A Diplomatic Study Of Lin Xiyi’s Works

Lin Xiyi’s works are both widely circulated and deeply influential overseas. However, there is neither adequate study of his work nor much attention paid to their circulation. Guided by diplomatics, this thesis builds upon authentic documents and existing writings, with field surveys and methods of textual study, big data and cross-disciplinary studies. It investigates the years of Lin Xiyi’s birth and death, his relationship with his contemporaries as well as his thoughts in relation to the culture of Southern Song dynasty, placing particular emphasis on the circulation and distribution of his various works around the globe. According to Lin Xiyi’s epitaph compiled by Liu Yi found in a filed investigation in the Sutian village of Yuxi town, Fuqing city, Fujian province, China, Lin Xiyi was born in 1193 and died in 1271. As the third generation successor of Aixuan School, Lin mainly associated with literary figures from lower classes in Jianghu School, while also maintaining some connections with high-ranking officials. He was patronized and promoted in his political career by Zheng Qingzhi. Lin was much criticized because of his tuft-hunting, especially his flattering of Minister Jia Shidao in his later years. The literature shows that, there are 24 works written by Lin Xiyi covering Confucian classics, history, philosophy, miscellaneous and proofreading works, yet most of them have been lost. Currently existing works from Lin Xiyi include Laozi yanzhai kouyi, Liezi yanzhai kouyi, Zhuangzi yanzhai kouyi, Kaogongji jie, Zhnxi yanzhai shiyi gao xuji, Zhuxi yanzhai shiyi gao shixuan. Through a meticulous gleaning work conducted in National Library of China, National Central Library and Cornell University libraries, the editions of these works were reviewed. The characteristics during the circulation of Sanzi kouyi can be summarized as follows:among the different versions of Sanzi kouyi found in mainland China, most of them were published in Ming dynasty; the total number of the versions of Sanzi kouyi published overseas exceeds those in mainland China; Of all versions of Laozi and Zhuangzi circulating in South Korea and Japan, the majority of them are from Lin Xiyi; Lliu Chenweng.He Rucheng, Zhang Shigao, Zhang Siwei, Xu Changji, Tang shunzhi, Shi Guanmin et al. are the major publishers of Sanzi kouyi. Hayashi Razan, Yasuda Yasumasa, Changjian Decang, Sokuhi Nyoitsu, Ono Hajime et al. from Japan, and Bak Sedang, Ch’oe Ip, Li Shibiao et al. from North Korea play a prominent role in studying and promoting Lin’s work in East Asia; last but not least, libraries in Harvard University, Princeton University, Yale University, and Cornell University house a large collection of the writings of Lin Xiyi. This demands an urgent need to discover and study overseas Chinese literature.