Zhiben Huijiao Shitouji (Volume 1, 2, and 3)

Author: Cao Xueqin (Qing Dynasty), Gao E (Qing Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-04-01
Features: This book is the result of over a decade of effort by Mr. Zheng Qingshan, with standardized and meticulous collation and editing, making it one of the best editions close to Cao Xueqin's original work. The book uses the earliest existing Zhi Ping manuscripts—Jia Xu, Yi Mao, and Geng Chen—as its base texts. For the 64th and 67th chapters, the Lie Cang manuscript is used as the base text, with comprehensive collation and verification compared to other ten manuscripts. The collation follows the principle of removing falsehoods and preserving truth, with the standards of preserving authenticity, following common usage, and choosing the best wording for revisions. The four methods of collation proposed by Mr. Chen Yuan—direct comparison, comparative analysis, cross-reference, and reasoning—are applied. Notably, some difficult and previously uncorrected textual issues have been revised. Important revisions are accompanied by collation notes, appended to the end of each chapter. The last 40 chapters are included as an appendix using the Cheng Jia manuscript held by the Institute of Literature of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Additionally, an appendix is provided with a collection of Zhi Ping comments on the missing 30 chapters of Cao Xueqin's work, for readers to compare. This book is the result of Mr. Zheng Qingshan's over a decade of effort, with standardized and meticulous collation and editing, making it one of the best editions close to Cao Xueqin's original work.