A Study About "Jiaxing Tibetan" Engraving Carved

As a Buddhist scripture initiated by the folk, Jiaxing Tibetan remains the largest and the most complete Buddhist classic among a bewildering array of the Chinese Dazangjing which is also known as Tripitaka( Chinese Buddhist canon of scriptures). In the meantime time, it turns out to be the most characteristic Tripitaka since it is the most time-consuming scripture to carve with each word elaborately collated, recorded masterpieces of Buddhist monks most,collected voluntary engraving by individuals most, and adapted from accordion binding to volume one. This scripture was started in the 7th year of Wanli, Ming dynasty. Going through a total span of over 260 years, it was completed under the concerted efforts of the Sixth Buddhist monks( including Zimo, Mizangdaokai, Huanyufaben, Danrankaigong, Xingzong,Xieyin, Huanju, Hanhui, Nianweng, Xiang'an, Mingyi, Qiying, Lingyao and Hengrui)and individuals like Wu Yongxian, Bao Shengfang, Xiao Shiwei, Mao Jin, Feng Hongye and Zeng Qianheng as well as families of Liu Maoxian, Yu Yude, He Xueyi respectively.Jiaxing Tibetan orginally has 211 main zangjings with qianziwen numbers from “Tian”to “Shi”, 678 words in total. Pieces 206 to 211 lacking “Nanzang” numbers, belong to“Beizang”. Virtually, Beizang has no qianziwen numbers with 90 continuances, 43 additional continuances. Since Jiaxing Tibetan was written in the year far behind, in 2000, Beijing national publishing house, intrusted by Mr. Xici Jiang, began to re-edit Jiaxing Tibetan and completed its printing and publication in 2008. This edition of Jiaxing Tibetan is based on the Buddhist scripture collected by the Palace Museum. For the parts missed from the Palace Museum, the publishing house complemented with what other museums gleaned. The most complete Jiaxing Tibetan by far, this re-edited masterpiece encompasses 211 main zang, 93 continuances, 46 additional continuances, 27 supplements, 1 original zang's letter, 1 re-edited content and 1 re-edit corpus' letter, totally 380 letters.The re-edition has maintained original plates with inscription and the ones that have been re-carved and repaired. Blurred as some of them have been, most of the inscriptions are still legible. The plates add up to 7294 pieces with great detail, including the names of books,volumes, donors, sum of donation, praying texts, words,number ofplates, proofreaders,writers,carvers,time and places of caving and storage.The success of the printing is largely indebted to the carvers. Fortunately, the plates recorded the carving condition of the carvers. Therefore,based on the plate inscriptions and centered on the carvers, the dissertation makes a comprehensive analysis on the work quantity, native place distribution as well as carving amount. By combining the situation of carving and the authentication of ancient works, this paper has a deep, systematic and comprehensive mastery of the carvers.This dissertation entirely embodies 4 parts. The 1st part is the introduction, explaining the source of the subject, purpose and significance of article writing and research status.Part 2is primarily focused on the engraving of the Jiaxing Tibetan from edition and plate inscription.The edition part mainly discusses the format of Jiaxing Tibetan, the relationship among main zangjing, continued zangjing as well as additional continued zangjing and its' circulation.The part dealing with plate inscriptions mainly introduces the type and the content of the inscriptions, including the benefactor, donation amount, names of engraved scriptures along with their volumes, the book industry, carving skills, places, time, etc.Part 3 makes a research on the book industry and carving skill, mainly explaining the working conditions when the carvers were carving Jiaxing Tibetan as well as other books.By utilizing the carving skill Jiaxing Tibetan recorded to authenticate the versions of ancient works, part 4, mainly deals with the important role carving plays in version authentication through some examples. In the end, it draws our attention to some problems we may encounter when authenticating classics by carving skills from three different aspects,including the same carving skill of inscriptions in different areas, revised edition and authentication of the carving skill of the revised edition.This paper contains 6 appendixes.Respectively, they're collection of plate inscriptions of Jiaxing Tibetan, book industry directory, carving skill directory, donation directory, book industry collection and carving skill collection.