Complete Collection of the Siku Quanshu (Eligible 50 Volumes) (Luxurious Redwood Box Binding)

Author: Qi Yusheng
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Features: The Siku Quanshu is the largest official compendium in existence in China, representing the largest cultural project in China and even the world, commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. The Siku Quanshu is divided into four sections: Confucian classics, history, philosophy, and literature, containing 3,503 books, 79,309 volumes, 6,793 titles with bibliographic records, and 93,551 volumes, totaling over 36,000 volumes and approximately 1 billion characters. It is equivalent to 44 times the Encyclopédie edited by Denis Diderot during the same period. Many important classical Chinese texts before the Qianlong era are included in it. As the compilers were all renowned scholars of the time, it represents the highest level of academic achievement at that time. Although the primary purpose of the Qianlong Emperor in compiling the Siku Quanshu was "to control through persuasion," it objectively organized and preserved a vast number of important texts, pioneered the field of bibliographic studies, established the dominance of Sinology in cultural and intellectual life, and holds unparalleled value in terms of documents, historical records, cultural relics, and editions. The Siku Quanshu Jingbian (Excerpted Siku Quanshu) published this time selects the essence of the Siku Quanshu with the aim of making it more accessible for readers. The selected texts are engaging and profound, each word thought-provoking, and every chapter enlightening, embodying the essence of thousands of years of Daoist and Confucian thought, art, and literary works.
In February 1773, the Siku Quanshu was officially compiled under the direction of Chief Editors Ji Yin, Lu Xizhong, and Sun Shiyi, with Lu Fei as the Chief Proofreader, supported by over 400 staff including compilers, proofreaders, and supervisors. Renowned scholars such as Dai Zhen (a master of Sinology), Shao Jinhan (a master of history), and Yao Nai, Zhu Yun also participated. Nearly 4,000 copyists were recruited, bringing together the brightest minds of the era. The project, which lasted ten years, was completed in 1782, with the full collection finished in 1793. It was an extravagant endeavor, embodying the cultural achievements of the "Kangxi-Qianlong Prosperity" in the history of culture.
In March 1773, shortly after the establishment of the Siku Quanshu Institute, the chief editors proposed the idea of binding the books of the four sections—Confucian classics, history, philosophy, and literature—in different colors to facilitate identification. After completion, the books were bound in green, red, light yellow, and gray, corresponding to the four seasons, with the Confucian classics in green, history in red, philosophy in light yellow, and literature in gray.
Due to the vast number of entries, the Siku Quanshu Zongmu (General Catalogue of the Siku Quanshu) was cumbersome to consult. Therefore, the Qianlong Emperor ordered the creation of a supplementary bibliography listing only titles, volumes, dates, and authors, allowing scholars to "search for summaries from the catalog and obtain the full text." In 1774, Ji Yin, Lu Xizhong, and others compiled this supplementary bibliography, categorizing the books of the Siku Quanshu into the four traditional sections and providing brief notes for particularly significant issues. The work was completed in 1780, comprising 20 volumes, effectively serving as a condensed version of the Siku Quanshu Zongmu.
The classification of classical Chinese texts began with Liu Xiang's Qila in the Western Han Dynasty. Later, Xun Xu of the Western Jin Dynasty established the four-sectional classification system—Confucian classics, history, philosophy, and literature. Imperial libraries and institutions such as the Secretariat and Hanlin Academy after the Sui and Tang dynasties stored books according to this system, known as "Four Libraries." When the Qianlong Emperor established the Siku Quanshu Institute, it was named Siku Quanshu. The compilation of the Siku Quanshu ensured the preservation of many important classical texts before the Qianlong era.
The Siku Quanshu was copied into seven sets, stored in the Wenyuan Pavilion in the Forbidden City, the Wensu Pavilion in Shengjing (now Shenyang), the Wenyuan Pavilion in the Yuanmingyuan in Beijing, the Wenjin Pavilion in Chengde Mountain Resort, and the Beisixiang (Inner Court Six Pavilions), which were exclusively for imperial use. The remaining three sets were stored in the Wenhui Pavilion in Yangzhou, the Wenzong Pavilion in Zhenjiang, and the Wenlan Pavilion in Hangzhou, known as the "Three Pavilions of Zhejiang," which allowed scholars to access them.
During China's modern era, due to constant wars, only three complete sets of the Siku Quanshu survived. The Wenhui and Wenzong pavilions were destroyed during the Second Opium War, the Wenyuan pavilion was burned down by Anglo-French forces, and the Wenlan pavilion suffered significant losses, though it was later partially restored. In 1948, the Kuomintang government retreated to Taiwan, taking the most valuable copy of the Siku Quanshu from the Wenyuan Pavilion, which is now preserved in the Taipei Palace Museum.
As the Siku Quanshu was commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor, its compilation was part of the Qing Dynasty's effort to maintain control, ostensibly to "promote ancient studies and culture" but practically to "control through persuasion." A large number of books were collected, censored, revised, or destroyed. Historical records indicate that over 2,400 books were completely destroyed, 400 partially destroyed, and 70,000 to 80,000 printing blocks were confiscated or burned. Simultaneously, "literary purges" were launched, with 48 incidents reported in the first decade after the Siku Quanshu Institute's establishment.
Fine Books (Shanben): Books of historical and cultural significance, academic value, artistic representation, or special significance in one of these aspects. Generally, versions published earlier or carefully proofread with fewer errors are considered fine books.
Unique Copies (Guben): A specific edition or manuscript of a book, with only one copy in existence.
Secret Books (Miben): Versions secretly preserved by private collectors, kept out of public view.
Censored Books (Jianhuiben): Versions from earlier dynasties or the contemporary era that were suppressed and destroyed, but privately. Preserving such books was extremely dangerous in ancient times, as discovery could lead to severe consequences, making their survival extremely difficult. Thus, they are highly valuable.
Illustrated Books (Xiuxiangben): Books with illustrations inserted between chapters. These books gained popularity due to their vivid depictions, but their production was complex and costly, making existing copies rare and valuable.
Stone Lithography Books (Shiyinben): Books printed using stone blocks, where hard, flat stones were polished and carved into plates, with text written in ink on special paper, transferred to the stone, and then printed.
Manuscripts (Shouchouben): Books copied from original texts. One type is shadow copying, where transparent paper is placed over the original to replicate its characters and layout.
Incomplete Books (Canben): Books damaged due to reasons such as transportation, sales, copying, or disputes during circulation.
Supplementary Books (Buben): Books that expand upon or revise the works of predecessors, incorporating the author's own insights.
Continuation Books (Xushu): Books that continue the content of earlier works, primarily preserving the original intent.
Preserved Books (Baooben): Books kept for specific private purposes, often passed down through generations as family treasures.
Confucian Classics Section: Classics of the Yi, Shu, Po, Li, Chunqiu, Filial Piety, General Confucian Classics, Four Books, Music, and Primary Education.
History Section: Official Histories, Annals, Monographs, Alternative Histories, Miscellaneous Histories, Imperial Decrees and Petitions, Biographies, Historical Anthologies, Annals, Chronological Records, Geography, Official Positions, Political Histories, Bibliographies, Historical Critiques.
Philosophy Section: Confucianism, Military Strategy, Law, Agriculture, Medicine, Astronomy and Calculation, Divination, Arts, Genealogy, Miscellaneous, Encyclopedias, Fiction, Buddhism, and Taoism.
Literature Section: Chu Ci, Individual Collections, General Collections, Literary Criticism, Lyrics and Drama.
Ji Yin (1724-1804), courtesy name Xiaolan, was a famous scholar from Xian County, Hebei. He meticulously planned, proofread, and reviewed the works of past scholars, completing the general editing of the Siku Quanshu Zongmu, a monumental achievement in academic research, classical commentary, edition evaluation, and documentary research. Ji Yin was also a renowned book collector, with his collection "Read Micro Grass Pavilion" donating 105 books and 1,868 volumes to the Siku Quanshu Institute, as well as 41 cataloged entries. He authored works such as Notes from Read Micro Grass Pavilion.
Dai Zhen (1724-1777), courtesy name Dongyuan, was a scholar from Xiuying, Anhui. With profound knowledge and sharp judgment, he was a leading thinker during the Qianlong era and a representative of Sinology. His exceptional erudition allowed him to serve in the Siku Quanshu Institute as a juren (a degree for civil servants), working on the compilation of the Yongle Dadian. He was a major compiler of the Siku Quanshu.
Lu Xizhong (1734-1792), courtesy name Jiannan, from Eshan, Shanghai, was a Chief Editor of the Siku Quanshu. He was highly effective and received numerous imperial rewards. In 1775, the Qing court discovered that the Siku Quanshu contained critical remarks against the imperial family, enraging the Qianlong Emperor, who ordered Lu Xizhong and Ji Yin to revise the text and bear the costs themselves. In the depths of winter, Lu Xizhong fell ill and died from exhaustion while reviewing the Siku Quanshu at Wensu Pavilion, demonstrating the court's and public's high regard and strict standards for the project.
Yong Rong (1743-1790), the sixth son of the Qianlong Emperor, styled Jiusizhuren. At the end of the Qianlong era, he was enfeoffed as Prince Zhi. He enjoyed poetry, calligraphy, and painting, authoring Poetry Collection of Jiusizhu Pavilion.
After the formal establishment of the Siku Quanshu Institute, the Qianlong Emperor appointed Yong Rong, Yong Xuan, and Yong Jing, along with Grand Secretaries Liu Tongxun and Yu Mingzhong, as the highest executives—Chiefs—responsible for overseeing all affairs within the institute.
This set of Siku Quanshu Jingbian is a luxury hardcover edition, published in a 16-page format with 50 volumes in 5 boxes, printed on yellow paper and presented in a simulated redwood box.