Dongzhou Cao Tang Poetry Collection (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: He Shaoji (Qing Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: July 1, 2006
Features: Although the title page of Dongzhou Cao Tang Shi Chao is printed with the words "Published in Changsha Wuyuan in the Dingmao year of the Tongzhi reign (1867)," the version history is quite complex. It includes Dongzhou Cao Tang Shi Chao compiled during He Shaoji's lifetime, as well as an appendix of his son Qinghan's Mianqin Ge Qianwen (one volume), Gui Dai (two volumes), and an additional Huan Yue Lou Yi Shi (two volumes) by his daughter-in-law Li Mei, all published during the Guangxu era. There is also a Guangxu-era publication from 1901 that includes He Weidi's Qianying Shi (ten volumes) and Wenji (four volumes). Each of these versions has the same number of volumes.
What makes it even more interesting is that every time Dongzhou Cao Tang Shi Chao was reprinted, the same old engraving plates from the Dingmao year of the Tongzhi reign (1867) in Changsha Wuyuan were used, yet the content of the versions we see today differs. First, the main poems and self-notes in the Dongzhou Cao Tang Shi Chao we encounter are missing individual words or phrases. Second, in some copies, the main poem in volume thirteen titled Yunqiao Shu Wei Shuo Jin Nian Zhi Jiang Geng Sheng Xi Nian You Zhi Wu Bu Bai Cu Jiang Shou Zao Jian Hui Xian Yi Shi Xie ends at "Tongpan Roushi Gong Laotao Shu" and directly transitions to the last line of another poem, "Feng Wan Bian Yuan." The latter half of the first poem is missing, along with eleven other poems from Liu Yue Liu Ri Yin Mu Shi Shi Liu to Da En Zhuqiao Zhong Cheng in some versions. Third, in some editions, the Cao Zhou Cao Tang Shi Yu section is missing five ci poems, starting from Manting Fang titled "Wu Yue Shi Nin Xin Yan Wei Nao Er Qu" and ending at Qian Diao titled "Qing Wen Yunqiao Jin Wan Qing Ke Shi Ru Ci Nai Hu Ke Xu Gai Yu Yu Hou Xiao Ci Feng Jie."