Wenxuan zhu

Wenxuan zhu[1] (simplified Chinese: 文选注; traditional Chinese: 文選注; pinyin: Wénxuǎn zhù; Wade–Giles: Wen-hsüan chu) is a Tang dynasty commentary on the Wenxuan (Chinese: 文选; pinyin: Wénxuǎn; Wade–Giles: Wen-hsüan, Selections of Refined Literature). The commentary is authored by the scholar Li Shan (李善, 630–689). It is the oldest surviving and most influential commentary on this classical Chinese anthology. The Wenxuan itself is the earliest extant Chinese anthology arranged by genre.[2]

Overview

Li Shan was a Tang dynasty scholar and commentator, renowned for his comprehensive annotations on the Wenxuan, the literary anthology originally compiled by Xiao Tong 萧统 of the Liang dynasty (Southern dynasties). The commentary to the Wenxuan draws on nearly 1,700 classical works and focuses on etymology, literary allusions, and textual criticism. The commentary significantly facilitated the use of classical references in Tang poetry and literature.[3]

The Wenxuan zhu is generally considered a critical commentary rather than a purely explanatory one. Li Shan incorporated and quoted numerous earlier commentaries on the works included in the Wenxuan, submitting his text to the imperial court in 658.[4] His annotations are known for their rigor and detailed scholarship, providing both semantic explanations and textual emendations. Together with the commentaries Shuijing zhu, Sanguozhi zhu, and Shishuo xinyu zhu, Li Shan’s work is regarded as one of the “Four Great Classical Commentaries” of China.[5]

Liuchen zhu Wenxuan

Another notable commentary (collection) is the Wuchen zhu Wenxuan (五臣注文選, “Comments of the Five Ministers on the Wenxuan”) from 718, a composite edition incorporating annotations by five Tang scholars: Lü Yanji (呂延濟), Liu Liang (劉良), Zhang Xian (張銑), Lü Xiang (呂向), and Li Zhouhan (李周翰).[6] During the Song dynasty, Li Shan's commentary and the five other less prominent Tang-era commentaries were compiled together as the Liuchen zhu Wenxuan (六臣注文選, “Comments of the Six Masters on the Wenxuan”).

The Hanyu da zidian (HYDZD) f.e. uses besides the Hu Kejia 胡克家 Qing dynasty edition (1809; edition Zhonghua shuju 1977) also the Sibu congkan 四部丛刊 photographic reproduction of a Song dynasty print Liuchen zhu Wenxuan 六臣注文选 as its editions.[7]

Legacy

Li Shan's Wenxuan zhu has had a profound impact on Tang dynasty literature and subsequent Chinese literary scholarship. Its meticulous documentation of sources and allusions continues to serve as an important reference for scholars of classical Chinese literature.

The work is important for a better understanding of parts of the transmission history of early Chinese literature, as f.e. of the book Zhuangzi.[8]

A widely used edition today is the 1986 critical edition published by Shanghai guji chubanshe.

Sun Zhizu 孫志祖 (1737-1801) wrote a Wenxuan Lizhu buzheng 文选李注补正[9] in the time of the Qing dynasty to supplement and correct the work.[10]

See also

  • Li Shan – Tang dynasty scholar and author of the Wenxuan zhu (Chinese)

References

  1. ^ Also titled Wenxuan Li Shan zhu 文选李善注 or short Li Shan zhu 李善注, etc.
  2. ^ The Wen xuan Tradition in China and Abroad - Jao Tsung-I (Academy of Sinology HKBU)
  3. ^ Liu Yuqing 劉毓慶: Guoxue gailun 國學概論 (第2版). 2018, p. 283
  4. ^ chinaknowledge.de: Wenxuan 文選
  5. ^ guoxue.com: Si da ming zhu ... 四大名注——三国世说，水经文选
  6. ^ cf. chinaknowledge.de: Wenxuan 文選
  7. ^ Hanyu da zidian, bibliography, no. 242.
  8. ^ Liu Xiaogan: Classifying the Zhuangzi Chapters. Center for Chinese Studies. The University of Michigan. 1994, p. 60
  9. ^ 文选李注补正 - Chinese Text Project
  10. ^ cf. Li Xueqin, Lü Wenyu (eds.): Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典 (2 vols.). Changchun: Jili wenshi chubanshe, vol. 2, p. 2889b

Bibliography

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