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Jinshilu 金石錄 and supplements

Mar 18, 2012 © Ulrich Theobald

Jinshilu 金石錄 "Bronze and stone inscriptions" is a catalogue of bronze and stone slab inscriptions compiled by the Song-period 宋 (960-1279) collector Zhao Mingcheng 趙明誠 (1081-1129), courtesy name Defu 德甫 (also written 德父), from Zhucheng 諸城 (today in Shandong). Zhao was famous for his zeal in collecting each and every antique object and specialized on calligraphies and bronze vessels from the so-called Three Dynasties (sandai 三代, i.e. the Xia 夏, 17th-15th cent. BCE, Shang 商, 17th-11th cent. BCE, and Western Zhou 西周 (11th cent.-770 BCE).

Particularly noteworthy is that his wife Li Qingzhao 李清照 (1084-1155), a famous poetress, shared his interest in antiques and took part in his catalogisation and analysis. They bought a large house in Qingzhou 青州 where their collection could be stored and exhibited. Unfortunately the collection was destroyed when the Jurchens, founders of the Jin dynasty 金 (1115-1234), conquered northern China. Yet the couple was able to flee and took with them 20,000 juan of calligraphic copies and 2,000 juan of rubbings from bronze and stone inscriptions. This collection of rubbings served for the compilations of the 30 juan-long catalogue Jinshilu.

It includes inscriptions from highest antiquity to the Five Dynasties period 五代 (907-960) and presents an impressive representations of inscriptions on all types of bronze vessels. Zhao Mingcheng wrote a commentary to each inscription, bringing it into a correct modern type of writings, and interpreted the meaning of it. The first 10 juan of the Jinshilu are a kind of table, in which all objects are listed and shortly annotated, in the case of stone inscriptions, the name of the author or calligrapher is provided. The rest of the book is a selection of 502 important objects that are described in detail (Bawei 跋尾).

The structure of the Jinshilu is similar to Ouyang Xiu's 歐陽修 (1007-1072) Jigulu 集古錄. Some inscriptions are even the same, like that of the kettle of Earl Mao (Mao Bo dun ming 毛伯敦銘). After the death of Zhao Mingcheng, his wife finished the book and wrote a postface. The Jinshilu is a very important collection preserving the inscriptions of a lof of ancient bronze vessels that have long since vanished. Both bronze and stone inscriptions are valuable sources to support other historiographical writings, sometimes correcting errors in official histories. The inscriptions listed and explained in the Jinshilu are three times as much as in the Jigulu and even much more than the Lü Dalin's 呂大臨 (1044-1091) famous Kaogutu 考古圖.

Figure 1. Two entries of the Jinshilu 金石錄
Description of the inscription on a bell from the state of Chu (Chu zhong ming 楚鐘銘) and of the kettle of Earl Mao (Mao Bo dun ming 毛伯敦銘). The word "to the right" (you 右) indicates that the original version of Zhao's book also included rubbings of the texts, written in ancient seal script. Ouyang Xiu added the original inscription in

The oldest print of the book does not include the postface. There are two prints from the Song period surviving, one produced by the Longshujun Studio 龍舒郡齋, and a fragment of 10 juan printed or owned by Zhao Bujian 趙不謭.

During the Ming 明 (1368-1644) and Qing 清 (1644-1911) periods, the Jinshilu was only in circulation in the shape of a manuscript and facsimiles of the Song print. There were several editions that differed slightly from each other.

The afterword (Houxu 後序) of the Jinshilu was compiled by Li Qingzhao. It is often treated as a separate writing (Jinshilu houxu 金石錄後序).

The Jinshilu is included in the series Siku quanshu 四庫全書, Yueyatang congshu 粵雅堂叢書, Sanchangwuzhai congshu 三長物齋叢書, Xingsucaotang congshu 行素草堂叢書 and Guyi congshu sanbian 古逸叢書三編. A critical edition was published by Miao Quansun 繆荃孫 (1844-1919) during the Republican period.

A book with the same title was compiled by Zeng Gong 曾鞏 (1019-1083). This book had originally a length of no less than 500 juan, but only 14 colophones (bawei 跋尾) are preserved, found in Zeng's collected writings Zeng Gong quanji 曾鞏全集, ch. 50.

Sources:
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Chen Zumei 陳祖美 (2002). "Jinshilu houxu 金石錄後序", in Huang Yuezhou 黃岳洲, Mao Zongxiang 茅宗祥, ed. Zhongguo gudai wenxue mingpian jianshang cidian 中國古代文學名篇鑒賞辭典, Vol. Song-Jin-Yuan wenxue 宋金元文學卷 (Beijing: Hanyu da cidian chubanshe), 407.
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Ji Shuying 冀叔英 (1961). "Tan Zhaomingcheng Jinshilu de banben wenti 談趙明誠金石錄的版本問題", Wenwu 文物, 1961 (4).
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Li Caifu 李財富, Zhang Bei 張蓓 (2014). "Lun Zhao Mingcheng Jinshilu ji qi dang’an shiliao sixiang 論趙明誠《金石錄》及其檔案史料思想", Dang'anxue yanjiu 檔案學研究, 2014 (4).
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Li Weiru 李葦茹 (1992). "Li Qingzhao yu Jinshilu 李清照與《金石錄》", Beifang wenwu 北方文物, 1992 (7).
Liu Yuling 劉玉玲 (2010). "Jinshi zhi dong Hu, wenyuan zhi Chunqiu: Jinshixue de chancheng ji qi Jinshilu xueshu jiazhi shuping “金石之董狐,文苑之春秋”——金石學的產生及其《金石錄》學術價值述評", Anhui wenxeu (xiabanyue) 安徽文學(下半月) , 2010 (2).
Liu Zhen 劉鎮 (2016). "Zhao Mingcheng, Li Qingzhao fufu cangshu kaolun: Yi Jinshilu ji Jinshilu houxu wie yanjiu fanwei 趙明誠、李清照夫婦藏書考論——以《金石錄》及《金石錄後序》爲研究範圍", Wenyi shanghuo (Yishu Zhongguo) 文藝生活(藝術中國), 2016 (5).
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Tang Guirong 唐貴榮, ed. (1997). Zhongguo shumu jiansuo cidian 中國書目檢索辭典 (Zhengzhou: Zhongzhou guji chubanshe), 414.
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Xiao Ke 肖可 (2010). "Lun Li Qingzhao Jinshilu houxu de wenxian jiazhi 論李清照《金石錄後序》的文獻價值", Chuanqi, chuanji wenxue xuankan (Lilun yanjiu) 傳奇•傳記文學選刊(理論研究), 2010 (6).
Yu Jinfang 喻進芳 (2016). "Zeng Gong Jinshilu bianzhuan sixiang shulüe 曾鞏《金石錄》編撰思想述略", Jiang-Han Daxue xuebao (Shehui kexue ban) 江漢大學學報(社會科學版), 2016 (3).
Yu Minhui 余敏輝 (2006). "Songdai jinshixue de shuangbi: Jigulu, Jinshilu bijiao lun 宋代金石學的雙璧——《集古錄》、《金石錄》比較論", Xuzhou Shifan Daxue xuebao 徐州師範大學學報, 2006 (1).
Zhang Xiying 張錫瑛 (1997). "Jinshilu 金石錄", in Men Kui 門巋, Zheng Yanqin 張燕瑾, ed. Zhonghua guocui da cidian 中華國粹大辭典 (Xianggang: Guoji wenhua chuban gongsi), 784.
Zhao Qiping 趙齊平 (1987). "Li Qingzhao yu Zhao Mingcheng ji Jinshilu 李清照與趙明誠及《金石錄》", Beijing Daxue xuebao (Zhexue shehui kexue ban) 北京大學學報(哲學社會科學版), 1987 (10).

Xu jinshilu 續金石錄

Xu Jinshilu 續金石錄 is a commented catalogue of bronze and stone slab inscriptions compiled by the Qing-period 清 (1644-1911) scholar Ye Wan 葉萬 and commented by Wang Shihong 汪士鋐 (1658-1723), courtesy name Wensheng 文升, style Tuigu 退谷 or Qiuquan 秋泉, He Zhuo 何焯 (1661-1722), and Gu Youdian 顧有典.

It is a loose supplement to Zhao Mingcheng's 趙明誠 (1081-1129) Jinshilu 金石錄 from the Song period 宋 (960-1279), but follows the concept of Hong Kuo's 洪适 (1117-1184) Lishi 隸釋 in reconstructing fragmentary texts and commenting on the graphic appearance of the inscription. Is also adds missing information to the collection Jinxie linlang 金薤琳瑯, compiled by Du Mu 都穆 (1459-1525) during the Ming period 明 (1368-1644).

Yet the whole arrangement of the Xu jinshilu is quite confuse and not chronologically or typologically well done. It even includes commentaries of the calligrapher Lou Jian 婁堅 (1567-1631) and inscriptions of hand mirrors and seals.

Source:
Li Xueqin 李學勤, Lü Wenyu 呂文鬰, ed. (1996). Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典 (Changchun: Jilin daxue chubanshe), Vol. 1, 1485.

Jinshilu bu 金石錄補

Jinshilu bu 金石錄補 is a commented catalogue of bronze and stone slab inscriptions compiled by the Qing-period 清 (1644-1911) scholar Ye Yibao 葉奕苞 (1629-1686), also written Yibao 弈包, courtesy name Jiulai 九來. It is a supplement to Zhao Mingcheng's 趙明誠 (1081-1129) Jinshilu 金石錄 from the Song period 宋 (960-1279).

The 27 juan-long book includes 440 rubbings of inscriptions from ancient bronze vessels and tomb inscriptions. Apart from the main catalogue (Bawei 跋尾), there is also a chapter on extraordinary items (Jiyi 集異), one on doubtful objects (Chuanyi 傳疑), and a chapter with miscellaneous notes (Zaji 雜記). The Jinshilu bu is preserved in the series Shewen xijiu 涉聞梓舊 and Xingsucaotang jinshi congshu 行素草堂金石叢書.

Ye Yibao also wrote a brief commentary called Jinshi xiaozhen which is included in the series Zhaodai congshu 昭代叢書.

Source:
Bian Xiaoxuan 卞孝萱 (2003). "Jinshilu bu 金石錄補", in Bian Xiaoxuan 卞孝萱, ed. Tangdai xeuxue baike cidian 唐代文學百科辭典 (Beijing: Hanyu da cidian chubanshe), 1130.
Li Xueqin 李學勤, Lü Wenyu 呂文鬰, ed. (1996). Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典 (Changchun: Jilin daxue chubanshe), Vol. 1, 1485.

Jinshilu bu xuba 金石錄補續跋

Jinshilu bu xuba 金石錄補續跋 is a commented catalogue of bronze and stone slab inscriptions compiled by the Qing-period 清 (1644-1911) scholar Ye Yibao 葉奕苞 (1660-1730). It is a supplement to his own book Jinshilu bu 金石錄補. The Xuba has a length of 7 juan and includes the descriptions of 132 bronze and stone inscriptions, some of which are also part of Wang Chang's 王昶 (1724-1806) Jinshi cuibian 金石萃編. It records some very interesting inscriptions, like the Han xianren Tang Jun bei 漢仙人唐君碑 that is quoted in the book Shuijing 水經. The existence of original rubbings help amending errors in transmitted book, like the place name Xuxiang 壻鄉 in the Shuijing that must be read Zhixiang 智鄉.

The Jinshilu bu xuba is included in the series Xingsucaotang congshu 行素草堂叢書 and Jiang Guangxu's 蔣光煦 (1813-1860) Yicun congshu 佚存叢書.

Source:
Li Xueqin 李學勤, Lü Wenyu 呂文鬰, ed. (1996). Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典 (Changchun: Jilin daxue chubanshe), Vol. 1, 1485.

Jinshi xulu 金石續錄

Jinshi xulu 金石續錄 is a book on bronze and stone inscriptions compiled during the early Qing period 清 (1644-1911) by Liu Qingli 劉青藜 (1664-1709), courtesy name Taiyi 太乙 or Wolu 臥廬, style Xiaoyue 嘯月. The book of 4 juan length is seen as a supplement of Zhao Mingcheng's 趙明誠 (1081-1129) Jinshilu 金石錄 by contributing information of Liu's own collection.

It was finished by his son Liu Bo'an 劉伯安, with a preface written by Liu Qingzhen 劉青震, the author's younger brother. There are no extraordinary inscriptions contained and no scholarly comments are provided, for which reason the book is, even if mentioned in the catalogue Siku quanshu zongmu tiyao 四庫全書總目提要 (Cunmu 存目 section), not included in the imperial series Siku quanshu 四庫全書.

Sources:
Li Xueqin 李學勤, Lü Wenyu 呂文鬰, ed. (1996). Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典 (Changchun: Jilin daxue chubanshe), Vol. 1, 1486.
Tang Guirong 唐貴榮, ed. (1997). Zongguo shumu jiansuo cidian 中國書目檢索辭典 (Zhengzhou: Zhongzhou guji chubanshe), 414.