The Study Of "Wen Xuan" In Ming Dynasty

IntroductionThe worth of "Wen xuan" studies in Ming Dynasty has not been valued in a long time. The main cause was Qing episteme’s bias against the style of study in Ming Dynasty. Recently, a new reseach atmosphere has been limited in the sphere of verifying the sources and publication of editions and lacked independent and systematic works. My doctoral dissertation want to make "Wen xuan" studies in Ming Dynasty an independent subject investigated and locate it in a coordinates of "Wen xuan" studies history and society in Ming Dynasty. I t’s going to start with unscrambling and studying the writings on "Wen xuan" in Ming Dynasty and carry on systematic and all-sided research on it by studying methods including science of editions of Chinese ancient books, ancient literary theory, poetry and articles appreciation, psychological analysis and art criticism. I hope to achieve the target of proving the influence and contribution of "Wen xuan" in Ming Dynasty in the aspects of publishing, broadcasting, spread of education, masscult. By this the dissertation can show the significance of "Wen xuan" in Ming Dynasty in thinking history and history of culture and the status in transformation period of modern Chinese culture.Chapter 1 the Problem of Version of "Wen xuan" in Ming DynastyThe record of the versions related to "Wen xuan"study in Ming Dynasty is the important precondition of the study. The record includes inscription and spread of the two important version system, Lishan Annotation and Wuchen Annotation, and reseach writings in Ming Dynasty on "Wen xuan"and its annotated editions. Chapter 2 Abridged Edition of "Wen xuan" in Ming DynastyAbridged Edition of "Wen xuan"in Ming Dynasty is the simple note of "wenxuan", on the basis of selectively omitting of "wuchenzhu" and "lishanzhu" including the note of editors of Abridged Edition.The idea is no detailed knowledge, focusing on simply and quickly acquiring information and emphasizing the comment form of clearing sentences. So keep the comments mostly by "wuchenzhu", a few retained "lishanzhu" can also be simplified, popularized, academic greatly diminished.By improving the layout of the visual effects, the convenience of readers. Most of notes increased by editors are of style of "wuchenzhu", highlighting the Guidance function and making it a modern interpretation way. Abridged Edition of "Wen xuan" in Qing Dynasty still has a same nature and its manifestations deepen in the variation. "Wuchenzhu" taken seriously contains the times the choice of character. Changing of traditional note to Abridged Edition is essentially transition of elite culture to popular culture, with strong commercial.From the view of history of social acceptance, it is popular reading material that constitutes social and cultural background and promote development of general knowledge.At this basis,to identify the value of Abridged Edition and similar publications in Ming Dynasty.Usually the page layout of Abridged Edition is containing commentaries and annotations in one page. This feature made Abridged Edition look alike Pingdianben and led to overlap between commentaries and annotations. Annotations of Lishan and Wuchen had different characters. The editors, or the publishers, realized that annotations of Wuchen had more in common with commentaries and were more likely convertible to commentaries. The realization caused a clear "division of labor" consciousness between commentaries and annotations. The "division of labor" was implemented on the specific format in the editing and publishing process. That was to say, different functions of commentaries and annotations brought about their fixed position separately in the format. With the established format by usage, fixed position in turn showed, even decided functions of commentaries and annotations. This phenomenon was so popular that it made difficult to distinguish some contents of commentaries and annotations. The essential cause of the transformation was reading habits influenced by mass media. On the other hand, contents similar to commentaries were added during the edition and contents of commentary text were heterogeneous. Therefore, fixed position in the format couldnot completely decide and divide functions of commentaries and annotations. The intersection of the two texts, that is introduction and its Guide to nature, proved symbioses of commentaries and annotations and popular-readers nature of Abridged Edition. The symbioses broke the unidirectional, institutionalizing Interpretation pattern and made Abridged Edition can meet increasing information demand of Ming dynasty than traditional editions. The symbioses of commentaries and annotations and "division of labor" between them in the format all proved mass media power from different angles. To interpret publications derived from Classics of Ming Dynasty in the view of dissemination and acceptance of interactive is the research method to adapt to the times.Chapter 3 Selected works of "Wen xuan" in Ming DynastyChoose standard of Selected works is the refractor the selector and his times. The chapter will discuss separately the problems of articles selecting and poems selecting. First, article Selected works adjust the style of "Wen xuan" by the way of classification, order regularizing and renaming. Second, select standards cater for the subject arrangements of the imperial competictive examination in Ming Dynasty. The character is manifested to varying degrees in different Selected works, this showing that there are Practical and academic types in these works. The two types separately serve to popular culture and elite culture and the division of work hides the respect of Selected works to "Wen xuan". Third, the changes Upon the imperial competictive examination made by article Selected works were faced with a contradiction between folk style and decree requires. Double identity of scholars made the change become a institutional and anti-institutional paradox. The location of basing on and returning to "Wen xuan" gave Selected works a role of supporters of tradition and masscult. There are three amendments to "Wen xuan" by Selected works. Show the academic sensitive and rigour regulations that different from prejudice of scholars in Qing Dynasty by adjusting catalog of "Wen xuan". Remold "Wen xuan" by the no-longer large times pattern and the era psychology of delicate and self-admiration. Carry out systematic selecting by dynamic historical perspective.Poem Selected works decried Chinese classical poem with lines of four characters each in "Wen xuan", valued poems of Han and Wei Dynasty, opposed rhetorical style and metaphysical poetry of the Six Dynasties style of writing. All of these were based on the respect for the Book of Poetry. Thought highly of previous classic poetic theory and agreed to its judgments on the leading style of different poets. Selecting standard is "best"but not "all-around". Poem Selected works abided by the views of "Wen xuan" and were not able to form literary concept and theoretical system of theirselves. New considerations in respect of regulations included Setting up new catalogue in the order of dynasty, simplifying original style classification and the way to select in suite of poems.Chapter 4 Continuation Edition of "Wen xuan" in Ming DynastyContinuation Edition of "Wenxuan " in Ming Dynasty are broadened and continued versions on the basis of "Wenxuan". The wide impact of the original edition on Continuation Edition and the re-creation of the original edition to Continuation Edition form a interactive relationship. Continuation Edition stressed the necessity of compiling, reacted to different denominations of the revival movement in Ming Dynasty and expressed Degage, philosophic wisdom on the problem of the relationship between Wen and Dao. Continuation Edition supplemented the original edition by increasing proportions of Yuefu poems, immemorial sections and chapters, prose of historian and the numerous schools of thinkers in the late Chou Dynasty. Changes of style on the original edition take the way of reducing and merging styles, or increasing and sorting orderingly styles to make better the layout and style and to achieve the systematism of classification. "Wenxuan buyi"edited by Chen renzi in Yuan Dynasty impacted deeply Continuation Edition of "Wenxuan’ in Ming Dynasty in the impact of style ideas.From the study object to define, separate edition of poetry of Continuation Edition could be divided into two kinds, one of which was specially for ancient style and the other for regulated verse. In ancient style continuation editions, some valued Zhuxi’s poetic education, some followed "Wen xuan" and some abided by the thought trend of "Returning to the Ancients". However, they had unanimous views in following the Book of Poetry. "Xuanshiwaibian" and "xuanshishiyi" compiled by Yangshen were regulated verse continuation editions. The two books both thought highly of the poetic style of uniting harmony rhythom and profound interest. The two books and "Xuwenxuan" compiled by Huzhenheng had a connection in compilation of ideas. They all wanted to prove that the prosperity of Tang Poetry came from Six Dynasties.Chapter 5 Punctuate and Annotate Edition of "Wen xuan" in Ming Dynastypunctuate and annotate edition of "Wen xuan" in Ming Dynasty had the most numerous participants, largest circulation and the strongest influence power in all the research writings of "Wen xuan" in Ming Dynasty. Because the purpose of writing and publication was mostly for the market operation catering to interest of urban residents and imperial competictive examination, it was the kind of edition which was most able to reflect characteristics of the times. The specific performance had three points. First, most inditers were gifted in many ways and they opened up the disciplines of arts in the process of annotating and commenting to do literary and art criticism in comprehensive vision. Second, textual criticism of the punctuate and annotate edition had the nature of playing. Textology of "Wen xuan" in Ming Dynasty had no end book and the textual content were mostly for foiling commentaries and elaborate description. So such a kind of Textology had no independent academic nature. Third, commenting characters and plots of articles had a historical perspective and commenting classical elements had a vision of literary history.MiscellaneousIn Ming Dynasty, developed commodity economy, publishing boom, mercantilist ideas and commercial activities of officialdom were ubiquitous in economically developed areas. This phenomenon Promoted the trend of economic regionalization in Late Ming Dynasty. Since mid and late Ming Dynasty publication had a sign of becoming precondition of writing. Identities of scholars and businessmen were usually blending in developed areas. Reserchers of "Wenxuan" were mostly distributed in developed areas and in close relations with publishing. The clues of publishing boom, regional culture and scholars and businessmen blending were able to outline reserchers’social identity in the picture of Ming Dynasty culture. Consciousness of distinguishing style in the cultural studies and the thought trend of "Returning to the Ancients"gave "Wenxuan" studies a far reaching impact.