Si yi guan kao ???? [Examination of the Translators Institute]

WANG, Zongzai ???

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50 folding leaves. 8vo, orig. wrappers (frayed, with the title slip absent), orig. stitching (half-way loose). [China]: Dongfang xuehui ????, 1924. First printed edition of this manual for the personnel of the Ming dynasty Translators Institute, written by an official at the institute. The Translators Institute "handled correspondence between the court and foreign states." Initially part of the Hanlin Academy, it was "in 1496 placed under a Vice Minister…of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices…rank 4a, assigned as Superintendent (t i-tu) of the Institute" (Hucker, A Dictionary of Official Titles in Imperial China, 448). Wang Zongzai, the author of our book, served as superintendent of the institute in 1578 (Wanli 6). His book is divided by the different departments at the Translators Institute, followed by the various countries under their purview. We find the "Tartar Department" (Dada guan ???) and the Jurchen with which it communicated, a "Muslim Department" (Huihui guan ???) communicating with Central Asia, as well as information on various countries in Southeast Asia. Wang based his book on similar works then in circulation, as well as on materials gathered during his own tenure at the institute. Our book was published in 1924 (jiazi) in movable lead type by the Oriental Research Association (Dongfang xuehui), an organization behind which stood leading Republican-era intellectual Luo Zhenyu ??? (1866-1940). Luo based his printing on a manuscript in the possession of Chen Shike ???, who in turn had copied it from Cao Junzhi ??? in Beijing. The book had circulated only in manuscript form since its writing in the 16th century. In 1937 Xiang Da ?? (1900-66) found another manuscript in Paris, which, unlike our book, made Wang s authorship explicit (Zhang, "Wang Zongzai jiqi Siyiguan kao"). Good copy, with the exception of the loose stitching; some foxing on a few pages, and several leaves frayed on the edges, without loss of text. See WorldCat 20950533. References Hucker, Charles O. A Dictionary of Official Titles in Imperial China. Stanford University Press, 1985. Zhang Wende ??? "Wang Zongzai jiqi Siyiguan kao" ??????????? Zhongguo bianjiang shidi yanjiu ???????? 10.3 (2000). Seller Inventory # 9859

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Title: Si yi guan kao ???? [Examination of the ...

Edition: 1st Edition