Historical Inscriptions of China Manuscript (Complete 7 Volumes)

Author: Wang Xiantang
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Wang Xiantang (1896–1960) was a renowned epigrapher and paleographer, celebrated alongside scholars like Tang Lan and Guo Moruo. During his tenure as Director of the Shandong Provincial Library in the 1940s and later while heading the Shandong Provincial Cultural Relics Management Committee, he made significant contributions to the collection, preservation, and management of precious cultural relics and bibliographic materials in Shandong, as well as to the early development of field archaeology in the region. Academically, he excelled in epigraphy, bibliography, and cataloging, with rigorous scholarship and numerous publications. He also demonstrated profound expertise in poetry, calligraphy, and painting. Works already published, such as A Comprehensive Study of Ancient Chinese Currency, Fire and Lanterns in Ancient Characters, and Seal Impressions of Linzi, are well-known, but the long-renowned Draft of the Historical Epigraphic Records of the State has never been published, and its manuscript has been lost, becoming a regret for academia. Later, thanks to information provided by the Nanjing Second Archive, his family finally located this handwritten manuscript of the monumental work, sealed away for over 60 years. When Wang Xiantang compiled this book, he meticulously searched nearly all epigraphic and archaeological records from the first half of the 20th century, including instruments, wine vessels, water vessels, food vessels, and miscellaneous artifacts, as well as bronze mirrors, ancient seals, and Buddhist statues, covering almost every category rarely found in typical cataloging works. The time span of the recorded artifacts ranges from the Shang Dynasty to the Northern and Southern Dynasties, a breadth of scope unmatched by similar works. Thus, the volume of this book remains substantial, both in the era it was compiled and today in the 21st century. The annotations and transcriptions in Draft of the Historical Epigraphic Records of the State once again demonstrate Wang Xiantang’s meticulous scholarly approach. They reflect the academic standards of half a century ago while also serving as a model for contemporary research and an important reference for studies in related fields. The newly published Draft of the Historical Epigraphic Records of the State (Qingdao Publishing House) comprises 20 volumes, compiled in 1943. From its preface, we learn that the original plan divided the work into four categories: gold, stone, bone and jade, and pottery and wood. The gold category was nearly completed, and the recorded artifacts were limited to those unearthed during the Republican era or documented since the establishment of the Republic. Those with inscriptions were prioritized, though some without inscriptions but with significant iconographic or historical value were also included. This differs from typical gold catalogs, which require cross-referencing earlier works to exclude previously documented artifacts, aiming to more clearly reflect archaeological achievements since the Republic. This holds great significance in the development of Chinese epigraphic archaeology. Statistics show that the book records 4,854 artifacts, citing over 70 reference works, spanning the Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han, Wei, and Jin periods. The categories include instruments, wine vessels, water vessels, food vessels, cooking utensils, weapons, tools, vehicle components, measuring instruments, and other sharp implements, as well as jade seals and currency, often covered in separate works. The inscriptions recorded have been examined by modern scholars, with some accepted as correct or revised over time; those not yet deciphered retain their original forms. The richness of its content is exceptional. The depth of Draft of the Historical Epigraphic Records of the State is further evident in two aspects: 1) All artifacts were carefully authenticated by the author. As he noted in the preface, “Some artifacts recorded in other works fall within this book’s scope but are excluded here, as they are forgeries.” Twenty-three artifacts were marked with a marginal note “doubtful,” indicating their ambiguous authenticity but still deemed valuable for inclusion, at least not outright fakes. This offers crucial insights into artifact authentication. For some artifacts, the author questioned only the inscriptions, labeling them “doubtful forgeries,” providing valuable evidence for identifying the authenticity of bronze inscriptions. 2) The author demonstrated exceptional rigor in textual interpretation. Uncertain characters were preserved in their original forms, and fragmented characters were reconstructed with partial strokes, never guessed or arbitrarily interpreted. More importantly, detailed research was conducted on characters, yielding high academic value. Additionally, the author corrected certain oversights and errors in the field at the time. This 20-volume monumental work not only significantly advanced the study of ancient Chinese characters but also deepened our understanding of Wang Xiantang’s masterful research on gold artifacts, further cementing his position in the history of modern Chinese scholarship.