This site requires Javascript to be turned on. Please enable Javascript and reload the page.

Eastern Culture Nucleus: Chinese Rare Books in the USC Libraries

Catalogue of Xiqing Antiquities 西清古鑑 (1888)

Catalogue of Xiqing Antiquities 西清古鑑 is an illustrated catalogue of ancient bronze utensils and other objects from the Shang (1600-1046 BCE) to Han (206 BCE-220 AD) dynasties in the imperial collection of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). It was commissioned by the Qianlong 乾隆 emperor (1711-1799), compiled under the supervision of the Qing official and scholar Liang Shizheng 梁詩正 (1697-1763), and completed in 1751. Appended to the book is a sixteen-volume record of coins 錢錄 from the ancient times to the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The structure of the book follows Xuanhe Bo gu tu 宣和博古圖 (Illustrated Catalogue of Antique Objects from the Xuanhe Hall) of the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127). Each entry contains an illustration, a detailed description of the dimension and weight, and a discussion of the inscriptions. USC copy is an exquisite, large copper-plate facsimile of the woodblock palace edition, and it was printed in Japan in 1888. The original printer’s colophon is missing from the copy, which reads 光緖十四年邁宋書館在日本銅鐫 (Engraved on the copper plate by Maisong Shuguan in the fourteenth year of Guangxu reign [1888]). The ex libris seal 陶齋 is from Duanfang 端方 (1861-1911; literary name 號 Taozhai 陶齋), a late Qing Manchu official who was also a well-known collector of antiques.
Date/edition: 1888 | 清光緒十四年邁宋書館日本銅版影印本.

This page has paths:

Contents of this path:
1. Records of Collected Antiquities from Xiaotang 嘯堂集古錄 (1811) This catalogue of antiquities was originally compiled by Wang Qiu 王俅 (active 1176) during the Southern Song dynasty. It contains inscriptions of bronze objects, mirrors and seals from the Shang (1600-1046 BCE) to Tang (618-907) dynasties. USC copy is a revised edition 校本 by Zhang Rongjing 張蓉鏡 (active 19th century) who also added two volumes of Kaoyi 考異 (Investigation of Discrepancies) to the catalgue. The ex libris seal 南陵徐乃昌校勘經籍記 on the first page of the book is from Xu Naichang 徐乃昌 (1869-1943), a famous connoisseur in the late Qing and Republican periods. The other ex libris seal here is from Zhou Guoyi 周國頤, a late Qing official and scholar.
  Donated by Dr. Peter Marie Suski. Colophon date: 1811. Edition: 清嘉慶十七年鴛湖張氏醉經堂刻本.
2. Facsimile of Fragment of the Original Jade Chapters 影舊鈔卷子原本玉篇零卷 (1884) Jade Chapters 玉篇 is a dictionary of characters compiled in 543 by Gu Yewang 顧野王 (519–581) during the Liang dynasty (502–557). It follows the Shuowen jiezi 說文解字 (Explaining single-component Graphs and Analyzing compound Characters) tradition to arrange Chinese characters by radicals 部首. The original version of Jade Chapters was hand-copied during the Tang dynasty (618-907), but only a fragment is preserved and kept in Japan. Printed on traditional Japanese kozo paper, USC copy is an exquisite facsimile edition of the Yan 言 radical section from the surviving fragment of the Tang manuscript. It was published by the diplomat Li Shuchang 黎庶昌 (1837-1897) while he served as Consul in Tokyo from 1881 to 1890.
  Donated by Dr. Peter Marie Suski. Date/edition: 1884 (Tenth year of the Guangxu reign 光緒十年) | 古逸叢書本.
3. The Classic of Filial Piety in Great Seal Script 孝經: 用大篆字體書寫 (1885) The Classic of Filial Piety 孝經 is a Confucian classic focusing on the concept of filiality and its importance to family, community, morals and politics. It has far-reaching impacts on family and social relationships in China. USC copy was printed in great seal script 大篆體 around 1885 and is a first impression 初印本. It is argubly a unique eidtion of The Classic of Filial Piety, as it is not included in Zhongguo guji zong mu 中國古籍總目 (Beijing: Zhong hua shu ju, 2009-2013).
  Donated by Dr. Peter Marie Suski. Preface date: 1885 (Eleventh year of the Guangxu reign 光緒十一年). Edition: 清末刻本.
4. Catalogue of Xiqing Antiquities 西清古鑑 (1888) Catalogue of Xiqing Antiquities 西清古鑑 is an illustrated catalogue of ancient bronze utensils and other objects from the Shang (1600-1046 BCE) to Han (206 BCE-220 AD) dynasties in the imperial collection of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). It was commissioned by the Qianlong 乾隆 emperor (1711-1799), compiled under the supervision of the Qing official and scholar Liang Shizheng 梁詩正 (1697-1763), and completed in 1751. Appended to the book is a sixteen-volume record of coins 錢錄 from the ancient times to the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The structure of the book follows Xuanhe Bo gu tu 宣和博古圖 (Illustrated Catalogue of Antique Objects from the Xuanhe Hall) of the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127). Each entry contains an illustration, a detailed description of the dimension and weight, and a discussion of the inscriptions. USC copy is an exquisite, large copper-plate facsimile of the woodblock palace edition, and it was printed in Japan in 1888. The original printer’s colophon is missing from the copy, which reads 光緖十四年邁宋書館在日本銅鐫 (Engraved on the copper plate by Maisong Shuguan in the fourteenth year of Guangxu reign [1888]). The ex libris seal 陶齋 is from Duanfang 端方 (1861-1911; literary name 號 Taozhai 陶齋), a late Qing Manchu official who was also a well-known collector of antiques.
  Date/edition: 1888 | 清光緒十四年邁宋書館日本銅版影印本.
5. West Lake Couplets 西湖楹聯 (1889) This four-volume set, published during the late Qing dynasty, is a rare historical travel guide to the West Lake in Hangzhou 杭州, China. It records the couplets of Qing emperors, officials and scholars in the temporary imperial palaces, historical sites, temples, academies, tombs and other places around the West Lake. At the end of the fourth volume, there are four itineraries of the West Lake and tide tables of the Qiantang 錢塘 River in the Qing dynasty, which are valuable sources for the study of the historical landscape and development of the West Lake and the surrounding areas. The cover page of the first volume includes the book price (si jiao 四角) and an ex libris seal from the collector Wu Yinsun 吳引孫 (1848-1917).
  Cover date: 1889 (Jichou year of the Guangxu reign 光緒己丑).
Contents of this path:
1. Catalogue of Bronze and Stone Inscriptions 金石錄 (1650) This multi-volume catalogue of bronze and stone inscriptions was originally compiled by Zhao Mingcheng 趙明誠 (1081-1129), a noted antiquarian and husband of the greatest woman poet Li Qingzhao 李清照 (1084-ca. 1155) of the Song dynasty. The ex libirs seals on this contents page are from the donor Dr. Chow Tse-Tsung 周策縱 (1916-2007), a world-famous scholar on the May Fourth Movement and The Dream of the Red Chamber 紅樓夢; and Wu Chongxi 吳重憙 (1838-after 1911; literary name 號 Shilian 石蓮), a politian, connoisseur of epigraphy 金石 and collector of the late Qing and Republican periods.
  Donated by Dr. Chow Tse-Tsung. Date/edition: 1650 | 清順治七年謝世箕刻本.
2. Record of Bronze and Stone Inscriptions 金石文字記 (1662-1708) This is a pioneer study of around 300 inscriptions on the bronze vessels and steles from ancient times to the Ming dynasty authored by Gu Yanwu 顧炎武 (1613 – 1682). Gu was a renowned patriot, philosopher and philologist in the late Ming and eary Qing periods and was considered as the founder of School of Han Learning 漢學派. The ex libris seal 東園藏書 on the first page of this book is from Liu Kun 劉焜 (1867-1931), a politician, scholar and collector in the late Qing and Republican periods.
  Donated by Dr. Peter Marie Suski. Date/Edition: 1662-1708 | Kangxi 康熙 reign.
3. The Yizheng House Revised Illustrated Catalogue of Antique Objects from the Xuanhe Hall 亦政堂重修宣和博古圖錄 (1752) Xuanhe Bo gu tu 宣和博古圖 (Illustrated Catalogue of Antique Objects from the Xuanhe Hall), completed towards the end of the Xuanhe 宣和 era ( 1119-1125) of the Northern Song dynasty, includes over 800 bronze objects from the imperial Xuanhe Hall 宣和殿. This revised edition was printed by Huang Sheng 黃晟 (courtesy name 字 Xiaofeng 曉峰; house name 室名 Yizheng tang 亦政堂 ), a book collector and publisher during the Qianlong 乾隆 reign (1736-1795) of the Qing dynasty.
  Donated by Dr. Peter Marie Suski. Date/edition: 1752 | 明萬曆刻清乾隆壬申亦政堂重修本.
4. Three Examples of Epigraphy 金石三例 (1755) This book consists of three epigraphic studies from the Yuan to early Qing periods, namely Examples of Bronze and Stone Inscriptions 金石例 compiled by the Yuan official and geographer Pan Angxiao 潘昂霄 (active 1246-1340; literary name 號 Cangya 蒼崖), Select Examples of Epitaphs 墓銘舉例 compiled by the Ming scholar Wang Xing 王行 (1331-1395; courtesy name 字 Zhizhong 止仲), and Essential Examples of Bronze and Stone Inscriptions 金石要例 compiled by the prominent early Qing intellectual Huang Zongxi 黃宗羲 (1610-1695; literary name 號 Lizhou 梨洲). Examples of Bronze and Stone Inscriptions is the first in-depth research on the literary styles of stele inscriptions 碑文 in China. Huang Zongxi is one of the most influential scholars, Confucian philosophers and political activists druing the Ming-Qing transition period.
  Donated by Dr. Peter Marie Suski. Cover date: 1755 (Yihai year of the Qianlong reign 乾隆乙亥).
5. Illustrated Catalogue of Ancient Jades 古玉圖譜 (1779) This voluminous book was purportedly claimed to be a catalogue of jades from the imperial collection of Emperor Xiaozong 孝宗 (1127-1194) of the Southern Song dynasty, but it is considered by scholars as a forgery which was published by Jiang Chun 江春 in 1779. Although this multi-volume set contains some incorrect information, it includes a detailed description for each object and thus is still regarded as a useful reference book for the study of Chinese jades.
  Donated by Dr. Peter Marie Suski. Date/edition: 1779 | 清乾隆四十四年江春康山草堂刻本.
6. Records of Collected Antiquities from Xiaotang 嘯堂集古錄 (1811) This catalogue of antiquities was originally compiled by Wang Qiu 王俅 (active 1176) during the Southern Song dynasty. It contains inscriptions of bronze objects, mirrors and seals from the Shang (1600-1046 BCE) to Tang (618-907) dynasties. USC copy is a revised edition 校本 by Zhang Rongjing 張蓉鏡 (active 19th century) who also added two volumes of Kaoyi 考異 (Investigation of Discrepancies) to the catalgue. The ex libris seal 南陵徐乃昌校勘經籍記 on the first page of the book is from Xu Naichang 徐乃昌 (1869-1943), a famous connoisseur in the late Qing and Republican periods. The other ex libris seal here is from Zhou Guoyi 周國頤, a late Qing official and scholar.
  Donated by Dr. Peter Marie Suski. Colophon date: 1811. Edition: 清嘉慶十七年鴛湖張氏醉經堂刻本.
7. Catalogue of Xiqing Antiquities 西清古鑑 (1888) Catalogue of Xiqing Antiquities 西清古鑑 is an illustrated catalogue of ancient bronze utensils and other objects from the Shang (1600-1046 BCE) to Han (206 BCE-220 AD) dynasties in the imperial collection of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). It was commissioned by the Qianlong 乾隆 emperor (1711-1799), compiled under the supervision of the Qing official and scholar Liang Shizheng 梁詩正 (1697-1763), and completed in 1751. Appended to the book is a sixteen-volume record of coins 錢錄 from the ancient times to the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The structure of the book follows Xuanhe Bo gu tu 宣和博古圖 (Illustrated Catalogue of Antique Objects from the Xuanhe Hall) of the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127). Each entry contains an illustration, a detailed description of the dimension and weight, and a discussion of the inscriptions. USC copy is an exquisite, large copper-plate facsimile of the woodblock palace edition, and it was printed in Japan in 1888. The original printer’s colophon is missing from the copy, which reads 光緖十四年邁宋書館在日本銅鐫 (Engraved on the copper plate by Maisong Shuguan in the fourteenth year of Guangxu reign [1888]). The ex libris seal 陶齋 is from Duanfang 端方 (1861-1911; literary name 號 Taozhai 陶齋), a late Qing Manchu official who was also a well-known collector of antiques.
  Date/edition: 1888 | 清光緒十四年邁宋書館日本銅版影印本.

This page is referenced by:

Copper Plate 銅版印刷 Catalogue of Xiqing Antiquities 西清古鑑 is an illustrated catalogue of ancient bronze utensils and other objects from the Shang (1600-1046 BCE) to Han (206 BCE-220 AD) dynasties in the imperial collection of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). It was commissioned by the Qianlong 乾隆 emperor (1711-1799), compiled under the supervision of the Qing official and scholar Liang Shizheng 梁詩正 (1697-1763), and completed in 1751. Appended to the book is a sixteen-volume record of coins 錢錄 from the ancient times to the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The structure of the book follows Xuanhe Bo gu tu 宣和博古圖 (Illustrated Catalogue of Antique Objects from the Xuanhe Hall) of the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127). Each entry contains an illustration, a detailed description of the dimension and weight, and a discussion of the inscriptions. USC copy is an exquisite, large copper-plate facsimile of the woodblock palace edition, and it was printed in Japan in 1888. The original printer’s colophon is missing from the copy, which reads 光緖十四年邁宋書館在日本銅鐫 (Engraved on the copper plate by Maisong Shuguan in the fourteenth year of Guangxu reign [1888]). The ex libris seal 陶齋 is from Duanfang 端方 (1861-1911; literary name 號 Taozhai 陶齋), a late Qing Manchu official who was also a well-known collector of antiques.