Yanshan Tang Bi-(Complete Four Volumes)

Author: Wang Shizhen
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1985-12-01
Features: The Yanshan Hall Anthology, a 100-volume collection compiled by Wang Shizhen of the Ming Dynasty. This book is titled "Anthology," but it is not a collection of poems and essays, but rather a historical work. The reason it is called "Anthology" is because "[The works of Yuanmei (Wang Shizhen) have the Yanshan Hall Main Collection, while this one contains the anecdotes and records of our dynasty, surpassing the treasures of each generation]." Wang Shizhen himself explained, "[Why is it called an Anthology? It contains nothing relevant to Confucian classics or governance, even if it is just the art of writing, it is still a minor matter, hence the term 'Anthology'."] The Qing scholar Zhou Zhongfu criticized Wang Shizhen for "[not knowing that poetry and essays should be called an Anthology]," but this is likely not the case. Given Wang Shizhen's erudition, he would not be unaware of this point. To expose the euphemisms in the "National History," Wang Shizhen pointed out the hidden truths in the biographies of officials executed by the Ming Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang under false pretenses, restoring the historical facts. The Yanshan Hall Anthology is a valuable historical source that reflects Wang Shizhen's historical thought.