Annotated Sources of Ming History: Including Southern Ming and Works on Neighbouring Lands, 1368-1661
2012; Cambridge University Press; Volume: 43; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
1474-0680
Autores Tópico(s)Japanese History and Culture
ResumoAsia Annotated sources of Ming history: Including Southern Ming and works on neighbouring lands, 1368-1661 By WOLFGANG FRANKE. Revised and enlarged by LIEW-HERRES FOON MING Kuala Lumpur: University of Malaya Press, 2011. 2 vols. Pp. xxxvii+ 1289. Bibliography, Indexes. Modern bibliographies and handbooks related to the study of Ming history abound. Among the indispensable tools is Wolfgang Franke's (Fu Wukang [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII], 1912-2007) famous An introduction to the sources of Ming history (Kuala Lumpur: University of Malaya Press, 1968; hereafter ISMH). This work is partly based on an earlier reference by Franke, which in turn goes back to research conducted in the 1940s. The title under review here, Annotated sources of Ming history in two volumes (hereafter AS), is an enlarged version of ISMH. The editor of AS, Dr Liew-Herres, an established Ming specialist, known for her excellent work on the military chapters in the official Ming annals--a further classic in Ming studies, if I may say so-- took her doctorate with Franke when he was still teaching at the University of Hamburg. Although AS mostly addresses sinologists, historians interested in the relations between Southeast Asia and Ming China can profitably use this work as well, provided they are acquainted with the essential characteristics of Chinese traditional historiography. What is AS about? It is an English-language guide through thousands of Chinese 'primary' titles comprising both original editions and modern text versions based on the ancient accounts and their 'derivatives'. The Ming shilu [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] may serve as an example. There are different shilu, or 'veritable records', for different reigns; each of these texts has its own history; taken together, they form one big set covering the history of nearly 300 years. Other than that, we also have dozens of thematic volumes which list specific shilu entries in chronological order. These modern compilations--for example, on Sino-foreign relations and tribute trade, or on Guangdong and Hainan--did not yet exist in the 1960s when Franke prepared his ISMH; that also applies, for instance, to Geoff Wade's translation of the Southeast Asian entries in Ming shilu, now available electronically on the Internet. Each of these specialised titles, which have become frequently quoted research tools during the last one or two decades, are recorded in AS. How is AS organised? The 1968 edition of Franke's bibliography carries a long introduction, which also appears in the first volume of AS. In addition, Liew-Herres wrote her own introduction, which discusses the nature and scope of AS, different kinds of sources, institutional aspects of Ming historiography, and various technical matters. Both these introductions should be consulted before searching the bibliography for individual rifles and authors. Furthermore, while ISMH uses Wade-Giles, Liew-Herres has adopted Pinyin throughout. The main body of ISMH is divided into nine sections with a total of 81 subsegments. Liew-Herres has kept this division for AS, and also provides short introductions to each section (following Franke's example), but there are now two additional subsegments as well, which brings their total number to 83. Practically all subsegments carry additional entries on works that Franke had not seen, did not know about, or that had not been printed then. Liew-Herres has located these titles in various libraries, across China and elsewhere, usually during long sojourns and as a result of meticulous research. Several new collectanea (congshu [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]), such as the gigantic 'Siku quanshu cunmu congshu' [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] and its supplement were consulted as well and the works they contain listed in the main body of AS. It may be added here that the National University of Singapore is perhaps the only Southeast Asian institution which, to date, has acquired all major Chinese congshu published during the last two or three decades. …
Referência(s)