A Study Of Ye Linzong’s Manuscript Of The Annotation Of Classics

The Ye’s manuscript of the Annotation of Classics was a copy of the Song Dynasty version collected by the Jiangyun Tower by Ye Linzong in 1637,made by the bookmaker Xie Xingfu.After the Jiangyun Tower was hit by a fire,the Ye’s manuscript became the only copy of the Annotation of Classics known at the time,and its value is self-evident.Later,with the continuous appearance of block-prints,this book was not taken seriously.Until now,most scholars still believe that this book has been lost.In fact,Ye’s manuscript is still in Taiwan’s “National Library”.By comparison,it can be seen that this book is the same as the revised version of the Annotation of Classics of Song and Yuan Dynasties in the National Library of China.Through careful collation,we can find that the base edition of Ye’s manuscript should not have been revised in the middle of Southern Song Dynasty and Yuan Dynasty,and the year of the base edition should be in between the early and middle of Southern Song Dynasty.Combined with the seal,postscript and other materials in the book,we can get the origin of its collection.After copying this book,it was collected by Ye Linzong,Ye Wan,He Huang,Zhu Huan,Zhou Xizan,Zha Youqi,Wang Xisun and Wu Dechong.From 1900 to 1945,the Japanese established the East Asian Tongwen Academy in Shanghai,and the book was collected in its library.After Japan’s defeat,it entered the"National Central Library" in 1946.In the autumn of 1948,the book was transferred to Taiwan with the ’Central Library’,and has been kept in Taiwan’s “National Library” ever since.There are 187 pieces of notes attached to Ye’s manuscript.Among the volumes,Volume 20,the sixth of Chunqiu Zuoshi Yinyi,has the largest number,because Ye Linzong had participated in the incomplete collation of the Song edition of Chunqiu Zuoshi Yinyi(Volume 20).In terms of form,the notes of the book can be divided into"positioning and modifying notes" and "directly notes of specific words".The former’s handwriting is more neat,and the number is more than 170,most likely was made by Zang Yong.The latter has only 15 pieces,which was made by Duan Yucai.Since its publication at the end of the Ming Dynasty,Ye’s manuscript of the Annotation of Classics has been spread in the world through three main ways:copying,printing and borrowing to modify.Before the publication of Tongzhi Hall in the 19th year of Kangxi(1680),Ye’s manuscript mainly derived different copies by means of transmission.The two copies which were collected by Zhu Yun and Haiyuan Pacillion are examples.With the coming out of Tongzhi Hall and Baojing Hall,the collated "Ye’s manuscript" can be incarnated in a more convenient way.During this period,many scholars borrowed and modified Ye’s manuscripts and their modified manuscripts,and then attached their achievements to other editions of the Annotation of Classics or personal works.Through these three main ways,Ye’s manuscripts played an important role in the academia of the late Ming Dynasty and the whole Qing Dynasty.Ye’s manuscript is in the key position in the edition system of the Annotation of Classics,so its academic value can be fully displayed in the edition collation.Comparing with the revised edition of Song and Yuan Dynasties,we can not only check the date of the original edition,but also deduce the details of the two revisions.Comparing with Tongzhi Hall edition and Baojing Hall edition,we can find the origin of the two editions,as well as their advantages and disadvantages.Moreover,the rediscovery of Ye’s manuscript can help us judge the gains and losses of predecessors’collation and research achievements on the Annotation of Classics,and also provide unprecedented convenience for us to re-collate and research the Annotation of Classics on the basis of absorbing predecessors’ excellent achievements...