A Study On The Origin And Evolution Of The Combined Printing Of Commentary And Sub-commentary Of Yi Li

In this paper, the origin and evolution of the combined printing of commentary and sub-commentary of Yi Li have been discussed, emphasizing on the process of producing its combined printing edition by Chen Fengwu in Ming Dynasty. The publication of the other editions of Yi Li in Song and Ming Dynasty has also been studied here, with the systems of the existing editions being sorted out briefly so as to set up a basic framework for the study on the editions of Yi Li.The first printing version of Confucian classics was made by the Imperial Academy in the Five Dynasties period. The Northern Song Imperial Academy Edition was reprinted according to the Five Dynasties Academy Edition, while the Southern Song Imperial Academy Edition was a reproduction of the Northern one. In Song Dynasty, the different commentary versions of Yi Li unofficially made before that of Zhang Chun were almost the same as the imperial academy editions. Zhang Chun, basing upon the Yanzhou Edition and taking the other editions as a reference, made the Wen Edition, which was a new edition outside of the "Song Imperial Academy Edition" system. This edition had also affected Zhu Xi’s Yi Li Jing Zhuan Tong Jie, which quoted from the commentary text of Yi Li and influenced Chen Fengwu’s commentary edition of Yi Li as well as his commentary and sub-commentary combined edition.The commentary edition of Yi Li by Chen Fengwu was stemmed from Zhu Xi’s Tong Jie. Chen also took Yang Fu’s Yi Li Tu and Ao Jigong’s Yi Li Ji Shuo into consideration when editing this edition and made it different from the traditional commentary editions. Because Chen had used the copy editions in the republication, there were a number of mistakes and redundancies in this text. Then Chen published another edition named Yi Li Zhu Shu basing on his previous edition and adding some sub-commentary materiels inside. This is the beginning of the combined printing of commentary and sub-commentary of Yi Li. Chen Fengwu’s combined edition had settled a basic form for the Yi Li Zhu Shu in Ming Dynasty. However, it was still defective due to the mistakes and redundancies inside.Both the Wang Wensheng Edition and Wen Renquan Edition were republished in accordance with the Chen Fengwu Edition. The Min Edition was also a reprinted edition according to the Chen Fengwu Edition, while the Imperial Academy Edition was just a reproduction of the Min Edition and the Mao Edition was a republication based on the Imperial Academy Edition; all with little modifications inside. However, the Wuyingdian Edition, though also based on the Imperial Academy Edition, had had made some emendations and was quite different from the Imperial Academy Edition not only in the format but also in the context. It had deleted nearly all the explanations from long Jie in the Imperial Academy Edition, and added some annotations in the reference to Lu Deming’s Yi Li Yin Yi. This had also shown a trend of the regression to the earlier text. Thereby ended the system of "Ming printed combined editions"During the period between Qianlong and Jiaqing, the Yanzhou Edition’s Yi Li commentary version and Song Qian’s sub-commentary edition appeared subsequently. There was also a version amended and copied by Gu Qianli. Gu’s recompiled edition of Yi Li Zhu Shu was modified on the basis of the proofread copies of the Yanzhou Edition and the Sub-commentary Edition. He made amendments and added the missing part of the Sub-commentary Edition in accordance with the Jing-Song transcript of Yi Li Yao Yi. This edition was compiled and amended so carefully that it was almost a perfect one. This combined edition by Gu was actually quite different from the Chen Fengwu’s combined edition, for it took the sub-commentary part as its core and the commentary text as the supplement, while the core of the Chen’s edition was the commentary part. It was a completely transformation to the combined printed editions of Ming Dynasty. And the Gu’s edition was followed by the Ruan Edition of Yi Li Zhu Shu as well as the Jia-Ye-Tang-Cong-Shu Edition. The era of Gu’s Yi Li Zhu Shu has been lasting from the Jiaqing period till now.Yanzhou Edition is a representative one among the "Tang Stone Edition-Song Imperial Academy Edition" system. During the Jiajing Year in Dongwu District, someone whose surname was Xu has made a republication in accordance with the Yanzhou Edition. This is the Xu Edition. Soon it was reprinted and proofed according to the Chen Fengwu’s Commentary Edition. During Wanli Year, someone named Zhong Renjie made a reprint based on the Xu Edition. Then in13th of Baoli Year, Yamamoto Heizaemon made a republication according to the Zhong Renjie’s Edition, adding some marks and signs for Japanese readers as well as the notes and scripts by He Zilong.On the base of the above discussion, the author considers dividing the existing editions of Yi Li into two systems:One is the "Tang Stone Edition-Song Imperial Academy Edition" system, with the Yanzhou Edition as the typical one, including the Xu Edition, Zhong Edition and Yi Li Zhu Shu compiled by Gu. The other is the "Wen Edition-Tong Jie" system, including the Chen Fengwu’s Commentary Edition, Chen Fengwu’s Yi Li Zhu Shu, Min Edition, Imperial College Edition, Mao Edition. Besides, the Wuyingdian Edition of Yi Li Zhu Shu is a unique one among all these various editions, for even though it stems from the Ming Imperial Academy Edition, quite a lot of modifications and a change of the textual structure have been made in it.