The earliest known collector of this book is Dong Kang. Dong Kang word Shoujing, alias Chanting Fen master, late Qing scholar, famous jurist, died in 1942. He liked to carve books, and he carved many fine books. It is not easy for us to investigate the collectors of this book before Dong Kang, and we do not even know how Dong Kang obtained this book. Dong Kang has "book hublot yong tan" book, printed in 1929, volume 4, said: life is very keen on the "stone", first ci tasted the cloud: when I was young, see is the original book, Lin, Xue died young, Rong, ning declined, Baoyu chaff with real Wei Xiangyun, the reminiscence of this so there is a "unicorn white head of the ambush double star" also.
And in the title of "Yuhu mountain man Qionglou three Yan figure" the second "pillow Xiage" poem at the end of the note: "the end of the link according to the original "Dream of Red Mansions". Here, although before and after two references to the "Stone Book" or "Dream of Red Mansions", but obviously not the hexagrams. I think that at this time he has not collected the hexagrams, if he has collected, he will be mentioned at the same time.
The hexagrams were later returned to Tao Su, and we do not know when Tao Su received the book, but there are five inscriptions on the hexagrams, the earliest of which is the year 1936 (Czi),**** three entries, followed by 1947 (Dinghai), and the last is the seventh day of the first month of the old lunar calendar of 1949 (the day of the hexagrams), and we do not know for sure when he received the book. In 1936, when he first added the inscription, Tao Su received the book, which was already badly mutilated. According to his records, the transcripts survived from the first to the twentieth, thirty-first to the fortieth, and sixty-first to the seventieth, and the sixty-fourth and sixty-seventh were missing, which had been copied and filled in by Wu Yu'an. Wu Yu'an was probably a member of the Jia and Daocheng Dynasties. That is to say, when Tao Su collected this book, in fact, this book has survived thirty-eight times, of which the first time is still residual three and a half pages, the tenth time is residual one and a half pages, plus Wu Yu'an copy of the two times, there are only forty times.
After receiving the book, Tao Su made up for it with a proofreading and copying process, one of which was to make up for the remnants of the first and tenth pages, the second was to make up for the twenty-first to the thirtieth according to the Gengchen book, and the third was to record all the criticisms and examples of the Aixu book in blue and all the criticisms of the Gengchen book in vermilion, and to change the Jimei book by using the Aixu and Gengchen books. Tao Su carried out this work, of course, for the purpose of making this defective book complete; but he did not think that this would destroy the original appearance of the hexameter book. In particular, the part of the ink copy of the original text that he had altered with a vermilion pen was very difficult to be distinguished from the original vermilion pen on the original text of the hexagrams, which made the research work of the book very difficult, and of course, this was something that he had not expected. Fortunately, Tao Su has left a record of the number of surviving pages of the book, as well as a detailed record of his copying and supplementing of the Jixu and Gengchen books, and has also indicated the different colors used in transcribing different copies, so it is not too difficult for us to make a distinction. What is more problematic is the use of vermilion school to supplement the text of the gengchen this, and the original vermilion side of the original text of this is difficult to distinguish, which will have to 硏究者to carefully identify the. As for the part completely copied by him, such as twenty-one to thirty back of the ten times, the dao only words are not, all from the gengchen on the record, but also more copying errors. Now the Gengchen book has long been photocopied and published, the researcher can directly use the Gengchen book, no longer need to use this transcription of the text. Others, such as the blue copy of the text of the Aixu book, researchers can also be known at a glance is the text of the Aixu book, with the hexameters have nothing to do with this, but also do not have to waste time for it.
For this precious copy, for a long time, academics have not been in-depth study of it. In 1963 Chen Zhong? Comrade published in the "cultural relics" on the "talk about the dao ben liu yanzhai re-assessment of the stone," an article, breaking the silence, aroused people's attention to this codex, but this 硏究 did not continue to go on, and therefore did not explore the codex of the really important aspects.
In 1975, Comrade Wang Hongjun of the Museum of History sent his earlier collection of three and two and a half years ago to Comrade Wu Enyu for identification of the "Stone Records" transcripts, which he studied, and believed that it was possible to be a part of the scattered dimesion, and he also found that this remnant of the transcripts of the word "Xiang" to avoid missing pens, and therefore suspected that there was may be to avoid Prince Yi Hong Xiao's taboo. He told me about this idea and asked me to go to the Beijing Library to check the original dynastic copy. In the process of checking, I found a number of places where the character "xiang" was missing. Later, I borrowed the original copy of the "Yifu Bibliography", that is, Prince Yi's collection of books bibliography, which is inscribed with "Prince Yi treasure", "Nezhai treasure", "Yi Wang Nezhai view of books and paintings seal" and other stamps. In this bibliography, the same copy is also in the bibliography. In this copy of the bibliography is also avoided. Later, Comrade Wu Enyu also found in the three and two and a half times in the "Stone Chronicle" remnants of the transcript, there is also the word avoidance of Xiang. In this way, we are sure that the three and two and a half times of the "Stone Records" remnants of the transcript, is indeed the scattered part of the hexameter, and further determined that the hexameter is the Prince Yi's House of the transcript, the person who presided over the copy of the book is Prince Yi Hong Xiao. This is an important discovery in the history of the version of the Dream of the Red Chamber, and the creator of this discovery is Mr. Wu Enyu.
Because of the discovery of the hexagrams of the book is the Prince Yi's House copy, which raises a new problem for us, but also brings the possibility of solving this problem. This is the Yifu over the record the source of the base text used in the hexameter. To explore this issue, we must first clarify the relationship between Prince Yi Yunxiang and the Cao family. On this aspect of the historical data is still very little, but the Yongzheng two years Cao Fu Fu on the folding of the Yongzheng Zhu batch, is a very important documentary material, the full text of the Zhu batch, said: "I am safe. You are ordered to hand over to the Prince Yi to preach your business. All things listen to Prince? Guide. If you are not for the wrong, all things Prince look after you to; If you do not law, by who can not be with you for the blessing. Do not go out of your way, nor buy trouble by your own strength. It is not necessary that thou shouldst seek any man for thyself, save the king of Joy. Why do you not choose that which is profitable and economical, and do that which is costly and injurious? Because you have always been a bastard custom through (used to), afraid of people alleged that I want to hit you, if you do not understand not understand, wrong understanding of my intention, so special Oracle you. If someone intimidates you, you might as well ask Prince Yi. Moreover, Prince very much love and compassion for you, so I will hand you over to the Prince. Idea to be determined, less messy, bad my reputation, I will be heavily punished, Prince also save you not. Special order."
This Yongzheng Zhu batch, literally, with very obvious emotional color. From the content, it reflects: First, Prince Yi Yunxiang and Cao Fu's relationship is relatively close, "all things listen to Prince? Guide", "Prince of all things to look after you to", "in addition to the King of Yi, but can not seek another person to burden themselves", "if someone threatens to swindle you, you may as well ask the Prince of Yi. Prince very much love and pity you, so I will hand you over to the Prince" and so on these words, can not be regarded as all official articles; such as official articles, just a slapdash, point to even, why go back and forth that much, repeatedly account for the Prince of Yi on his concern? Second, Yongzheng Cao Fu also seems to be slightly care of the intention, did not do too far. In this regard, as long as to see Sui Heder in the order to copy the Cao Fu's home after the folding said: "Cao Fu all the property houses population and other items, I am grateful to the Emperor's vast heavenly grace specially rewarded, favor and honor has been extremely. Cao Fu's family monks Oracle less stay houses to capitalize on support, now his family soon returned to the capital, the slave should be in the capital housing population discretionary allocation." Cao Fu in the copied home, but also "the Oracle less to stay in the house to support the support", it is clear that he did not get to the family broke. The same thing, after Li Hsu was copied, but his family and domestic servants, etc. *** "more than two hundred mouths, sold in Suzhou". In suzhou sell out, but also will they "file",解送到北京, "to Chongwenmen supervise the fifty-one and so on the price". Li Hsu himself, in the investigation of "Li Hsu buy Suzhou women to Aqina", that is, "in accordance with regulations, the treacherous party Li Hsu will be discussed to beheading waiting, after the fall decapitation". Yongzheng is authorized: "Li Hsu with relief from the decapitation, sent to play the sacrifice of Ula." So seventy-three-year-old Li Hsu, but also charging troops to fight Sacrifice Wula, finally died there; but the same Cao Fu private collection of Seth Black (Yongzheng's brother Yinxiang, Kangxi ninth son) gilded lion was found after the report hair, Yongzheng is ignored, did not make any treatment. That end, Yongzheng why Cao Fu will only stay green-eyed? I do not think that Yongzheng has a good feeling about Cao Fu, but in order to take care of the Prince Yi's feelings, which is certainly speculative words, but is not baseless, the previously mentioned Yongzheng Zhu batch, is one of the bases of this conjecture. Not to mention Cao Yin is Kangxi's milk brother, Yunxiang is Kangxi's thirteenth son, Kangxi's southern tour to Cao Yin's Jiangning Weaving Department for the Palace, also known as Cao Yin's mother, Sun's "This is my old man", and Cao Fu "since childhood, the late father of the Cao Yin with the Gangnam to raise grown up", and Cao Fu. Because of this special intimate relationship between Kangxi and Cao Yin, then the son of Kangxi, Yunxiang and Cao Yin, the family, with Cao Fu, has a relatively close relationship is also reasonable. Based on the above background, Prince Yi Hong Xiao (son of Yunxiang) directly from the Cao family borrowed the original manuscript of the hexameter this organization manpower for over-recorded, is indeed a possibility. What is more, Hong Xiao and Cao Xueqin's good friend Dun Cheng also have deeper contacts, this relationship is reflected in Hong Xiao's "Ming Shantang Poetry" and Dun Cheng's "four pine Hall set", from this point of view, Hong Xiao may also borrow the original manuscript of the hexagrams to be over-recorded. In this way, it is entirely possible that this transcription of the Gimao text was a direct transcription of the original Gimao text, and the style of transcription was entirely in accordance with the style of the original Gimao text, so that we can also deduce the appearance of the original manuscript of the Gimao text. From this point of view, this copy, indeed, is more worthy of treasuring. To borrow a word appraisal of painting and calligraphy, can also be called "under the authenticity of the first class" of the treasures.
Since a large number of irrefutable facts to prove the existence of this over the record of hexagrams, is indeed the Prince Yi's copy, then, this copy written on the "hexagrams of winter month fixed" inscription, naturally, is not likely to be a merchant casually added but completely true and reliable. Similarly, the copy of this book is determined since the Tibetan Yi Prince Hong Xiao, the source of its base is very likely to come directly from the Cao family, then, this copy of the title of the "fat Yan Zhai where the four read the review," naturally, it is not possible to be a businessman arbitrarily added; not to mention that we review the year of the review of the fat Yan Zhai in order, to the ji dao year and happened to be the fourth! Review, see this "four read review" of the inscription, is lip yan zhai review "stone" a precise record and extremely important evidence, together with this "jimao autumn month fixed this" inscription, formed this different from other early copy of a significant feature of the The two inscriptions should not be dismissed out of hand, as they form a distinctive feature that distinguishes this book from other early codices.
In the study of the process of the hexameter, another major breakthrough and gain is found in the existing gengchen this is according to the existing Yifu over the record of the copy of the hexameter, and its copying style, and over the record of the hexameter is exactly the same, even over the record of the hexameter of the misspelled words, blank lines, notes and so on, is also the same, and even in the seventy-eighth of gengchen this, but also preserves a and hexameter is the same as a lack of avoidance of the pen! "Xiang" word, this is a strong proof that the existing gengchen this is indeed according to the existing hexamethylene copy. It has already been said that only forty-one and two and a half times of the hexagrams of the Yifu over-recorded version remain, and the rest of the text is no longer visible. Since a large number of facts to prove that the existing gengchen this is based on the Yifu over-recorded hexagrams copied, and its style is exactly the same, so we from the gengchen this, we can see the lost hexagrams the whole face. Of course, a large number of vermilion comments on the Gengchen book, in the hexagrams on the book is not one, we say the same two books, means it is the ink copy of the part, not including vermilion comments. But gengchen on the twenty-four signatures of the year jimao lipid Yan Zhai criticism, there is no doubt that the original should be jimao on the criticism, Yifu over the record due to time, only over the record of the ink copy of the part of the record, and not over the record of the original of these lipid batch, so we have to explore the original face of the jimao, should be over the record of jimao and over the record of the gengchen should be linked together to explore, and should not isolate them, because both of these books! Originally there is such an inseparable blood relationship, if they are isolated, we can not explore their historical appearance.
In the history of the study of the versions of the Dream of the Red Chamber, the recognition of the original appearance of the hexameter and gengchen versions is a major progress. As a result of this progress, we can correctly recognize the significant academic price of the hexagrams. We can also correctly recognize the gengchen this blood relationship with the jimao this and can complement each other this special dependence, in order to correctly recognize the gengchen this significant academic price. It can be said, in the "stone" early copy, hexagrams this is the earliest recorded a book, but also the closest to the original appearance of a book, the situation of its mutilated parts, can be recognized from the gengchen this, gengchen this is almost a complete hexagrams this. Therefore, the existing hexagrams and gengchen, it is no exaggeration to say, is the "stone" in the Qianlong copy of a pair of jewels.
Jimao this, one of the existing version of "Dream of the Red Chamber". Also known as lip yi ben. Title "lip yan zhai re-assessment of the stone book". The second volume of the general title of the note under the cloud, "where Lip Yanshai four readers commented on", the third volume of the general title of the note under the cloud, "jimao winter months," so the name of the jimao this. Jin Mao year, is the twenty-fourth year of Qianlong (1759). There are forty times. That is, from one to twenty, thirty-one to forty, sixty-one to seventy (within the sixty-four, sixty-seven two original missing, is a descendant of Wu Yu-an according to the Cheng Gao system of copying and matching). Among them, the first book is missing, three and a half pages are missing at the beginning of the first book, one and a half pages are missing at the end of the tenth book, and one and a quarter pages are missing at the end of the seventieth book. Ten times a book, *** four books, each half leaf ten lines, line 25 or 30 words vary. In addition, there is a volume of remnants, three whole and two half-recalls. That is, the second half of the fifty-fifth, fifty-six to fifty-eight and fifty-nine first half.
This book and the gengchen book with *** with the ancestor, the two books have a large number of *** with the same characteristics. Such as the seventeenth and eighteenth have not been separated, *** with a title, nineteenth no title, sixty-fourth and sixty-seventh original missing, are the same with the Gengchen. This blackmail word less, the text has more than gengchen this place, semantics than gengchen this exact. Especially in the first five times the text is more different. This book has no complex eyebrow side approval, clean appearance. The vast majority of criticism in the text of the double line writing, counting seven hundred and seventeen, in addition to more than one single word approval, and the Gengchen all the same. Before the eleventh time, there is no binder, but there are twelve side comments for the other book is not, in the sixth and tenth time.
There are six sheets of paper in this book to make up for the lack of annotations in this book. The first one is the first text "Changming Longsheng state" annotated "Fu Chang'an metropolis"; the second one is the fourth "Protector of the small note"; the third one is the fifth poem; the fourth one is the sixth poem; the fifth one is the sixth poem. The sixth time a poem; the fifth sheet for the second time before the instructions will be the general approval of the two lower copy; the sixth sheet for the nineteenth time an annotation, even belonging to the text, another paper in the front of the return.
Jimao this text to avoid the national taboo "Xuan" and "禛"，avoiding the two generations of Prince Yi Yinxiang and Hong Xiao's name "Xiang" and "Xiao and "Xiao". According to this judgment for the Qing dynasty Prince Yi Hong Xiao House in the original notes. Hong Xiao's father, Prince Yi Yinxiang for the thirteenth son of Kangxi, Cao family and its relationship is not shallow, so the base may be from the Cao family. This book was acquired by the famous bibliophile Dong Kang in the late 1920s and early 1930s, and later returned to his friend Tao Su. It is now in the National Library. The remnants of the scroll appeared in the winter of 1959 at the China Bookstore in Liulichang, Beijing, and were purchased by the National Museum of Chinese History. In May 1980, the Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House published a photocopy of the forty-one and two and a half times.