Sixty Pieces of Music (Complete Twelve Volumes)

Author: Mao Jin (Ming Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1996-02-01
Features: The name Sixty Plays did not originate from the original printing, as the collection was initially published in six sets over time. Later, during the early Qing Dynasty, it was published as a single volume, which is why it came to be known as Sixty Plays. Sixty Plays was edited and printed by the renowned Jigu Ge during that era. The owner of Jigu Ge, Mao Jin (1599-1659), styled Zijin, originally named Fengbao, styled Zijiu, was a native of Changshu, Jiangsu. He was one of the most famous book collectors and publishers in Chinese history. A Ming Dynasty scholar, he studied under Qian Qianyi. Passionate about ancient studies and books, he became addicted to collecting books, amassing the richest collection in the world. He spared no effort in seeking out rare and ancient books, to the point where a saying circulated at the time: "Among the three hundred and sixty trades, selling books to Mao's family is the best." He built Jigu Ge and Mugu Lou, collecting over 84,000 volumes of books. When he acquired rare and valuable editions, he either personally proofread them or invited renowned scholars to review them before publishing. The collation, engraving, paper, and ink were all meticulously done. Wu Weiye once praised him: "The writing, collation, and engraving are all exquisite." Throughout his life, he published over 600 titles, making him a pioneer in private publishing, with no predecessors or successors. In Mao Jin's grand publishing endeavors, Sixty Plays was clearly not a "major project." Compared to monumental works like Annotations to the Thirteen Classics, Jinding Secret Library, and Seventeen Histories, it was merely a small fry. However, within the realm of theatrical literature, it stands as an unparalleled giant. Since Mao Jin was not well-versed in theater, later scholars often believed that the selection of Sixty Plays was outsourced to experts. Among his relatives and friends, three individuals were noted: Lu Yician, Ling Mengchu, and Feng Menglong. Lu Yician, styled Chuoxian, was a relative of Mao Jin and also a famous book collector with expertise in theater. His photocopied Pipa Ji from the late Yuan Dynasty is one of the best-preserved versions today. He had also proofread Tang Ying's Poetry for Mao Jin. Ling Mengchu, styled Chuocheng, styled Jiku Xuan Daoren, was renowned for editing and publishing the two volumes of Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio. He was also skilled in theater, having adapted scripts and written Miscellaneous Notes on Discussing Opera, selected Three Sounds of Southern Music, and his title "Jiku Guan Daoren" bore a close resemblance to the signatures "World-Reading Daoist," "Leisurely Owner," "Quietly Observing Daoist," "Leisurely One Daoist," and "Thinking of the Mysterious Daoist" in the preface of Sixty Plays. Feng Menglong achieved great success in both theater and fiction, being the compiler of the famous "Three Words." He created and adapted over ten legendary works, published under the title Donghan Zhai Dingben Chuanqi, and selected Taixia Xin Zong. These three individuals seem entirely capable of having participated in the selection of Sixty Plays, but whether there were indeed outsourced compilers and who they were remains uncertain, lacking concrete evidence and awaiting new discoveries. The widespread and enduring popularity of Sixty Plays is mainly due to the appropriateness of the selected works. The number of Southern Drama and legendary plays is enormous. Even just for Ming Dynasty legends, there are over 950 listed (according to Fu Xihua's Complete Catalog of Ming Dynasty Legends). The compilers sifted through the sands, carefully selecting sixty plays to create a comprehensive yet concise collection. From the selected works, "Jing, Liu, Bai, Sha" and Pipa Ji are the timeless masterpieces of Southern Drama from the Song and Yuan dynasties, which had a profound impact on the development of legends. The Story of the Western Chamber is a representative of Yuan Dynasty Zaju, with multiple adaptations by Ming scholars. The compiler selected one of these adaptations and appended the original work at the end of the set, showing no bias toward northern or southern styles. The Ming Dynasty works include the complete works of the great playwright Tang Xianzu, as well as The Ballad of the Silk Shirt, The Embroidered Robe, The, The Jade Ring, and The Jade Hairpin, all of which are considered masterpieces of Ming Dynasty legends. Some works, though not top-tier, each have their unique charm, such as The West Tower, The Righteous Hero, The Phoenix Hairpin, The Banana Fan, and The Brocade Letter, which strictly adhere to the rules of opera and have harmonious rhymes. The Jade Mirror, The Lion's Roar, and The Dongguo are humorous and witty. The selection of plays in Sixty Plays also pays attention to the unique stage nature of theatrical literature. During the Ming Dynasty, some plays were overly formal, like Qiu Jun's The Complete Record of the Five Relationships, a typical feudal didactic drama. Such "acidic" desk plays were excluded by the compiler. Most of the plays in Sixty Plays were widely performed and sung during that time, with almost every play featuring brilliant scenes that have become enduring repertoire pieces in Kunqu Opera. Of course, from today's perspective on theater research, Sixty Plays remains imperfect due to historical limitations. Some excellent works were not included, such as The Sword and the Swallow, The Red Plum, The Beauty and the Red Plum, and The Linked Rings. Some works have poor quality and mediocre techniques, making them unsuitable for inclusion. Nevertheless, for today's study or understanding of Ming Dynasty legends, Sixty Plays remains an extremely valuable selection. The earliest edition of Sixty Plays was the original printing by Jigu Ge during the late Ming Dynasty's Chongzhen era. Unfortunately, the original edition is incomplete, with only single volumes remaining, and only over thirty are, making them rare to find. Fortunately, the Ancient Collection of Chinese Drama has photocopied over twenty of them, allowing us to appreciate their style. The early Qing Dynasty reprinted edition of Sixty Plays has poor collation and far less value as a version compared to the original. In 1935, the Kaiping Publishing House printed and published it, with numerous errors and omissions. After the liberation, in 1954, the Literary Ancient Books Publishing House used the Kaiping Publishing House's printing molds and made a more comprehensive collation and correction, bringing Sixty Plays to near perfection. In 1958 and 1982, Zhonghua Book Company reprinted it twice, making it the most accessible and widely used edition.