Eiraku Encyclopedia - Eiraku Encyclopedia

The largest encyclopedia ever compiled in China. In July 1403, the year after he ascended to the throne, the Ming Emperor Yongle ordered Hanlin scholars Jie Ji and Yao Guangkao to compile a large encyclopedia covering the classics, histories, and texts of the Hundred Schools, as well as astronomy, geography, yin and yang, medical divination, monasticism, and arts, which was completed the following year. The title of this work was "Literature Collection," but he also had them continue their extensive research into various texts, and the result was the "Yongle Encyclopedia," which was completed in the winter of 1409. It is said that 22,877 volumes of the main text, 60 volumes of the index, 11,095 books, and 2,169 people were involved. The articles from all books were arranged in the order of the characters in "Hongwu Zhengyun." Although there are some rough parts due to the short period of compilation, the collection contains many books whose originals have already disappeared. The collection of geographical records from the Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties, including the "Yuan Yitongzhi," is particularly valuable. Because it was so voluminous, only one original copy was kept, but in 1562 Xu Jie and others made copies by imperial order, and even after the original was burned during the turmoil at the end of the Ming dynasty, the copies were passed on to the Qing dynasty. However, they were burned during the Arrow War and the Boxer Rebellion, and today only about 60 volumes remain.

[Mamoru Kawakatsu]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国で編纂(へんさん)された最大の類書。明(みん)の永楽帝は即位の翌年の1403年7月、翰林(かんりん)侍読学士解縉(かいしん)、姚広考(ようこうこう)らに命じて、経、史、子、集百家の書から天文、地志、陰陽、医卜(いぼく)、僧道、技芸にわたる一大類書を編集させ、翌年完成した。この書名を『文献大成』とよんだが、さらに諸書の博捜(はくそう)を続けさせ、その結果1409年の冬にできあがったのが『永楽大典』である。本文2万2877巻、凡例(はんれい)目録60巻、1万1095冊、2169人が従事したという。あらゆる書物の記事を『洪武正韻(いん)』の文字の順序で配列した。短期間の編集のため粗雑な点もあるが、原本がすでになくなっているものを多く収める。とくに『元一統志』をはじめ、宋(そう)、元、明の地志類の収集は貴重。あまりにも大部なため、正本は1本しか蔵しなかったが、1562年徐階らが勅命で副本をつくり、明末の動乱で正本が焼かれたのちも、副本が清(しん)朝に引き継がれた。しかし、アロー戦争や義和団事件などで焼失し、現在は約60冊しか残っていない。

［川勝　守］

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