Lèipiān 類篇
The Topical Compendium attributed to 司馬光 (Sīmǎ Guāng, 奏進); actually compiled in succession by 王洙 (Wáng Zhū), 胡宿 (Hú Sù), 范鎮 (Fàn Zhèn), and 司馬光 (Sīmǎ Guāng), with collation by 掌禹錫 (Zhǎng Yǔxī) and 張次立 (Zhāng Cìlì)
About the work
A 45-juàn (= 15 juàn × upper / middle / lower + a mùlù) Northern-Sòng character dictionary compiled as the lexicographic counterpart to the Jíyùn KR1j0057 (rhyme-book): 543 radicals after the Shuōwén model, 31,319 wén + 21,846 chóngwén = 53,165 head graphs. Internal organization on nine declared editorial principles. The standard transmitted text is attributed to Sīmǎ Guāng 司馬光, but the Sìkù tíyào establishes that this is a misattribution: Sīmǎ Guāng was given the project only after his three predecessors (Wáng Zhū, Hú Sù, Fàn Zhèn) had each in turn carried it forward — he supervised the final fair-copy and submitted the work in Zhìpíng 4 (1067).
Tiyao
Lèipiān in 45 juàn. The old text is titled “composed by Sīmǎ Guāng of the Sòng.” Dǒng Nányī’s Jiādìng guǐhài (1203) preface to Sīmǎ Guāng’s Qièyùn zhǐzhǎngtú also says: “Sīmǎ Guāng was once commanded to revise the Lèipiān; ancient and rare characters were thoroughly hunted.” But the postface-record at the end of the book says: “In Bǎoyuán 2 (1039) eleventh month, Hànlín xuéshì Dīng Dù 丁度 et al. memorialized: ‘The current revision of the Jíyùn contains so many added graphs that it no longer accords with Gù Yěwáng’s Yùpiān; we beg leave to commission the rhyme-officials to compose a separate Lèipiān alongside the Jíyùn for parallel circulation.’ At that time the only rhyme-official still on the project was the Shǐguǎn jiǎntǎo Wáng Zhū 王洙; an edict ordered Wáng Zhū to compile it. After a long time Wáng Zhū died. In Jiāyòu 2 (1057) ninth month, the Hànlín xuéshì Hú Sù 胡宿 was given the project. In Jiāyòu 3 (1058) fourth month, Hú Sù memorialized to add the Guānglù qīng zhí mìgé Zhǎng Yǔxī 掌禹錫 and the Dàlǐsì chéng Zhāng Cìlì 張次立 to the editorial collation. In Jiāyòu 6 (1061) ninth month, Hú Sù was promoted to Shūmìfùshǐ; the Hànlín xuéshì Fàn Zhèn 范鎮 was given the project. In Zhìpíng 3 (1066) second month, Fàn Zhèn was sent out to take office as Prefect of Chénzhōu; the Lóngtúgé zhí xuéshì Sīmǎ Guāng was given the project. By that time the book was substantively complete — only the fair-copy was unfinished. In Zhìpíng 4 (1067) twelfth month it was submitted.” So Sīmǎ Guāng only supervised the fair-copy and the submission. The attribution to “Sīmǎ Guāng’s revision” is unsound. — The book is in 15 juàn, each split into upper / middle / lower, hence 45 juàn in citation. The last juàn is the mùlù, on the Shuōwén jiězì model. 540 bù in total — actually 543. Editorial principles: (1) same-sound different-form graphs both shown; (2) same-meaning different-sound graphs shown only once; (3) cases where the ancient meaning cannot be recovered, follow the original; (4) cases where ancient form has changed and a new meaning has emerged, follow the modern; (5) cases where ancient form has changed and the zhèng is lost, follow the ancient; (6) graphs of late origin without canonical authority not given prominence; (7) graphs whose original zhèng has been lost, the source-of-corruption is explained; (8) what the Jíyùn missed is supplied; (9) graphs without radical assignment are grouped by category. The Jíyùn held 53,525 graphs (with chóngwén); this book has 31,319 + 21,846 chóngyīn = 53,165, slightly fewer than the Jíyùn by 360 graphs, even with the avowed supplementation — because the Jíyùn’s chóngwén is rather promiscuous, and this book omits late-origin graphs without authority, hence the deletions exceed the additions. — The work is not as rigorously precise as the Shuōwén and Yùpiān; but graph-creation is zī 孳 (proliferation), endlessly bringing forth new forms — the original 9,000 cannot exhaust them. The Yùpiān expanded the Shuōwén; this book expands the Yùpiān; the trend with time gradually becomes a regulation, in ways one cannot resist. One cannot insist on a single rule. Respectfully edited and presented in the tenth month of Qiánlóng 45 (1780).
Abstract
The Lèipiān is the lexicographic counterpart of the Jíyùn — together they form the comprehensive Northern-Sòng imperial dictionary system of the Bǎoyuán to Zhìpíng eras. The Sìkù tíyào establishes a multi-stage editorial history: project commissioned in Bǎoyuán 2 (1039), Wáng Zhū sole compiler 1039–1057, Hú Sù 1057–1061, Fàn Zhèn 1061–1066, Sīmǎ Guāng 1066–1067 (fair-copy and submission only). The traditional attribution to Sīmǎ Guāng is therefore a misattribution; Wáng Zhū did most of the work. The 543-radical scheme adapts the Shuōwén’s 540 with three minor additions; the dictionary’s 53,165 head graphs slightly trim the Jíyùn set by removing late-origin graphs without canonical authority. Dating bracket notBefore 1039 (project commissioned) to notAfter 1067 (submission). Wilkinson §6.2.1.3 names the Lèipiān among the line of comprehensive Shuōwén-derived dictionaries that culminates in the Kāngxī zìdiǎn KR1j0048. The work transmits much medieval Chinese vocabulary and is essential alongside the Jíyùn for any study of mid-eleventh-century lexicography.
Translations and research
- Liú Yèqiū 劉葉秋. 1983. Zhōngguó zì-diǎn shǐ-lüè. Beijing: Zhonghua. — Detailed treatment of the Lèi-piān / Jí-yùn pair.
- Endymion Wilkinson. 2022. Chinese History: A New Manual, §6.2.1.3.
Other points of interest
The Lèipiān is one of the principal source-dictionaries for the Kāngxī zìdiǎn’s coverage of medieval graphs and definitions; the Sòng dictionaries contributed disproportionately to the Qing imperial work.