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The Cultural Enterprise

After ascending to the throne, the Jiaqing emperor carried on the practice begun during the Qianlong reign of organizing the imperial art collections and publishing their catalogues raisonné. Culturally speaking, Jiaqing's supplementary endeavors to address works of art left out by Qianlong made the collections even more systematic and comprehensive. Politically, his so doing was undoubtedly a manifestation of the legitimacy of his rule. Such catalogues raisonné as the Qinding Midian Zhulin Shiqu Baoji Sanbian (欽定秘殿珠林石渠寶笈三編) and the Qingding Tienlu Linlang Shumu Hobian (欽定天祿琳琅書目後編) were expanded on the foundation that had been laid during the Qianlong reign. However, Jiaqing's cultural enterprise was by no means confined to filling the lacunae in the work of his imperial father; he had many new additions as well, such as the compilation of the collectaneum Wanwei Biecang (宛委別藏) and the publication of the Qinding Xichao Yasong Ji (欽定熙朝雅頌集), the Quan Tangwen (全唐文), the Daqing Huidian (大清會典), and so on. With coverage spanning from literary compositions to legal and legislative institutions, Jiaqing's publishing efforts constituted an important contribution of the cultural development of the Qing dynasty. This section presents a number of essential selections from the Museum's collection of rare books and historical documents, offering the audiences an opportunity to see how the Jiaqing emperor continued and expanded the cultural enterprise initiated by his imperial father.

Qingding Tienlu Linlang Shumu Hobian (Imperially Endorsed Second Catalog of the Tienlu Linlang Library)

Compiled on imperial order by Peng Yuanrui (1731-1803), et al.
Manuscript edition of the Imperial Household Department
Jiaqing reign (1796-1820), Qing dynasty

Official rare book collecting at the Qing dynasty court began with the imperial title "Tienlu Linlang (Gems of Heavenly Favor)" given for the Zhaoren Hall by the Qianlong emperor in his 9th reign year (1744) and the establishment of a library of rare books and the study of editions. The following emperor, Jiaqing, followed in his footsteps and continued the tradition of collecting rare editions from the Song, Jin, Yuan, and Ming dynasties. In the 40th year of the Qianlong reign (1775), the Qingding Tienlu Linlang Shumu (Imperially Endorsed Catalog of the Tienlu Linlang Library) in ten fascicles (commonly called the “First Catalog”) was completed. After a major fire at the Qianqing Palace in the 2nd year of the Jiaqing reign (1797), the Jiaqing emperor ordered Hanlin Academician Peng Yuanrui (1731-1803) to follow the format of the first catalog and compile a second library in the eastern wing at the Zhaoren Hall into Qingding Tienlu Linlang Shumu Hobian in twenty fascicles. It was completed the following year (1798) and included 664 titles.

Imperially Endorsed Third Compilation of Pearly Forests of the Secret Palace and Treasured Cases of the Stone Moat

Qinding Midian Zhulin Shiqu Baoji Sanbian (Imperially Endorsed Third Supplement to the Pearly Forests in the Secret Palace and Treasured Cases of the Stone Moat)

Compiled on imperial order by Yinghe (1771-1840), et al.,
Red-lined manuscript edition of the Imperial Household Department
Jiaqing reign (1796-1820), Qing dynasty

These two catalogues, representing the third compilation of the imperial collection of paintings and calligraphic works, were ordered by the Jiaqing emperor, the former dealing with Buddhist and Taoist works, while the latter with secular ones. They were based on the first and second compilations made in the 8th year (1743) and the 58th year (1793) of the Qianlong reign. The order was issued because more than 2,000 works had entered the imperial collection since that time, its completion representing the grand culmination of cataloguing the Qing court collection. The third compilation was ordered by the Jiaqing emperor in the intercalary 6th lunar month in the 21st year of his reign (1816) and took only a year and four months to finish. The format and contents of the compilation followed those of the previous ones in the Qianlong reign, clearly testifying to how Jiaqing wished to personally continue the grand accomplishments in court collecting and culture under his father and how he desired and hoped to shoulder the responsibility of the past while setting a precedent for the future in his role as a sage ruler.

Abstract of the General Contents in the Separate Collection of Wanwei

Wanwei Biecang Zongmu Tiyao (Abstract of the General Contents of the Separate Collection of Mt. Wanwei)

Written by Ruan Yuan (1764-1849)
Red-lined manuscript edition of the Imperial Household Department
Jiaqing reign (1796-1820), Qing dynasty

The Jiaqing emperor's collection of rare books, known as Wanwei Biecang (Separate Collection of Mt. Wanwei), represented the continuation of a cultural project for Qinding Siku Quanshu (Imperially Endorsed Complete Library of the Four Treasuries) in the Qianlong reign and would serve as preparatory work for the further compilation of the Siku Quanshu later, focusing in particular on book collections in the southeast. For those books not entered into the Siku Quanshu, facsimile transcriptions were made and an abstract personally made to be submitted to the court. The Jiaqing emperor gave the title Wanwei Biecang and had the contents stored at the Yangxin Hall. Provincial Education Commissioner Ruan Yuan (1764-1849) of Zhejiang made a total of three offerings to the court, and some of the books include on the frontispiece the seal for "Treasure imperially viewed by Jiaqing,"showing that the Jiaqing emperor early on wished to prepare and continue the Siku Quanshu project of his father. Unfortunately, it ultimately was not undertaken.

Imperially Endorsed Collection of Eight Banner Poetry of the Dynasty

Qinding Xichao Yasong Ji (Imperially Endorsed Poetry by Eight-banner Poets of the Great Dynasty)

Compiled on imperial order by Tiebao (1752-1824), et al.
Imprint by Ruan Yuan in Zhejiang between the 9th and 10th year of the Jiaqing reign (1804-1805), Qing dynasty

This anthology is the first general collection in the Qing dynasty of poetry written by Manchu bannermen since the founding of the state. Tiebao (1752-1824), a Manchu bannerman who was Shandong Provincial Governor, was in charge of the compilation. All together, this monumental project included over 6,000 poems by more than 500 Manchu, Mongolian, and Chinese bannermen from the early Qing to the early part of the Jiaqing reign. It became an important middle Qing government publication of bannermen literature from its heyday. This publication shows how the Jiaqing emperor used culture to help govern the country and promote literary studies among the Eight Banners, originally administrative and military divisions of the Manchus. By promoting poetry among bannermen, Jiaqing sought to provide decorum and purify their increasingly decadent lifestyle. In other words, it was a cultural strategy to rectify the declining morals that had begun to plague the Eight Banners system.

Imperially Endorsed Complete Collection of Tang Literature

Qinding Quan Tangwen (Imperially Endorsed Collection of All Preserved Prose-style Literature from the Tang and Five Dynasties)

Compiled on imperial order by Dong Gao (1740-1818), et al.
Imprint of the 21st year of the Jiaqing reign in Yangzhou Prefecture
Qing dynasty

The Quan Tangwen (Collection of All Preserved Prose-style Literature from the Tang and Five Dynasties) is a general anthology of literary texts by Tang writers representing a continuation of the compilation for Quan Tangshi (Complete Collection of Tang Poetry) that had been done by the Jiaqing emperor's grandfather, the Kangxi emperor (1654-1722, r. 1661-1722). Jiaqing's project began in the 13th year of his reign (1808) and when completed would consist of a thousand fascicles with more than 8,400 texts. The Jiaqing emperor specially wrote a preface for the compilation and emphasized promoting culture of the Great Tang to serve as a foundation for the country's cultural establishment and social edification. The use of literature to assist in governing would set a new standard for the imperial style of the Great Qing as one of admiring antiquity and a simple straightforward style. After the entire compilation was completed in the 19th year of his reign (1814), the Jiaqing emperor ordered that it be sent to Akedangga (1755-1822), Salt Supervisor of Huainan and Huaibei, to be printed. In Akedangga's memorial to the throne, he reports on how he went about the matter after receiving the imperial order.

Palace memorial on receiving Complete Collection of Tang Literature and following orders

Palace memorial on the receipt of the Quan Tangwen (Collection of All Preserved Prose-style Literature from the Tang and Five Dynasties) and the status of its collation and printing

Submitted by Akedangga (1755-1822), Salt Supervisor of Huainan and Huaibei
Dated the 29th day of the 6th month in the 19th year of the Jiaqing reign (August 14, 1814), Qing dynasty