Houhan Shu Edition Research

Fan Ye's Houhan Shu, which spreaded through two stages of transcripion Times and edition Times, resulting in two versions—transcription and edition. According to research, there are four transcription systems, including Fan Ye's original, Liu Zhao's script, Wu Jun's script and Li Xian's script. In Sui and Tang dynasties only three major manuscripts of Fan Ye, Liu Zhao and Li Xian's system survived. The first time to start the publication engraves of "Houhan Shu" was in Song Dynasty, then after Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasty's turning engraves and repriting, the versions of Houhan Shu multiplied unceasingly and formed distinctive text shapes gradually, and thus constituted different version systems. As a result, though identical system's edition text shape was not necessarily same, the content was to the same effect basically.Beginning with the edition of Chun Hua book to Wu Ying Dian book in Qing Dynasty, all dynasties' official versions which were all previous books' branch, basically came down in one continuous line. Other various collateral series all stemed from the branch leaves, and formed complete block-printed book system of Houhan Shu.Saying from the writing content, Liu Ban correcting printing errors was attached into Houhan Shu when reprinted Xi Ning book in Shao Xing end. After that, the block-printed books mostly attached Liu Ban to proclaim corrects printing errors, which became the important factor in the identification of editions.