Zheng Xuan-Fu Editions of Yu Tai Xin Yong

Abstract

The Yu Tai Xin Yong (玉臺新詠) edition printed by Zheng Xuan-Fu (鄭玄撫) in the Jiajing period (嘉靖) in the 19th year of the Ming Dynasty (明代) is the foundational edition in Zheng Xuan-Fu editions (鄭玄撫系統), one of the two major editions of Yu Tai Xin Yong. Zheng’s edition of the Yu Tai Xin Yong was compiled and edited by Zheng Xuan-Fu based on an incomplete edition and a handwritten copy, differing from the other major editions of Yu Tai Xin Yong, Chen Yu-Fu editions (陳玉父系統), therefore contains information not present in the Chen editions and holds unique textual value. Another significant aspect of Zheng’s edition is that it reintroduced Yu Tai Xin Yong to the public eye, greatly influencing its transmission. The editions circulated during the Ming Dynasty primarily belong to Zheng’s editions. However, there is considerable confusion and error in the current records of ancient books that the supposedly Jiajing period Xu Xue-Mo (徐學謨)’s Hai Shu Lou (海曙樓) edition is actually a Wanli (萬曆) period reprint that omits information about Zheng’s original carving, which does not affect Zheng’s edition’s status as the original and authoritative Ming edition. Additionally, the so-called Jiajing 22nd year Yang Shi-Kai (楊士開)’s edition, claiming to be based on a Song Dynasty edition (宋本), is actually a recarved (挖改) print derived from Xu’s edition, with no genuine connection to the Song source. (Article content in Chinese with English extended abstract)

Keywords

• yu tai xin yong
• zheng xuan-fu
• editions
• reprint
• recarved