Dai Mingshi Collection

Author: Dai Mingshi (Qing Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2000-09-01
Features: Dai Mingshi, styled Tianyou, also known as Hefu, was a native of Tongcheng in Jiangnan. In his later years, he built a residence on the southern hills of the county and wrote "Record of You'an" to express his sentiments, earning the title of "Nanshan Master" or "You'an Master" from the public. Born in the 10th year of the Shunzhi era (1653 AD), he came from a middle-class family engaged in farming and studying. In the 25th year of the Kangxi era (1686 AD), at the age of 34, Dai traveled to the Imperial Academy, where he befriended renowned scholars such as Liu Qi, Xu Nianzu, Wang Fen, Liu Yan, Zhu Shu, Fang Bao, Wang Yuan, Wan Sitong, and Liu Xianting. Later, he traveled far and wide to regions like Ji, Yu, Shandong, Jianghuai, and Fujian, dedicating his life to selling essays and teaching. During his youth, he gained fame for his classical prose and traveled widely, enhancing his reputation. As a scholar, he dared to challenge officials and nobles, deeply resenting the corruption and hypocrisy of the court. He fiercely criticized scholars who used literature and poetry as tools for fame and profit, leading to his lifelong opposition to the social norms. He was known as a "madman" during his time at the Imperial Academy and as someone who "liked to criticize" in society. He disliked the contemporary literary style and, as a teacher, had no choice but to comply. He only began participating in imperial examinations after the age of 50, passing the provincial exam at 53 and the national exam at 57, becoming a compiler in the Hanlin Academy. However, two years later, the "Nanshan Collection Case" occurred, and he was executed two years after that, with his books destroyed and banned. Yet, his legacy grew after his death, as his manuscripts were preserved under the pseudonym "Song Qianxu." His hometown scholars and later generations devoted great effort to ensuring his works continued to circulate despite the oppressive rule of the long-standing autocracy.
The editor has extensively referenced various surviving versions of Dai Mingshi's collected works, meticulously revising and reorganizing his writings by category. This is currently the most complete edition of Dai's collected works. The book includes prefaces and postfaces from different editions of Dai's works, biographical materials, the "Ancient Poetic Axes" (a collection of 110 quatrains attributed to Dai under the pseudonym Hefu), as well as chronological annotations and genealogical records (revised edition). These appendices provide valuable references for understanding Dai Mingshi's life and achievements.