A Study of the Only Existing Copy of Cang Shan Gao Wai Bian Collected in Nanjing Library
The 24 volumes of Cang Shan Gao Wai Bian are currently only found in the collection of Nanjing Library.It is the final work of Xu Fang,a survivor of the late Ming Dynasty.The book titles of various collections are not divided into volumes,but according to the titles on the end of each volume,it should be divided into nine volumes.The book is not divided by numbers or text(top,middle,bottom),but rather by title,author,and reader at the end of each volume.From the handwriting,it can be seen that one person copied the first two volumes of the novel,totaling eight volumes,while the other copied the remaining seven volumes,totaling sixteen volumes.During the circulation process,one volume of each copied part was mixed into the other's copied book.During the circulation of the book,the order of volumes was disrupted,resulting in a chaotic and mixed content.However,in reality,the arrangement of the book is quite regular and systematic,that is,it is divided into volumes according to the principle of the same story theme.The Cang Shan Gao Wai Bian provides important literature for a comprehensive and systematic study of Xu Fang's novel ideas,family background,Ming Dynasty imperial examination system,social customs,and literati thoughts.
Cang Shan Gao Wai BianXu FangHand-copied book of Kangxi dynasty
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