Liu An, Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) with commentaries by Hsu Shen (ca. 58-ca. 147)

Late Song dynasty (960-1279) edition proofed and printed by T'an Shu-tuan of Ch'a-ling

 

The book "Huai-nan-tzu" was written in the Western Han dynasty (206 BC-9 AD) under Liu An, a member of the imperial clan. According to the literary section of "The Book of Han," it had 21 "central" volumes and 33 "peripheral" volumes. The "central" volumes were said to be discussions of the way, and the "peripheral" volumes on various sayings. Nowadays, 21 volumes survive and probably are all from the central section. According to the preface by Kao Yu, "grand" refers to "broad" while "luminous" means "enlightening," indicating the importance attached to this by the author. The contents are varied, including discussions on the Way, the yin and yang, and Taoist arts combined with some Confucian thoughts. "The Book of Han" regards this as a "miscellaneous teaching."

 

The most common annotated edition of the "Huai-nan-tzu" is the one by Kao Yu. However, there was another annotation by Hsu Shen. According to a detailed study by the Ssu-k'u ch'uan-shu (Complete Library of the Four Treasuries) collectanea editors in the Qing dynasty, annotated editions by Kao Yu and Hsu Shen of "Huai-nan-tzu" appeared in the Sui and Tang dynasties. Later, because the annotations by Hsu were much more abbreviated than those by Kao, Hsu's edition gradually disappeared but remained popular in the late Song dynasty.

 

Song dynasty imprints of "Huai-nan-tzu" are quite rare. A record from the Qing dynasty states that the great book collector Huang P'i-lieh had a 21-chapter book in small print. The book was once owned by Ts'ao Yin, but its whereabouts are unknown today. The 21-chapter edition in the collection of the National Palace Museum was printed by Mr. T'an of Ch'a-ling and can be said to be a sole surviving Song dynasty imprint. In the early 20th century, it was in the collection of Liu Shih-heng, subsequently bought by Fu Tseng-hsiang, and later entered the Yen-i lou collection of a Mr. Shen.