Huang-Ming zhishu 皇明制書

Huang-Ming zhishu 皇明制書 "The system of the August Ming" is a series containing various sources ("imperial decrees") on law, regulations and jurisdiction of the Ming dynasty 明 (1368-1644). There exist several editions of this collection, the most complete versions are the so-called edition of Daming Prefecture (Daming fu ben 大名府本) from 1579, edited by Zhang Lu 張鹵, and the edition of Dantu District of Zhenjiang (Prefecture) (Zhenjiang Dantu xian ben 鎮江丹徒縣本) from 1613, edited by Kang Yingqian 康應乾.

The Daming edition contains regulations of the Hongwu reign-period 洪武 (1368-1396), the reign of the founder of the Ming dynasty, Ming Taizu 明太祖 (r. 1368-1398). Apart form detailed regulations for the state offices it contains jurisdicional material and proclamations by the emperor, but also instructions on behaviour addressed to the people and future generations. The Zhenjiang edition contains only nine of the 14 books from the Hongwu reign-period of the Daming edition but instead adds various precedents (tiaoli 條例) of later reign-periods (Xuande 宣德 1426-1435, Zhengtong 正統 1436-1449, Hongzhi 弘治 1488-1505).

Except these two main editions there are nine other less important versions, all published during the Ming period.