Zhīfēitáng gǎo 知非堂稿
The Zhī-fēi-táng (Knowing-Wrongs Hall) Drafts by 何中 (撰)
About the work
The 6-juàn remnant collection of Hé Zhōng 何中 (CBDB 35415, 1265–1332), zì Tàixū 太虛, native of Lèān 樂安 in Fǔzhōu 撫州 (Jiāngxī — the same county as Wú Chéng 吳澄 of KR4d0446). The cousin-and-relative (biǎodì) of Wú Chéng 吳澄 — and praised by him in the preface preserved in this collection as “yōuyōu shēng qīzǐ zhī táng” (vast-and-substantial rising into the Seven-Masters’ [Hàn] hall — i.e. matching the seven great Hàn-dynasty prose-masters). Hé Zhōng’s other works (per his self-preface):
- Yì lèixiàng 易類象 3 juàn
- Shūzhuàn bǔyí 書傳補遺 10 juàn (Sìkù jīngbù)
- Wú Cáilǎo Yèyùn bǔyí 吳才老叶韻補遺 1 juàn
- Liùshū gānglǐng 六書綱領 1 juàn
- Bǔ Liùshūgù 補六書故 32 juàn
- Sūqiū shùyóu lù 蘇丘述遊錄 1 juàn
- Zhīyí lù 搘頤錄 10 juàn
All except the present Zhīfēitáng gǎo are now lost. Hé’s self-preface declares 17 juàn of Zhīfēitáng gǎo and 16 juàn of wàigǎo (outer drafts); Gù Sìlì’s Yuán shī xuǎn records 17 juàn; Wáng Shìzhēn’s Jūyì lù records 16 juàn; the present base preserves only 6 juàn. The Sìkù editors note that despite the reduced extent, the principal poems cited by Gù and Wáng are all preserved — suggesting a later editor xuǎnlù (selectively-recorded) the substantive pieces, tài qí cáopò ér cún qí jīnghuá (sifting-the-husks and preserving the essence-and-flower).
Tiyao
The Zhīfēitáng gǎo, 6 juàn, by Hé Zhōng of the Yuán. [Hé] Zhōng has the Tōngjiàn gāngmù cèhǎi 3 juàn [and] Tōngshū wèn 1 juàn — both separately catalogued. According to [Hé] Zhōng’s self-preface, what [he] composed [includes] further: Yì lèixiàng 3 juàn, Shūzhuàn bǔyí 10 juàn, Wú Cáilǎo Yèyùn bǔyí 1 juàn, Liùshū gānglǐng 1 juàn, Bǔ Liùshūgù 32 juàn, Sūqiū shùyóu lù 1 juàn, Zhīyí lù 10 juàn — today all not seen. Only this collection survives.
Yet [Hé Zhōng’s] self-preface calls “Zhīfēitáng gǎo 17 juàn, wàigǎo 16 juàn”. Gù Sìlì[‘s] Yuán shī xuǎn records Zhīfēitáng gǎo [as] 17 juàn — with [Hé’s] self-preface in-accord. Wáng Shìzhēn’s Jūyì lù makes [it] 16 juàn — also [in accord] with [Hé’s] self-preface’s wàigǎo. This collection [comprises] just 6 juàn — seemingly not a complete book.
Yet what [Gù] Sìlì recorded and what [Wáng] Shìzhēn called are all already in this 6 juàn-amidst; also seem [to be] not lost. Could it be that later persons transmitting-and-copying have combined the juàn-numbers — or perhaps repeatedly-edited [it as a] selection — discarded its fánrǒng (overflowing) — therefore the piān-volumes although diminished, the famous-chapters [and] jùn (eminent) phrases [are] one-by-one all preserved?
[For] poetry-collection abundance: in Táng [there is] nothing-like Bái Jūyì; in Sòng [there is] nothing-like Lù Yóu and Yáng Wànlǐ. Yet zhūlì bìng cún (pearls and pebbles together preserved) — often making later persons consider [the] much [as] regret. This book [has] fine pieces all preserved and unflourishing-words rather few — can be called [a case of] kān zāopò ér cún jīnghuá (sifting husks-and-dregs and preserving the essence-and-flower) — even-if not a complete-base, also not necessary by [reason of] not-complete to be regretful.
Respectfully collated, fourth month of Qiánlóng 44 (1779). Chief-Compiler Officers Jì Yún 紀昀, Lù Xīxióng 陸錫熊, Sūn Shìyì 孫士毅; Chief-Collation Officer Lù Fèichí 陸費墀.
Abstract
The remnant collection of Hé Zhōng (CBDB 35415, 1265–1332), a Yuán-period Jiāngxī polymath whose major commentarial works — on the Yì, Shū, Yùnpǔ, and the Liùshū (six categories of Chinese script) — are mostly lost. Hé was the biǎodì (cousin-relation) of Wú Chéng 吳澄 (whose preface to the Zhīfēitáng gǎo, dated Zhìshùn 2 = 1331, is preserved at the head of the collection): Wú diagnoses Hé’s prose as “yōuyōu shēng qīzǐ zhī táng” (vast-and-substantial rising into the hall of the [Hàn] Seven-Masters — i.e. Sīmǎ Qiān, Bān Gù, Liú Xiàng, Yáng Xióng, Hán Yù, Liǔ Zōngyuán, Sū Shì), and as participating in the Tángsòng eight-masters’ (Hán Yù, Liǔ Zōngyuán, Ōuyáng Xiū, Zēng Gǒng, Wáng Ānshí, Èr Sū) tradition through the LǐXízhīTáng ZǐxīZhāng Wénqián line.
Original extent (per Hé’s self-preface): 17 juàn main + 16 juàn outer = 33 juàn. Surviving extent: 6 juàn. The Sìkù editors specifically commend the editorial tài cáopò ér cún jīnghuá (sift-husks and preserve essence) outcome — the surviving 6 juàn contains all the principal poems cited by Gù Sìlì (in the Yuán shī xuǎn) and Wáng Shìzhēn (in the Jūyì lù).
Hé’s other surviving work in the Sìkù: Tōngjiàn gāngmù cèhǎi 通鑑綱目測海 (3 juàn) and Tōngshū wèn 通書問 (1 juàn). Composition window: from Hé’s adult literary activity (after c. 1290) through his death in 1332. The Wú Chéng preface dates to Zhìshùn 2 (1331), one year before Hé’s death.
Translations and research
- Yuán-shǐ lacks a biography of Hé Zhōng. Principal source: Hé’s self-preface and Wú Chéng’s preface.
- Standard Yuán-Jiāng-xī scholarly references.
Other points of interest
Wú Chéng’s preface — preserved at the head of the Zhīfēitáng gǎo — places Hé Zhōng in the HànSòng eight-masters prose-tradition, naming Lǐ Áo, Táng Gēng (Zǐxī), Zhāng Lěi (Wénqián) as figures who studied with HánSū but did not reach the yī (one-with) achievement. Wú evaluates Hé as having “reached” the Hàn-master level — a remarkable late-life endorsement (the preface was composed one year before Hé’s death) from the major Yuán Confucian patriarch.
Links
- WYG SKQS V1205.5, p523.
- CBDB person 35415 (Hé Zhōng)