Carved woodblock illustrations of generations, complete in two volumes

Author: Tianjin People's Fine Arts Publishing House
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-01-01
Features: China is a country with a profound cultural heritage, and there are a large number of old books. However, with the passage of time, some books have gradually been lost and are difficult to find. Others have become increasingly rare and are not accessible to the general public, resulting in treasures being hidden away and unable to circulate. This contradiction has long been a concern for those who care about the continuity of old books and the transmission of traditional culture. Not long ago, the relevant national authorities recognized this issue and invested heavily to establish the "Reconstruction of Fine Chinese Classics Project," entrusting the National Library to recreate rare books that people longed to see but could not access. The results have been excellent. This approach not only reduces the usage of rare books, preserving and protecting them from damage, but also allows readers across the country to appreciate their appearance and content, achieving a win-win situation. It is indeed a meritorious act for culture. This has prompted me to think more deeply: if more collectors and publishers could organize the reprinting of some old books that appeal to a broader audience, wouldn’t that be even better? I have considered this issue and planned to implement a small-scale reconstruction project similar to the "Reconstruction of Fine Chinese Classics Project," selecting some old books closely related to daily life and the general public for publication, one by one. They would retain their original appearance while also being given a fresh look, adding more highlights to Chinese culture.
At the right time, Vice Editor-in-Chief Dai Jianhong of Tianjin People's Fine Arts Publishing House visited and discussed their plan to publish a new series titled "Old Materials Books" based on their previously published "Old Materials Series." They warmly invited me to serve as the chief editor of this series. Given my agreement with this idea and the fact that Dai Jianhong is an alumnus of Nankai University, I accepted her invitation and discussed the process with her.
Last year, Tianjin People's Fine Arts Publishing House published the "Old Materials Series," which was divided into ten volumes, each focusing on a specific topic. In addition to two reprinted old Ming Dynasty editions, the remaining eight volumes were old photographs from the early to mid-20th century in southeastern China. After the series was completed, I made the following comments: "It can serve as a nostalgic reminder for the elderly who experienced those social conditions, allowing them to reflect on the past and appreciate the present even more. For the younger generation, it satisfies their curiosity about historical events and provides valuable insights to inspire progress. The historical information provided by these photographs and illustrations not only offers reference material for studying the social dynamics and landscapes of the early 20th century but also gives a vivid sense of the era."
Sure enough, after being released to the market, the series quickly achieved both commercial and cultural success, reinforcing the publisher’s commitment to continuing this work. Based on the experience of reconstructing two volumes from the series—Ming Dynasty Printed Collection of One Hundred Beauties and Ming Dynasty Printed Collection of Emperors and Sages—the focus of the 2003 series was shifted to the reconstruction of old books.
The 2003 series was titled "Old Materials Books," with the intention of uncovering cultural resources, promoting the revival of old books, and preserving and popularizing traditional culture. The source materials were sought from various angles, with a time frame spanning from the Ming Dynasty to the Republic of China. The books were published in their original format, bound in traditional thread, with all illustrations and text left unchanged, though some page layouts were slightly reduced in size, while the binding was given a fresh design. The series consists of ten volumes, totaling 24 books, divided into two categories.
One category is Selected Ancient Chinese Art Books, including Ming Dynasty Printed Collection of Ancient Antiquities (4 volumes), Ming Dynasty Printed Collection of Legendary Immortals (2 volumes), Ming Dynasty Printed Collection of Legendary Women (4 volumes, with original illustrations by Qiu Shizhou), Qing Dynasty Printed Collection of Historical Portraits (2 volumes), Qing Dynasty Dream of the Red Chamber Illustrations (with original illustrations by Gao Qi), Qing Dynasty Printed Collection of Guanyin Transformation (1 volume), and Qing Dynasty Printed Collection of Five Hundred Arhats (2 volumes), totaling seven titles. Additionally, there is Selected Art Books from the Republic of China Era (Republic of China Edition of Qing Dynasty Scholars’ Portraits) (2 volumes).
The other category provides reference materials for aspiring painters, including Selected Ancient Chinese Painting Technique Books (Qing Dynasty Edition of Dian Shi Zhai Series of Paintings) (4 volumes) and Selected Painting Technique Books from the Republic of China Era (Republic of China Edition of Three Thousand Methods of Painting by Qiao Nao) (2 volumes), totaling two titles.
Although the collection process was challenging and the books do not form a specialized series, they still hold significant value for reprinting. First, from the perspective of art appreciation, the selected books include works of considerable reference value, such as the illustrations by Qiu Ying and Gao Qi, both renowned figures in Ming and Qing Dynasty portrait painting. The two painting technique books are also valuable for those aspiring to pursue a career in art. Second, the selected works are popular among the public, but due to their rarity and high original cost, they are not easily accessible for borrowing or purchase. Compared to the national "Reconstruction of Fine Chinese Classics Project," these books are more closely aligned with the general public, with lower prices and a greater potential for popularizing traditional culture. Third, some of the selected books are beneficial for academic research. For example, Qing Dynasty Scholars’ Portraits provides visual materials for the study of Qing history, while Dream of the Red Chamber Illustrations can serve as references for "Red Studies" and for readers to better remember the complex characters in the novel. As for the two painting technique books, they are suitable for beginners in art and for practicing, while also enhancing the appreciation of traditional Chinese painting techniques among general readers.