| Abstract |
The manuscript collection of the National Palace Museum includes a substantial number of manuscripts published by the State Historiography Institute of the Qing dynasty, among which is one of three extant versions of the Rulin Zhuan. Although this version of 32 fascicles is relatively complete, it has hitherto received little attention from researchers. By collating the text with related manuscripts and historical materials, this paper shows that the Rulin Zhuan is based on a manuscript completed by Miu Quansun in 1889. Miu’s manuscript was later supplemented with biographical information supplied by other scholars of the State Historiography Institute, including Ye Changchi and Yun Yuding, and it was published in 1906 as the Rulin Zhuan. The history of this manuscript reveals the workings of the State Historiography Institute during the Guangxu period; how the State Historiography Institute of the Guangxu period differed from that of the High Qing; how the external academic and political environment influenced the compilation and editing of historical works; and how during the process of editing and redaction the State Historiography Institute dealt with various problems that arose, such as those relating to style and new branches of learning. The body of this paper consists of three parts: a discussion of the compilation and editing of the Rulin Zhuan during the early years of the Guangxu Emperor's reign; a detailed description and paleographic history of the Rulin Zhuan in 32 fascicles; and a discussion of the unique features of the Rulin Zhuan and its development during the Jiaqing and early Guangxu periods of the Qing dynasty. |
