Bai Chuan Shuzhi Ancient and Modern Book Catalogs -- A Series of Catalogs and Inscriptions on Books from Various Dynasties in China

Author: (Ming) Zhou Hongzu compiled
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-11-01
Features: This book combines two Ming Dynasty bibliographies: one is the private book catalog compiled by Gao Ru—Bai Chuan Shuzhi; the other is the ancient and modern book engravings created by Zhou Hongzu to record the books printed by various public and private institutions during the Ming Dynasty, as well as the stone inscriptions preserved in various places. Bai Chuan Shuzhi, compiled by Gao Ru of the Ming Dynasty, is his private book catalog, classified into the four traditional categories of Confucian classics, history, philosophy, and literature. Many entries include concise content descriptions. It includes a significant number of catalog entries for novels and theatrical works. Ancient and Modern Book Engravings, compiled by Zhou Hongzu of the Ming Dynasty, not only collects imperial court engravings and official government engravings but also includes catalog entries for stone inscriptions from various regions. At the end, there is a combined index of authors and names from both books. The records of woodblock engravings and stone inscriptions in Ancient and Modern Book Engravings are equally valuable for bibliographers and cultural historians. For example, the record of the Dongchaosi engraving includes Water Margin, which is the only documented reference to this version in the history of the novel. The imperial court engravings include the Yongle Dadian, which provides clues that the Dadian had been engraved.