Chapter 39 Let's talk about Jiaqing again

The comments in the Jiaqing edition are roughly as quoted above.There is also something to be said about the book itself.From Cheng and Gao, the circulation of block editions was quite complicated, and some vague outlines can be glimpsed from this edition. (1) Problems of people and times.There is an introductory paragraph at the beginning of the volume: There have always been only 80 volumes of manuscripts in one book, and it was not until Cheng's collection and compilation began to complete it.But he used the collection board, collation is not easy, not without confusion.The rattan flower pavilion is published and engraved with great precision and detail.In addition, this workshop has added details and corrections to the publication of Tenghuaxie, so as to confirm the mistakes. Shouzhu pear dates are published in the country, and readers will cherish them.The owner of Jiazixia Ritang respects me sincerely.

The so-called Yunxiang Pavilion should be Shujia.According to a letter from Mr. Qi Yuanbai about the rattan flower pavilion: The rattan flower pavilion is the name of Erebzhai.Yue Zhai, a Manchurian with the forehead character, was an official to the Minister of the Household Department. He engraved the Chinese version of "Shuowen" in the ninth year of Jiaqing.This is obtained from Mr. Liu Pansui.Liu Bingyun once engraved his forehead, but he forgot where he said it. "Yunxiang Pavilion Chongzi" was in the ninth year of Jiaqing, and the original version of the rattan flower pavilion should be in the early years of Jiaqing, that is, the book that was printed in high-level printing immediately after the end of Qianlong.

(2) How to comprehensively sort out the problem of Chengben? He said: "Corrections are added carefully, and mistakes are made." But is Cheng A or Cheng B used?When it is their compromise.So, is it more important to Cheng A or Cheng B?Although this book also adopts Cheng Yi, such as the thirteenth chapter "all a little sad", not "suspicious", it is the same as Cheng B but different from Jia, but generally it is the same as Cheng Jia's book.I had checked the school for the first time, and there was almost no difference with Cheng A, but it was much worse with Cheng B.That is, in the 92nd chapter, "Priority on Women's Biography, Qiaojie Muxianliang, Playing with Mother Pearls and Jiamu Shenjusan", the B version is more complete than the A version, and it also uses Cheng A different from Cheng B, which is particularly evident.

(3) In addition to using Chengben, manuscripts are also used.This fact is important.That is to say, the books since Jiaqing are "printed books plus manuscripts", not the direct line of Cheng Jiayi.Strictly speaking, it is wrong to say that all the books come from Cheng Jia.Of course, Cheng Yi had less influence on the later books.Here are two examples, such as Chapter 32: Baoyu woke up for a while, knowing that the attacker had sent the fan, her face was flushed with shame, she snatched the fan, and hurriedly got away and ran away. (Ben by Zhi Gengchen) When Baoyu woke up for a while, she knew that it was an attacker sending a fan.Baoyu was so ashamed that his face was purple, he snatched the fan, and ran away. (Jiaqing version)

Much the same.To Cheng A and B, they wrote: When Baoyu woke up, he knew it was an attacker. Although his face was purple with shame, he was still in a daze. He took the fan and walked away without a word. There are many differences.Another example is Chapter 41: (Grandma Liu) suddenly thought of it (in Jiaqing's work), "I often hear that big (no big characters) rich people have a kind of full-length mirror. Don't tell me I'm in the mirror." ) Bi stretched out his hand to touch (wipe), and then took a closer look, it was not a red sandalwood wall carved on all sides, with (this) mirror embedded in the middle.Yin said, "This has been stopped, how to get out." As he said, he just touched the mirror with his hand. (Ben by Zhi Gengchen)

The minor differences in the Jiaqing edition have been noted in parentheses, so it can be seen that the two editions are identical.Looking at Cheng A and B, it's a big deal. Grandma Liu stretched out her hand to shame his face, but he also blocked it with his hand, and the two quarreled.Grandma Liu touched it all at once, but felt that the old woman's face was cold and hard, which made Grandma Liu jump.It suddenly occurred to me that I often heard rich people have a kind of full-length mirror. Could it be that I am in the mirror?After thinking about it, he stretched out his hand to wipe it again, and took a closer look, and found that the mirror was not embedded in the middle of the carved planks on all sides, and he smiled unconsciously.Yin said, "How do you get out here?" When he touched it with his hand, there was only a thud, and he couldn't help but roll his eyes in fright.

This not only means that the Jiaqing edition follows the Zhi edition but not the Cheng edition, but also indicates that it is well edited.Because according to Cheng Ben, he made too much sarcasm about the country people, Grandma Liu couldn't be so stupid. (4) Although I don’t have any materials for the later engraved editions, they are generally based on the Jiaqing edition or the Daoguang Wang edition, not the Cheng Jia and Yi editions.There is also a special case, that is, the later version is closer to the ancient version than the version before it.For example, in the twenty-seventh chapter of the catalog, the Jiaqing version has changed "Yang Fei" to "Baochai", and "Feiyan" to "Daiyu". On the contrary, it is ancient.Another example is the thirteenth edition of Cheng Yi, Jiaqing, and Daoguang, all of which are "a little sad", but the edition of "Jin Yu Yuan" written by Guangxujian is "suspicious", which is the same as Zhi Geng's and Cheng Jia's editions.This trend of turning back shows that the evolution of block editions does not mean that the older the better, the later the worse.Arranged mechanically with time, instead of solving any problems, it messed up the situation even more.The detailed situation can only be understood by someone who has a large amount of materials and carefully collates them.

Combining the four points mentioned above, it has been clearly shown that the method of collation with printed books or mixed manuscripts has a history of 150 to 60 years from the early nineteenth century to the present.The recent new edition of the Writer's Publishing House is a mixture of Cheng Yi, Yadong, and Youzheng's editions for revision, and the method used is exactly the same as that of the predecessors.As for the comprehensive results, what exactly depends on individual circumstances and cannot be generalized.I am just pointing out that this mixed revision method has existed in ancient times and is nothing new.

(Originally published in Hong Kong's "Ta Kung Pao" from January 1 to April 23, 1954)