Shuowen Jiezi - Textual History and Scholarship

Textual History and Scholarship

Although the original Han Dynasty Shuōwén Jiězì text has been lost, it was transmitted through handwritten copies for centuries. The oldest extant trace of it is a six-page manuscript fragment from the Tang Dynasty, amounting to about 2% of the entire text. The fragment, now in Japan, concerns the mù (木) section header. The earliest post-Han scholar known to have researched and emended this dictionary, albeit badly, was Lǐ Yángbīng (李陽冰, fl. 765-80), who "is usually regarded as something of a bête noire of studies," writes Boltz (1993:435), "owing to his idiosyncratic and somewhat capricious editing of the text."

Shuowen scholarship improved greatly during the Southern Tang-Song Dynasties and later during the Qing Dynasty. The most important Northern Song scholars were the Xú brothers, Xú Xuàn (徐鉉, 916-991) and Xú Kǎi (徐鍇, 920-74). In 986, Emperor Taizong of Song ordered Xú Xuàn and other editors to publish an authoritative edition of the dictionary. Xu Xuan's textual criticism has been especially vital for all subsequent scholarship, since his restoration of the damage done by Li Yangbing resulted in the closest version we have to the original, and the basis for all later editions. Xu Kai, in turn, focused on exegetical study, analyzing the meaning of Xu Shen's text, appending supplemental characters, and adding fanqie pronunciation glosses for each entry. Among Qing Shuowen scholars, some like Zhū Jùnshēng (朱駿聲, 1788–1858), followed the textual criticism model of Xu Xuan, while others like Guì Fù (桂馥, 1736–1805) and Wáng Yún (王筠, 1784–1834) followed the analytical exegesis model of Xu Kai. One Qing scholar, Duàn Yùcái (段玉裁), stands above all the others due to the quality of his research in both areas. His annotated Shuowen edition is the one most commonly used by students today.

Scholarship in the 20th century offered new understandings and accessibility. Ding Fubao (丁福保, 1874–1952) collected all available Shuowen materials, clipped and arranged them in the original dictionary order, and photolithographically printed a colossal edition. Notable advances in Shuowen research have been made by Chinese and Western scholars like Ma Zonghuo (馬宗霍), Ma Xulun (馬敘倫), William G. Boltz, Weldon South Coblin, Thomas B. I. Creamer, Paul L. M. Serruys, Roy A. Miller, and K. L. Thern.