A Study On The Compilation Concept Of Local Gazetteers In Ming Dynasty

Local gazetteers have collected precious literature of various regions.We can learn the features of each region in different periods through the research of those local gazetteers.In Ming Dynasty,more attention had been paid to local gazetteers as their number increased,which was mainly reflected in the writing of the preface of local gazetteers.The preface of a local chronicle usually involves the author’s understanding of the origin of these records,the relationship between the historical books and the records,the introduction of the compilation process,and the views on the function of them.The study on the preface of local gazetteers contributes to a deeper understanding of the local gazetteers and the compilation concept of them in the Ming Dynasty.The local gazetteers in Ming Dynasty can’t developed so rapidly without the attention paid by the officials at that time to the general gazetteers of geography and local gazetteers.In the early period of Ming Dynasty,the general gazetteers of geography and local gazetteers were ordered to be compiled,so that local materials could be preserved sufficiently.The development level of local gazetteers varies from place to place,which is not only because different places attach different importance to them,but also because of the influence of the local economy——the number and frequency of local gazetteers compiling are more in better developed regions.With the emphasis of officials to local gazetteers compiling and the gradual recovery of the local economy,there were more and more regions that started to compile local gazetteers.Local officials,scholars and students actively encouraged the compilation of local gazetteers.In addition,the prosperity of printing and publishing industry in Ming Dynasty was also an important reason for the development of local gazetteers.The development of publishing industry made it more convenient for the stereotype and printing of local gazetteers,and also made the local gazetteers more preserved in later generations.The preface of a local chronicle in old edition was usually retained when it was reprinted or supplemented.Therefore,with the increase of compilation frequency,the number of local gazetteers’ preface was also increasing.In addition to the preface in the old edition,the preface number of the newly revised local gazetteers had also changed.In the early Ming Dynasty,there were only one or two prefaces in each local chronicle.In the later time,it developed into each local chronicle with several prefaces as the number of prefaces for new gazetteers generally increased.The prefaces of The Selection of Ming Dynasty local gazetteers collected in Tian Yi Pavilion and its sequels are generally attached to the beginning or the end of a local chronicle,and the preface attached to the head of the local gazetteers is also called the foreword,while the local gazetteers may also have the later preface and postscript at the end of them.Compared with the postscript,the foreword is longer and more in-depth.People who participated in the compilation of local gazetteers usually had more in-depth introduction and modest evaluation of the chronicle in the preface,while people who didn’t participate have less introduction and more positive evaluation.The identity of the preface writer can be learned by the signature at the beginning or the end of the preface.The preface writers are mainly local officials,officials who was born in the place where local chronicle was created for but worked in other places,local scholars and students.Local officials actively took charge of the compilation of local gazetteers.Some of them participated in the compilation,some provided funds to it,and others made the preface for local gazetteers after the compilation.When it comes to officials who worked elsewhere,their participation in the compilation of local gazetteers was limited,so most of them were invited to write a preface for local gazetteers,or they would participate in the compilation and make a preface after they retired back to their hometown.A small number of county students who participated in the compilation of local gazetteers may also write a preface.The preface of a local chronicle introduces the background and process of compilation,which embodies the local chronicle’s concept of compilation.The reasons for compiling local gazetteers mentioned in the preface are mainly divided into two categories: the lack of local gazetteers and the omissions and errors of the old ones.They led to a situation that a complete local chronicle was not available in some places.Therefore,local officials actively encouraged the compilation of local gazetteers.Besides,local literati and Confucian scholars were also concerned for the compilation of local gazetteers.They usually urged local officials to take charge of the compilation.If it hadn’t been finished for a long time,they would even compile the local gazetteers themselves.The preface of the local chronicle also introduces its main content,the writing rules of each volume,its style design,the textual research and the collection of the fund for compilation.Based onthe Explanatory Notes of Compiling Local Gazetteers(1412),the Explanatory Notes of Compiling Local Gazetteers(1418)andthe Unification Chronicle of Ming Dynasty,those local gazetteers of Ming Dynasty were adjusted according to the local conditions.The important processes of compiling local gazetteers include collecting all kinds of data of the past,making textual research,and then picking and organizing the materials according to its style.For the preservation of the compiled local gazetteers,it’s very vital that those local gazetteers to be printed and published.Therefore,the preface also introduced the source of the expense on print.By studying the preface of The Selection of Ming Dynasty local gazetteers collected in Tian Yi Pavilion and its sequels,we can find that the preface writer’s viewpoints mainly focused on the function of those Gazetteers.For example,they thought that a large number of local documents were collected in the local gazetteers,so the later generations may use the ancient literature to do textual research.Besides,they believed that the records of local evolution in the local gazetteers could let local officials comprehend local policy changes,so that they could carry out policies more suitable for local development.What’s more,they mentioned that the records of local virtuous people and honest folk customs are beneficial to civilize the local people.Last but not least,they compared the local chronicle to a historical book of this place,so the writers should write the truth without fear and make them become credible history books.