Zou An And His Academic Research On Epigraphy

This article is a case study of Zou An.Firstly,the article investigates Zou An’s life and family background,paving the way for understanding Zou An’s life and his epigraphy.During the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China,the publishing industry flourished,and epigraphy calligraphers wrote books and collected epigraphy one after another.Zou An was hired by Shanghai Aili Garden to compile epigraphy bibliography and organize related activities.Most of his epigraphy writings were published and distributed in Aili Garden,and the books contained many artifacts,which were compiled from the collection of many scholars,and published prefaces,postscripts and textual research,which were highly academic.There are stone carvings on the door panel of Hangzhou West Lake Luoyuan.This thesis sorts out the collection and description of these carvings,and finds that most of them are included in the bibliography compiled by Zou An,and many of them are Zou An’s treasures.In addition,it analyzes the value and reasons of carving antiques and inscriptions in Hangzhou West Lake Luoyuan,which makes the carving situation of Hangzhou West Lake Luoyuan more clear.Zou An also compiled "Meng Po Shi Acquired Ancient Congbian" for Zhou Qingyun,and together with Deng Shi and others,he compiled a collection of Ji Jin’s legacy and extension.Zou An’s inscriptions and postscripts are often found in the book,which not only has the function of preserving records for epigraphy,but also has academic value in verifying classics and interpreting words.Zou An had many exchanges with his friends in the publishing and compilation of epigraphy books,the inscription and mutual gift of rubbings,the transfer and extension of utensils,etc.Therefore,this thesis made an investigation of the important scholars and major events in his exchanges.Finally,this thesis sorts out Zou An’s collection,and summarizes Zou An’s concept of epigraphy through his epigraphy writings and textual research.The shortcomings in Zou An’s epigraphy writings and epigraphy collection are also pointed out,which makes the study of Zou An more objective.