Research on the "Selected Writings of Sui and Tang Dynasties"

Author: Wang Xibo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: Xiao Gai's Wenxuan Yin Yi should be a specialized work by Xiao Gai on the Wenxuan, even if only Xiao Gai wrote a work on the Wenxuan at the time, or if others copied and lectured on the Wenxuan as well①. However, the author once cited the Yin Jue in the Shudu Fu annotation of the Wenxuan Jizhu (Volume 8) from Japan, which states, "All the Xiao family members agreed," and thus believed that there were more than just Xiao Gai in the Xiao family who had works on the Wenxuan Yin Yi at the time. Later, while reading the section on Xiao Gai (Wenxuan Lishan Zhu) in Fujiwara Ichitō's Research on the Wenxuan Lishan Annotations, the author explained that the phrase "all the Xiao family members" referred to both Chu Quanzhi's Bai Fu Yin and Xiao Gai's Wenxuan Yin Yi, realizing that their original speculation was entirely baseless! After the fall of Emperor Wen of Liang in Jiangling, members of the Xiao family were either captured and taken to Chang'an, or remained in Jiangling to serve in Xiao's small court; some sought refuge with southern power figures like Wang Sengbian and Chen Baoxian, while others traveled south and lived in border regions. By the time they returned to Jiangling and the Chen Dynasty fell, there were no more Xiao family members who combined political and military roles, with most becoming officials and cultural figures. Until the early Tang Dynasty, the Xiao family often had members in the imperial court. In academia, Xiao Gai should be considered the key figure. First, let's look at the Xiao Gai Biography in the Sui Shu·Ji Lin·Xiao Gai Zhuan: Xiao Gai of Lanling, a descendant of Prince Po Yang of Liang, was enfeoffed as Marquis You in his youth. After Liang's Jingzhou fell, he went to Chang'an with He Tuo. He was diligent in his studies and mastered the great principles of the Book of Songs, Book of Documents, Spring and Autumn Annals, and Book of Rites. He was particularly skilled in the Book of Han and was highly respected by the nobility. In the early Kaiyuan era, he was granted the title of Marquis of Shanyin and appointed as a professor at the Imperial Academy. He was ordered to correct and standardize classic texts with He Tuo, but as they each held different views and could not reach an agreement, they were dismissed after a long time. Later, Xiao Gai wrote the Book of Han Yin Yi and the Wenxuan Yin Yi, which were highly valued at the time. Xiao Hui was the illegitimate younger brother of Emperor Wu of Liang①. The Liang Shu biography of Xiao Hui describes him as "intelligent from a young age, able to understand the Classic of Filial Piety and the Analects by the age of seven, without missing a single point. As he grew older, he had a refined appearance and was knowledgeable in history." Xiao Fan, the crown prince, "lacked academic talent but considered himself skilled in strategy. He loved rare and ancient artifacts, gathered literary talents, and wrote inscriptions at will, which sometimes had a unique charm." Xiao Gai may have grown up in Jiankang in his youth and only moved to Jingzhou after the fall of Jiankang and Emperor Wen of Liang's ascension to the throne②. However, both the family atmosphere and the emphasis on literature and culture in the court and society could have influenced Xiao Gai. His knowledge of classics and literature became his main asset in establishing himself in the northern court. And his expertise in elementary studies should have been the important academic foundation for him to compile the Book of Han Yin Yi and the Wenxuan Yin Yi. In the preface to the printed Tang manuscript of Wang Rendi's Corrections and Supplements to the Qieyun, it is said: In the early Kaiyuan era, there were eight men—Liu Yitong Zhen, Yan Wai Shi Zhi, Lu Wuyang Sida, Li Changshi Ruo, Xiao Guozishi Gai, Xin Ciyi Desuan, Xue Lishi Daoheng, and Wei Zhuozu Yanyuan—who gathered at the home of Fa Yan. Late at night, after the wine had run out, they discussed phonology and the tones of ancient and modern Chinese. They had different views on the pronunciation of words, and the choices of different schools also varied. In the Jiangdong and Chu regions, the pronunciation was often considered light and shallow, while in the Yan and Zhao regions, it was often heavy and muddled. In the Qin and Long regions, the entering tone was pronounced as a rising tone, while in the Liang and Yi regions, the level tone was similar to the rising tone. The syllables zhi, zhi, yu, and yu were considered dissonant, while xian, xian, you, and hou were discussed in terms of cutting tones. To broaden the scope of literature, one could accept both light and heavy pronunciations; but if one appreciated the art of pronunciation, one must distinguish between light and heavy tones. The Lü Jing Yunji, Xiahou Gai Yunlue (both the printed version and the Dunhuang manuscript call it Zuo), Yang Xiuzhi Yunlue, Li Jieji Yingshu, and Du Taiqing Yunlue all had inconsistencies. The pronunciation in Jiangdong differed from that in Hebei. They thus discussed the differences between the northern and southern regions.