Shi jing ming wu ji 詩經名物記 [Record of the Names of Things in the "Poetry Classic"]

Printed by lead movable type. 46; 47 folding leaves. Four juan in two vols. Small 8vo, orig. wrappers (upper wrapper of first vol. a little defective), orig. block-printed title labels on upper covers, orig. stitching. [Beijing]: Zhou shi shigu tang 周氏師古堂, 1930-36.




First edition of this work on the material culture of the Poetry Classic, traditionally said to have been edited by Confucius himself. Already in his time, the text was known for its recherché vocabulary and rich descriptions of the natural world. In the Analects, Confucius is recorded as saying that from the Poetry Classic, "we become largely acquainted with the names of birds, beasts, and plants." Over time, a substantial literature developed that glossed these words and tried to identify them with species known to readers of later eras.


Yu Shoucang's book is a work in this genre. As Yu wrote, "the names for things in the Poetry Classic are truly complicated and very difficult to make sense of." Thus are listed words with obscure meanings and quotes from earlier commentorial literature.


The book was published by Zhou shi shigu tang or "Mr. Zhou's Hall Where Antiquity Is the Teacher." This was an educational institution with a publishing enterprise that Chinese industrialist Zhou Xuexi 周學熙 (1865-1947) had founded after he retired in 1924. Publishing took place in Beijing (then called Beiping) between 1930 and 1936. Zhou was a conservative and strong believer in Confucian family life as the foundation for society. The publication of this book with glosses on one of the Confucian classics reflects this orientation.


As is surprisingly often the case with late Republican-era titles, this book is quite rare, and we find no copy of this edition in WorldCat.