Collected Works of Cao Zhi with Annotations

Author: Cao Zhi (Wei Dynasty of the Three Kingdoms), annotated by Zhao Youwen
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1998-01-01
Features: The Collected Works of Cao Zhi, during the middle period of the Wei Dynasty, two editions of the collection were produced: one self-edited by Cao Zhi himself, and another ordered by Emperor Mingzong of Wei, Cao Rui, during the Jingchu period. Due to the lack of historical records, it is difficult to understand the specific contents of the two editions. However, based on the Jingchu edition, there are over a hundred pieces including poems, odes, eulogies, inscriptions, and miscellaneous essays. According to the Preface to the Collected Works written by Cao Zhi himself, there are seventy-eight poems. A comparison between the two reveals clear differences in completeness. Furthermore, examining the historical fact recorded in Biography of Cao Zhi in the Jin Shu, where Sima Yan inquired about the author of The Six Dynasties Theory, it becomes evident that if the Jingchu edition already included all of Cao Zhi's works, and were stored both within and outside the imperial archives, Sima Yan could have simply ordered a check of the secret archives' Collected Works of Cao Zhi to determine the author. There would be no need to wait for Cao Zhi to return home and verify the self-edited catalog to resolve the question of who wrote the works. Therefore, the Jingchu edition may have been a selected collection, while Cao Zhi's self-edited version can be considered a complete collection.