Wànshì Shíjīng kǎo 萬氏石經考
Mr. Wàn’s Investigation of the Stone Classics
by 萬斯同 (Wàn Sītóng, 1638–1702)
About the work
A 2-juan extension of Gù Yánwǔ’s Shíjīng kǎo KR2n0038 by Wàn Sītóng — the great early-Qing historian and Pán Lěi’s contemporary in the Boxue hongci generation. Wàn takes Gù’s evidential framework as starting point and adds material from Wú Rènchén 吳任臣, Xí Yì 席益, Fàn Chéngdà 范成大, Wú Yǎn 吾衍, and Dǒng Yóu 董逌, plus references to Gù’s own Jīnshí wénzì jì KR2n0037. Wàn also introduces his own occasional comments. The Sìkù editors compare it favourably with Gù’s original — “more comprehensive than Gù’s, though less detailed in adjudication than Háng Shìjùn’s Shíjīng kǎoyì KR2n0047”. The distinctive contribution is Wàn’s coverage of the Tang and Sòng stone classics, which Gù treated more cursorily. Wàn’s work was already in circulation before Háng Shìjùn’s Kǎoyì (Háng never saw Wàn’s text). The complete Qing stone-classics scholarship therefore requires reading all three works: Gù (HànWèi focused), Wàn (Tang-Sòng emphasis), Háng (most extensive critical apparatus).
Tiyao
[Translated and condensed from the Sìkù tíyào]
Compiled by Wàn Sītóng of the present (Qing) dynasty. Sītóng is also the author of Shēngyùn yuánliú kǎo 聲韻源流考 (already catalogued).
The stone classics’ transmissional history is in dispute since Tang-Sòng. Kūnshān Gù Yánwǔ first gathered the various views into a Shíjīng kǎo — original-establishing labour. Sītóng’s compilation takes Gù’s work fully, adding Wú Rènchén, Xí Yì, Fàn Chéngdà, Wú Yǎn, Dǒng Yóu, and others, and further references to Gù’s Jīnshí wénzì jì; he also adds his own opinions. Although less comprehensively adjudicative than Háng Shìjùn’s Shíjīng kǎoyì, it is more comprehensive than Gù’s Kǎo.
Further: Gù’s coverage was detailed on HànWèi but light on Tang-Sòng. Sītóng goes into Tang and Sòng stone classics with detailed evidence. Sītóng was active before Háng; but Háng when making the Kǎoyì did not see Sītóng’s work. So what Sītóng covers, Háng’s Kǎoyì sometimes did not address. Combining all three works — Gù, Wàn, Háng — collated and cross-referenced, makes the field complete; we should not abandon any.
Abstract
The Wànshì Shíjīng kǎo is the second of the three foundational Qing stone-classics monographs and the pivotal work between Gù Yánwǔ’s pioneering 1-juan Shíjīng kǎo KR2n0038 and Háng Shìjùn’s comprehensive Shíjīng kǎoyì KR2n0047. The catalog meta dates 1638–1702 are Wàn Sītóng’s lifespan; the work is from his post-1670 productive period in the Míngshǐ compilation context, set notBefore 1670 / notAfter 1702 here.
The work’s contributions:
- Tang-Sòng coverage. Where Gù focused on HànWèi, Wàn extends comprehensive evidential treatment to the Tang Kāiyuán, HòuShǔ, and Sòng (Tianlì, Gāozōng) stone-classic cuttings.
- Synthesis of YuánMíng commentators. Wàn integrates the views of Wú Rènchén, Xí Yì, Fàn Chéngdà, Wú Yǎn, and Dǒng Yóu into a single critical apparatus.
- Independent transmission to Háng Shìjùn. Háng never saw Wàn’s text, so Wàn’s contributions are independent of (and complementary to) Háng’s later Kǎoyì.
CBDB 34178 confirms Wàn Sītóng 1638–1702.
Translations and research
No English translation. Studies:
- Hummel (ed.), Eminent Chinese of the Ch’ing Period, s.v. “Wan Ssu-t’ung”.
- Endymion Wilkinson, Chinese History: A New Manual, on Qing stone-classics.
- Tsuen-Hsuin Tsien, Written on Bamboo and Silk, on Chinese stone-classics.
Other points of interest
Wàn Sītóng’s Shíjīng kǎo is one of his less famous works (his major contribution being the foundation of the Míngshǐ Yìwénzhì and the Lìdài shǐbiǎo 歷代史表), but it represents his investment in the early-Qing evidential program — taking Gù Yánwǔ’s framework and extending it.
Links
- Wikipedia: https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/萬斯同
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q15914175