永樂大典 : [卷 10270-10271] | Collections | The Huntington

OPEN TODAY: 10 A.M.–5 P.M.

Rare Books

永樂大典 : [卷 10270-10271]

1 of 107

Description: Cover title. On double leaves, oriental style. Ming Jiajing 41 nian zhi Ming Longqing yuan nian [1562-1567] jian zhi mo xie hong hei liang se chong chao ben. Ba hang er shi ba zi. 明嘉靖41年至明隆慶元年[1562-1567]間之摹寫紅黑兩色重抄本. 八行二十八字. Manuscript, in red and black ink, copied between the 41st year of the Jiajing - 1st year of the Longqing reign periods of the Ming dynasty. Eight columns per half-folio; 28 Chinese characters per column.The Yongle Encyclopedia (Yongle dadian 永樂大典), a title that could also be translated as the Great Compendium of the Yongle Reign, was commissioned in 1403 by the Yongle Emperor of the Ming dynasty to compile and preserve important texts from ancient and imperial China into a single set. When completed in 1408, the Encyclopedia consisted of 22,877 sections bound in 11,095 volumes and was considered the largest of its kind in the world. Organization of the content was based on the Hongwu zhenyn 洪武正韻, a rhyming dictionary developed in the fourteenth century. These sections, 10270 and 10271, of the Yongle Encyclopedia deal with the education of an heir apparent. Its contents were taken from the "King Wen as Son and Heir" chapter of the Book of Rites (Liji 禮記), a collection of texts on social forms and rituals compiled by Confucian scholars during the Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD). In 1557, after a fire that nearly destroyed the set, the Jiajing Emperor ordered copies to be made from the original. From 1562 to 1567, a team of 109 court scribes transcribed the entire Encyclopedia. Today only about 419 unique Jiajing volumes have survived. The fate of the original volumes is still unknown.

You might also be interested in

Image not available
Twilight in the Forbidden City
Rare Books
Reginald Fleming Johnston was a British colonial officer, scholar and a writer with a passion for China and Chinese culture. From 1919 to 1924 he was tutor and adviser to the last emperor of China. The emperor P'u-i had abdicated his throne in 1912. However, in order to ensure a rapid and peaceful transfer of authority, he was allowed to retain his title and was permitted to remain in residence. Johnston was able to observe and chronicle the last years of the Ch'ing dynasty.
654422
Image not available
Gu gong fa lang qi xuan cui : masterpieces of Chinese enamel ware in the National Palace Museum
Rare Books
Altogether there is a total of 1800 pieces of enamel ware in the National Palace Museum. The earliest piece dates back to the Hsüan-te reign (1426-1435 A.D.). The pieces selected for this publication all date back to the Ming or Ch'ing dynasty. Serious students of Chinese arts should observe the brightness of the colors, the elegant shape of each, vessel, and the fine gold inlay work found in the cloisonné enamel pieces. -- Preface.
654546
Bulla confirmationis et novae concessionis privilegiorum omnium Mendicatium : cum certis declarationibus decretis [et] inhibitio[n]ibus. S.D.N.D. Pij Papae V. Motu p[ro]prio
Rare Books
Signatures: a⁸ b⁶ *⁴ "Tabula priuilegiorum, quae sanctissimus Papa Pius Quintus, concessit fratribus mendicantibus: in bulla confirmationis, & nouae, concessionis priuilegiorum, ordinum mēdicantium. Anno. 1567": gathering *
114907
Image not available
The nightingale
Rare Books
Though the emperor banishes the nightingale in preference for a jeweled mechanical imitation, the little bird remains faithful and returns years later when the emperor is near death and no one else can help him
279618
Image not available
Chinese Tuxedo Restaurant papers
Manuscripts
Collection includes a bilingual menu in English and Chinese, illustrated with photos of the restaurant and staff. There is also a postcard featuring a photo of the restaurant interior, and a handwritten party invitation card to dinner at the restaurant, from "Mess Tom Mon Kip, Tom Ming, Tom Ying, and Der-Foo Sam."
mssCTR
Image not available
Chinese Tuxedo Restaurant papers
Manuscripts
Collection includes a bilingual menu in English and Chinese, illustrated with photos of the restaurant and staff. There is also a postcard featuring a photo of the restaurant interior, and a handwritten party invitation card to dinner at the restaurant, from "Mess Tom Mon Kip, Tom Ming, Tom Ying, and Der-Foo Sam."
mssCTR