Mingshizong 明詩綜

Mingshizong 明詩綜 is an anthology of regular shi 詩-style poems from the Ming period 明 (1368-1644). The book of 100 juan length was compiled by Zhu Yizun 朱彝尊 (1629-1709), who was a famous member of the Classicist School (kaoguxue 考古學) and an expert of ancient literature. As a shi-style poet, Zhu had a name as one of the "two great masters of the north and the south" (Nanbei liang da zong 南北兩大宗), the other one being Wang Shizhen 王士禎 (1634-1711). As a poet in the style of lyric-metre poesy (ci 詞), he was seen as a counterpart of Chen Weisong 陳維崧 (1626-1682), forming the couple Zhu-Chen 朱陳. Zhu is also famous for his essay-style (biji 筆記) book Rixia jiuwen 日下舊聞 and the poetry collection Cizong 詞綜.

Zhu's collection had the intention to rectify errors in circulating publications of Ming-period poetry with their "apocryphal sounds" (chengui zhi yin 讖詭之音), "sombre tendencies" (youleng zhi qu 幽冷之趣) and "inharmonious emotions" (zhongqing zhi fu xie 眾情之弗協).

The book features the works of over 3,400 writers throughout the entire Ming period. However, Zhu contends that some mediocre poems were included simply because the author had a good reputation, while other excellent poems were written by otherwise unknown individuals. The first fascicle contains poems written by emperors, princes, and consorts. The main section (2.-82.) presents poems by "normal" people and is arranged in chronological order.

The last fifth of the compilation includes secular and religious court music (Yuezhang 樂章, Gongyi 宮掖, Huangzong 宗潢), women's poetry (Guimen 閨門), eunuchs (Zhongjuan 中涓), local officials (Waichen 外臣), Daoist priests (Yushi 羽士), Buddhist monks (Shizi 釋子), Daoist nuns (Nüguan 女冠), local chieftains (Tusi 土司), foreigners from vassal states (Shuguo 屬國), as well as anonymous poems (Wumingzi 無名子), private persons (Zaliu 雜流), sing-song girls (Jinü 妓女), and "numinous" persons (Shengui 神鬼). The last two fascicles (99.-100.) includes popular songs (yange 諺歌, minyao 民謠).

Zhu Yizun made use of no less than 282 sources, critically revised their works, added brief biographies (xiaozhuan 小傳), and critical information (shihua 詩話) on the literary standing of each known author. The reader or user can thus learn from the historical background of selected works of Ming-period poetry, for instance, the conflicts between court factions, or the prominence of Ming loyalists or "martyrs" (xunjie 殉節) during the Manchu conquest of China. The collection also gives evidence of the replacement of the intricate ministerial style of poems (taigeti 臺閣體) by the more straightforward style of the School of Chaling (Chaling shipai 茶陵詩派) and then the Earlier and the Later Seven Masters (Qian-hou qizi 前後七子) who tried to imitate the grandeur of Tang-period 唐 (618-907) poetry. These were in turn overshadowed by the Gong'an School 公安派 and the Jingling School 竟陵派, who tried to search "character and spirit" (xingling 性靈) in old-style poetry.

The critical remarks are derived from Zhu’s own texts Jingzhiju shihua 靜志居詩話 that is attached to the end of the the book.

The book was first printed in 1705 in Bailianjing 白蓮涇. Another edition is that of the Liufeng Hall 六峰閣 from the Qianlong reign-period 乾隆 (1736-1795). It is included in the series Siku quanshu 四庫全書.