Prohibited Books Throughout Chinese History (Complete Collection of One Hundred Volumes)

Author: Li Zhaoxiang
Publisher: Inner Mongolia People's Publishing House
Publication Date: 2002-03-01
Features:
1. Decade of Striving Finally Realizes Publishing Dream
After ten years of solid work, the editorial committee organized numerous experts and scholars from the three regions of the mainland, Taiwan, and Hong Kong/Macau. With the joint efforts of overseas Chinese, the entries and versions listed in the bibliography were finally compiled. The immense human and material resources invested by the editorial committee finally bore fruit, resulting in the complete publication of the 100-volume set of Banned Books Throughout Chinese History. This long-lasting publishing project has established a milestone in the history of banned book publication in China!
2. Ancient-Style Printing with Ji Xianlin's Autographed Title
To allow mainland readers and collectors of banned books to witness the authentic appearance of this legendary collection of banned books, it was published in its original form based on expert recommendations, with full-volume printing in a Ming Dynasty-style layout. Professor Ji Xianlin, a giant of Sinology at Peking University, autographed the title of this book, adding even greater brilliance to it. Banned Books Throughout Chinese History follows the Bibliography of Banned Books Throughout Chinese History, recognized as the most authoritative and valuable edition by the banned book community, compiled by the "Four Gentlemen of the Republic of China" (Jin Yuchang, Wu Zhihui, Liang Qichao, and Lin Yutang). It includes 81 banned book titles from the pre-Qin period to the Ming and Qing dynasties over 2,200 years, spanning 25 dynasties, with nearly 10 million characters, arranged in 100 volumes, packed in 10 boxes, and printed in full volume following. A specially designed "Yan Family Collection of Banned Books Box" is also included. The collection gathers the most rare and valuable extant unique and fine copies from around the world. Its quality and condition are meticulous and precise, truly a rare gem in the book world.
—Ji Xianlin
The Chinese classics are vast and profound, and the culture of collecting books is equally ancient. Throughout history, no collector has avoided collecting banned books, and none have regarded them as anything other than treasures. Rulers often kept them hidden while banning them publicly; officials often sought them from the people while hiding them in their homes; scholars often searched for them in secluded places, revering them in their libraries. Thus, banning and destroying books made them even more valuable over time.
"Banned books" refer to books banned, forbidden, or burned. Throughout history, rulers have banned books based on their alignment with state policies—those that conform were published, while those that did not were banned. Therefore, each dynasty had its own bans, and each era had its own destruction. Historical records show that the practice of banning books began in the Warring States period, pioneered by Shang Yang. "The Legalist Shang Yang taught the Duke of Qin to link families in groups of five and impose penalties for gossip, burning the Book of Songs and Book of Documents to clarify laws." Yet, the Confucian scholar Fu Sheng still hid the Book of Documents in the walls. During the Han Dynasty, there was the "Law of Banning Books," but collectors still secretly copied official texts, risking exile or stripping of rank. By the Southern Song Dynasty, bookshops began producing small edition jinxiang books. Jinxiang were used by scholars to carry around or enjoyed by enthusiasts for night-time reading. Thus, during the Jiading period, there was even an appeal to burn jinxiang. After that, collectors valued small jinxiang even more.
During the Ming Dynasty, collectors held Mao Jin, the owner of the Jigu Study, in high esteem. He pioneered the search for banned books and rare texts, inspiring later collectors with his efforts. In the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, the emperor, under the guise of compiling the Complete Library of the Four Treasuries, sought rare books from the people, personally reviewing each one before deciding whether to completely destroy it or partially ban it, totaling 2,855 titles.
Three thousand years of suppression and burning, three thousand years of ups and downs—banned books have accompanied the history of 25 dynasties, walking alongside the culture of 25 dynasties. Today, banned books are scattered across imperial archives, museum collections, and private vaults. Even though many collectors consider collecting banned books a lifelong ambition, it remains unfulfilled. To ensure these Chinese treasures do not fade into dust or vanish from hearsay, we invite academic experts to compile all banned books into one collection, as a gift to collectors.