The Study On "Jin Shi Cui Bian"

Wang Chang, a famous senior scholar in Qianlong and Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty, had made giant accomplishments in studies of Bronzes and Stones. His great work, Jin Shi Cui Bian with160volumes, costed him50years to accomplish and had made great contribution to the study of the textual research of inscription edition. This dissertation gives full attention to Jin Shi Cui Bian intending to reveal its significant position in the epigraphy history.The first part of this article is mainly about the present situation of research involved makes necessary explanation on theoretical significance and work content.From the second part, this dissertation gives a systematic study on Jin Shi Cui Bian and introduces the comeout of this great work as well as Wang Chang’s lifetime. In addition, it makes a clear comb to the development of epigraphy in the early, even before, Qing Dynasty. Also it proceeds a brief presentation to the academic environment of Qianlong and Jiaqing period. Then, it draws out the academic situation of that time and displays its comprehensive feature. Through the brief account of Wang Chang’s life, we can see his legendary academic experience.The third part expands on the work’s basic contents and version information in different dynasty. It lists out the contained material as well as their characteristics in10categories in tabular form. Through the analysis from different perspectives, this paper gives a full display of Jin Shi Cui Bian. It was firstly engraved in the period of Jiaqing and has a clear version system since the later generations seldom re-engrave it for its multivolume and rich content. At present, the main engraved version are as following: the Wangs’version in the10th year of Jiaqing, the version in the10th year of Tongzhi, the lithographic edition in the19th year of Guangxu and in the8th year of the Republic of China, the1985year photocopy collected by Beijing Bookstore, the1990photocopy published by Shan xi People’s Art Publishing House and the photocopy included by New Organized Stone Inscription.In the forth part, the dissertation elaborates the editing systems of epigraphic works in all ages which including10aspects as following:catalogue, postscript, article, compiling words, atlas, divided place and groups, generational collecting, examples and general theory. Each of the items above is analyzed with examples from representative works. Through detailed analysis, we can summarize its compiling characteristics and grasp its comprehensive features. Meanwhile, by introducing Wang Chang’s reasonable approach in handling epigraphic materials, such as his clear introduction on forms of stone inscription and clustering investigation on the same kind materials, this dissertation has highlighted the originality of Wang Chang’s edition and also embodied a integrated system of this work.In the fifth part, the dissertation introduces its outstanding achievement on historiography, classic lexicography, ancient lexicography, inscription and so on. Wang Chang obtained important achievements in academic research since he attached importance to mutual support between inscription and historical documents. This aspect can be expounded from the various perspectives as the dissertation proceeded.The last part is conclusion, it explores Jin Shi Cui Bian’impact on the later ages epigraphy development and restates its significant position and far-reaching influence in epigraphic history.