Zhang Zongyuan ³¹©v·½. Suishu "Jingji zhi" kaozheng ¶¦®Ñ¸gÄy§Ó¦Ò . 13 juan. ca. 1790. In Ershiwu shi bubian ¤G¤Q¤¥v¸É½s.EAL 2455.25 7650 suppl., v. 4.
3. The Index also covers the following bibliographies. Note that some are compiled as parts of the standard histories of the periods involved; others are Qing or later compilations meant as supplements to the incomplete bibliographies of the histories. The index by William Hung lists some 40,000 titles from the earliest period through the Qing; authors are also indexed. In addition to the two works listed above, which are important for their coverage of the early period, the index covers:
Hou Han shu yiwen zhi «áº~®ÑÃÀ¤å§Ó by Yao Zhenzong «À®¶©v
Sanguo zhi yiwen zhi ¤T°ê§ÓÃÀ¤å§Ó by Yao Zhenzong «À®¶©v
Bu Jinshi yiwen zhi ¸É®Ê¥vÃÀ¤å§Ó by Wen Tingwu ¤å§ÊªZ
Jiu Tang shu jingji zhi ÂÂð®Ñ¸gÄy§Ó by Liu Shang ¼B®Î
Tang shu yiwen zhi ð®ÑÃÀ¤å§Ó by Ouyang Xiu ¼Ú¶§×
Bu Wudaishi yiwen zhi ¸É¤¥N¥vÃÀ¤å§Ó by Gu Huaisan ÅUÃh¤T
Songshi yiwen zhi §º¥vÃÀ¤å§Ó by Toqto ¦«§J¦«
Bu Songshi yiwen zhi ¸É§º¥vÃÀ¤å§Ó by Ni Can ÙÀé
Bu Liao Jin Yuan yiwen zhi ¸É¿ñª÷¤¸ÃÀ¤å§Ó by Ni Can ÙÀé
Bu san shi yiwen zhi ¸É¤T¥vÃÀ¤å§Ó by Jinmen Zhao ª÷ªù¶@
Bu Yuan yiwen zhi ¸É¤¸¥vÃÀ¤å§Ó by Qian Daxin ¿ú¤j©ý
Mingshi yiwen zhi ©ú¥vÃÀ¤å§Ó by Zhang Tingyu ±i³}¥É
Qingshi gao yiwen zhi ²M¥v½ZÃÀ¤å§Ó by Zhu Shizhe ¦¶®vÂáas well as the following bibliographical references:
Jinshu zongmu ¸T®ÑÁ`¥Ø Comprehensive Index to Banned Books
Quan hui shumu ¥þÀì®Ñ¥Ø Index to Works Completely Destroyed
Chou hui shumu ©âÀì®Ñ¥Ø Index to Works Partially Destroyed
Wei ai shumu ¹Hê®Ñ¥Ø Index to Works Against Custom or Law
Weifang Mingji yishumu ¼x³X©ú©u¿ò®Ñ¥Ø Index to Works Handed Down from the Ming Period.During the 1950's Shanghai's Commercial Press brought out a uniform edition of the dynastic bibliographies with their Qing supplements; each volume is also accompanied by a four-corner index.
Hanshu yiwen zhi 1955
Suishu jingjizhi 1955-57
Tang shu jingji yiwen hezhi 1956
Songshi yiwen zhi 1957
Liao Jin Yuan shi yiwen zhi 1959
Ming shi yiwen zhi 1959These were all reprinted without permission by Shijie shuju in the 1960's in Taipei. These bibliographies usually do not give more than a brief account of a work---by so-and-so, in so many juan, etc.
You can, of course, sometimes find out what primary sources are available by looking at an outstanding secondary work and observing what authors have used. This is not, however, a substitute for looking yourself. Some secondary sources are now available that flesh out the information you can find from above:
Ma Xianxing °¨¥ý¬P. Hanshi cailiao yu Hanshi lunzhu zonghe mulu º~¥v§÷®Æ»Pº~¥v½×µÛÁ`¦X¥Ø¿ý. Taibei: Zhonghua xueshu yuan, 1970. EAL 2545.9 7221
Wan Man ¸U°Ò. Tang ji xu lu 𶰱Կý. Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 1980. EAL; UCLA Oriental Z3108 L5W25 1980
Hervout, Yves. A Sung Bibliography. Hong Kong: Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1978. EAL Z3102.S77
Wolfgang Franke. An Introduction to the Sources of Ming History. Kuala Lumpur and Singapore: University of Malaya Press, 1968. EAL 2720.9 5708 1968
Zhang Shunhui ±iµÏÀ². Qingren wenji bielu ²M¤H¤å¶°§O¿ý. 2 vols. Beijing: Zhonghua xueshu yuan, 1963. EAL
These are excellent (but not much emulated) works. FrankeÕs work, in particular, begun in Chengdu in the 40's, is useful for its general and section introductions. You will also find that there have been many significant individual works that have appeared in the past few years with increasing rapidity. Two excellent examples are:
Zhou Caiquan ©Pªö¬u. Du ji shulu §ù¶°®Ñ¿ý. Shanghai: Shanghai guji chubanshe, 1986, over a 1,000 pages with a four-corner index.
Liu Shangrong ¼B©|ºa.Su Shi zhuzuo banben luncong Ĭ¸ýµÛ§@ª©¥»½×ÂO. Chengdu: Ba Shu shushe, 1988
Nagasawa Kikuya ªø¿A³W¯x¤]'s work, Shina shoseki kaidai, shomoku, shoshi no bu ¤ä¨º®ÑÄy¸ÑÃD®Ñ¥Ø®Ñ»x¤§³¡. Tokyo: Bunkyud™, 1940, rpt. 1952. EAL 9523 7358
This last work introduces 450 library catalogs under four headings:
1. the treatises on bibliography from the standard histories,
2. catalogs of official collections,
3. catalogs of libraries to 1940, and
4. catalogs of private collections. Liang Zihan's work:
Liang Zihan ±ç¤l²[. Zhongguo lidai shumu zonglu ¤¤°ê¾ú¥N®Ñ¥ØÁ`¿ý. Taibei: Zhonghua wenhua shiye weiyuanhui, 1953. EAL 9523 3913
This is the most comprehensive list of Chinese bibliographies available. It is not an annotated bibliography, as is Nagasawa's, but has references to hundreds of works not mentioned elsewhere.
V. Catalogs of private libraries.
Catalogs of important private libraries are an excellent way to find out what editions were available at certain periods in time. These private collections are valuable supplements to official bibliographies.Wang Yaochen ¤ý³ó¦Ú et al., comp. Chongwen zongmu ±R¤åÁ`¥Ø. Recommended edition: Hou Zhibuzu zhai congshu «áª¾¤£¨¬ÂNÂO®Ñ. 1884 ed.
A catalogue, completed in 1038 of the Song imperial library. Described in Teng and Biggerstaff, pp. 18-19.
Chao Gongwu ®Ð¤½ªZ, comp. Junzhai dushu zhi ±R¤åÁ`¥Ø. Recommended edition: Junzhai dushu zhi jiaozheng ±R¤åÁ`¥Ø®ÕÃÒ, coll. and annot., Sun Meng ®]²r, four-corner index by Wang Lixiang ¤ý¥ßµ¾. Shanghai: Shanghai guji chubanshe, 1990.
A wonderful work of nearly 1,500 pages. Includes appendices on ChaoÕs life, on historical treatment of his work, on works mentioned in the bibliography that are still extant, and a final appendix that compares all extant editions of the Junzhai dushu lu. A masterpiece of bibliographical research. A catalogue, completed in 1151 of the ChaoÕs personal library. Described in Teng and Biggerstaff, pp. 19-21.
Chen Zhensun ³¯®¶®], comp. Zhizhai shulu jieti ª½ÂN®Ñ¿ý¸ÑÃD. Recommended edition: Zhizhai shulu jieti ª½ÂN®Ñ¿ý¸ÑÃD, coll. and annot., Xu Xiaoman ®}¤pîl and Gu Meihua ÅU¬üµØ. Shanghai: Shanghai guji chubanshe, 1987.
A catalogue, completed in the mid 13th century of the authorÕs personal library. This work has a good four-corner index.
Ma Duanlin °¨ºÝÁ{, comp. "Wenxian tongkao jingji kao" ¤åÄm³q¦Ò¸gÄy¦Ò, in Wenxian tongkao ¤åÄm³q¦Ò.
A substantial list of works extant in the Song, drawing on the preceding two bibliographies, but also including many supplementary materials. Generously annotated. Also indexed by the four-corner system.
Huang Yuji ¶À¸·½^, comp. Qianqing tang shumu ¤d³¼°ó®Ñ¥Ø. Best edition: Taibei: Shang wu yin shu guan, 1983. EAL: UCLA Oriental AC 149 S699 1983 v.676
The most complete bibliography of Ming works; also the most reliable. Completed in the late 17th century, it has supplements to Song, Liao, Jin, and Yuan at the end of each of its categories.
There are, of course, many other personal libraries in the period from Song to modern times. You can check any of the standard works on publishing to find their names (including T. H. Tsien's massive work for Science and Civilization in China). Important texts dealing with traditional libraries can be found in:
Li Xibi §õ§Æªc and Zhang Shuhua ±i´ÔµØ, comp. and annot. Zhongguo gudai cangshu yu jindai tushuguan shiliao (Chunqiu zhi wu-si qianhou) ¤¤°ê¥j¥NÂîѻPªñ¥N¹Ï®ÑÀ]¥v®Æ¬K¬î¦Ü¤¥|«e«á. Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 1982.
This is a set of historical documents, letters, rescripts, etc., about the establishment of libraries and book collections. A useful tool for learning about the rise of libraries in China.
Information on collectors can also be found in the following two dictionaries:
Jin Buying ª÷¨BÃs and Yang Licheng ·¨¥ß¸Û, ed. Zhongguo cangshu jia kaolue ¤¤°êÂîѮa¦Ò²¤, supp. and annot. Yu Yunzhi Êe¹B¤§. Shanghai: Shanghai guji chubanshe, 1987.
Wang He ¤ýªe, ed. Zhongguo lidai cangshu jia cidian ¤¤°ê¾ú¥NÂîѮaÃã¨å. Shanghai: Tongji daxue chubanshe, 1991.