Complete Prose of the Later Han

Yan KejunQunyan Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

4.3

Word count: 742K words
Chapters: 107

Summary

The completion of the Quanwen series is of great significance. First, it brings together all surviving writings from the earliest times through the Tang dynasty, excluding historical biographies, philosophical works, poetry and rhapsodies, and standalone treatises. It exhaustively collects everything from the lengthy works of great scholars and masters, Buddhist and Daoist artisans, to the briefest fragments by famous ladies and gentlewomen, all of which are included here as extant.

This book is the first comprehensive compilation of pre-Tang prose, a monumental undertaking that serves as a summation of pre-Tang documentary and literary heritage. Its contribution to academia and the cultural sphere is indispensable, and it can truly be called a magnificent and monumental work.

Editor's review

Quan Hou Han Wen is the Eastern Han portion of Yan Kejun's Quan Shanggu Sandai Qin Han Sanguo Liuchao Wen, devoted exclusively to scattered writings of the Eastern Han aside from historical biographies, philosophical works, poetry and rhapsodies, and standalone treatises. Its core value lies in its completeness and consolidation: edicts, memorials, letters, epitaphs, discourses, and other scattered materials are arranged by author with brief biographies, giving Eastern Han writings that were previously dispersed and hard to locate a relatively complete collected edition. For readers studying Eastern Han political institutions, social customs, religious thought, and the evolution of literary forms, this book offers direct access to primary texts. A caution: it is a documentary compilation, not an anthology; the volume is large and the format specialized, so the bar for reading is not low. It is best kept at hand as a reference, used alongside relevant histories and scholarly works, and key materials traced back to their original sources—this way you gain convenience without sacrificing rigor.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Scholars and graduate students of Eastern Han history, literature, or religion who need systematic access to scattered Eastern Han writings
Practitioners of classical textual editing and philology who need author and title leads for Eastern Han writings
University students in Chinese literature and history searching for examples of Eastern Han edicts, memorials, epitaphs, and other genres for papers
Advanced readers with classical Chinese proficiency and a specialized interest in Eastern Han writings

Not a good fit for

Beginners seeking a quick sense of Eastern Han literary achievement through selected texts with annotations and introductions
General readers who prefer narrative and entertaining reading and are unaccustomed to the format of documentary compilations
Readers who need vernacular translations or piece-by-piece appreciation and wish for easy reading

Reading tips

First familiarize yourself with the book's format and the arrangement of author biographies, clarify which genres are included and which excluded, then consult as needed.
Read intensively around a specific topic, such as Eastern Han epitaphs or memorials, rather than browsing aimlessly through the vast entries.
Read important pieces against the Hou Han Shu and existing collation studies, noting textual variants and source leads.
Treat the book as a desk reference, consulting and noting as you go; no need to set a reading pace for completing it.

About the publisher

Qunyan Publishing House China · Founded in 1989

Founded in 1989, Qunyan Publishing House has long been committed to publishing academic and educational books for mid- and high-level readers, and has built up a certain presence in Eastern philosophy, classical literature, and classic works. Representative titles available in the database include Records of the Grand Historian, Dream of the Red Chamber, Selections of Refined Literature, Complete Song Ci, Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, Record of Daily Knowledge, Taiping Huimin Hejiju Fang, and The Collected Works of Wang Yangming, covering common categories such as ancient poetry, medicine, and examinations. Its author resources include Sima Qian, Cao Xueqin, Xiao Tong, Li Shan, Pu Songling, and Gu Yanwu. The press also offers distinctive series such as the Biographical Series of the China Democratic League and the Historical Documents Series of the China Democratic League, and publishes research on historical documents, biographies, memoirs, and textbooks and academic works by League members. Public information is limited, and its overall publishing scale and complete catalogue require further verification.

版权信息
卷一
卷二
卷三
卷四
卷五
卷六
卷七
卷八
卷九
卷十
卷十一
卷十二
卷十三
卷十四
卷十五
卷十六
卷十七
卷十八
卷十九
卷二十
卷二十一
卷二十二
卷二十三
卷二十四
卷二十五
卷二十六
卷二十七
卷二十八
卷二十九
卷三十
卷三十一
卷三十二
卷三十三
卷三十四
卷三十五
卷三十六
卷三十七
卷三十八
卷三十九
卷四十
卷四十一
卷四十二
卷四十三
卷四十四
卷四十五
卷四十六
卷四十七
卷四十八
卷四十九
卷五十
卷五十一
卷五十二
卷五十三
卷五十四
卷五十五
卷五十六
卷五十七
卷五十八
卷五十九
卷六十
卷六十一
卷六十二
卷六十三
卷六十四
卷六十五
卷六十六
卷六十七
卷六十八
卷六十九
卷七十
卷七十一
卷七十二
卷七十三
卷七十四
卷七十五
卷七十六
卷七十七
卷七十八
卷七十九
卷八十
卷八十一
卷八十二
卷八十三
卷八十四
卷八十五
卷八十六
卷八十七
卷八十八
卷八十九
卷九十
卷九十一
卷九十二
卷九十三
卷九十四
卷九十五
卷九十六
卷九十七
卷九十八
卷九十九
卷一百
卷一百一
卷一百二
卷一百三
卷一百四
卷一百五
卷一百六

FAQ

Does Quan Hou Han Wen include poetry?

According to the format of Quan Shanggu Sandai Qin Han Sanguo Liuchao Wen, poetry and rhapsodies are classified separately. This book mainly collects scattered writings other than historical biographies, philosophical works, poetry and rhapsodies, and standalone treatises—such as edicts, memorials, letters, and epitaphs. For the exact scope, consult the book's general principles and table of contents.

What is the relationship between this book and the Hou Han Shu?

The two are different in nature. The Hou Han Shu is an annalistic-biography style history; this book is a comprehensive collection of writings, gathering scattered texts of the Eastern Han. Materials in this book can be cross-referenced with the Hou Han Shu, but a comprehensive collection should not be read straight through as a history, nor should its texts replace the historical narrative.

How can beginners use this book effectively?

It is advisable to have some foundation in classical Chinese first, then start from a familiar figure or genre, using author biographies and the table of contents to locate pieces, and read against annotated anthologies or scholarly works. Do not attempt to read the whole book from the start, lest you be overwhelmed by the vast materials.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Yan Kejun Author · China · 1762–1843

Yan Kejun (1762–1843), courtesy name Jingwen and art name Tieqiao, was a native of Wucheng in Zhejiang (present-day Huzhou). He was a Qing-dynasty philologist, textual scholar, and bibliophile. A provincial graduate of 1800, he served as an education official in Jiande. He devoted himself to the study of the Shuowen and to collating the stone classics, and his scholarship was distinguished by solid textual criticism. His most notable achievement was single-handedly compiling the Complete Prose of High Antiquity, the Three Dynasties, Qin, Han, Three Kingdoms, and Six Dynasties, which includes more than three thousand authors with brief biographies and has contributed greatly to preserving pre-Tang texts. The collection here contains 86 of his works, including the collected writings of Sima Tan and Sima Qian, Sima Xiangru, Dong Zhongshu, Ruan Ji, Ji Kang, and Emperor Wu of Wei, as well as the Complete Prose of High Antiquity and the Three Dynasties and the Complete Later Han Prose. These works span classical texts, Eastern philosophy, literary appreciation, and biography, reflecting his systematic organization and preservation of pre-Qin through Six Dynasties literature and providing an important foundation for later study of pre-Tang history, thought, and literature.