Jie Ren Yi (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: (Qing) Qian Dechang ed.
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2005-04-01
Features: Jie Ren Yi (Unbinding the Mind) in twenty-four volumes, recompiled by Qian Dechang of the Qing Dynasty. According to the preface written by Qian Dechang in the twenty-sixth year of the Qianlong reign, he compiled this based on the early collections of Jie Ren Yi that had long been circulating in the market. He followed the principle of "removing the old and embracing the new" and then "further refining it," before finally "reprinting it." Therefore, we regard this edition as Qian's recompiled version. Since the title is Jie Ren Yi, it is bound to select texts with some wit and humor, designed to amuse readers. This inevitably leads to a mix of high and low-quality content, bringing in some less refined material. The good quality is not numerous, and readers can discern them on their own. The Zhu Bai Qiu, a collection of dramatic scripts selected and compiled by the anonymous author "Wan Hua Zhe," was later supplemented by Qian Dechang, expanding it to a twelve-volume format and becoming widely circulated. By comparing the editorial techniques of Jie Ren Yi and Zhu Bai Qiu, these two "Qian Dechangs" are likely the same person. This book is collated and punctuated based on the stone-printed edition from the Guangya Bookstore.