AI finder
中
Questions and Answers on Ancient Book Culture cover

Questions and Answers on Ancient Book Culture

李致忠Jiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art Publishing House · ChinaMar 2026

4.1
Word count
306K words
Chapters
145
ISBN
9787559495310
Report an error Find this book

Tags

History Books Humanistic CareIllustrated GuideAcademic MonographPopular ExplanationTraditional CultureEclectic Reading

Summary

This book is a Q&A-style guide to Chinese rare books culture and bibliography, covering the definition of Chinese rare books, the origin and development of books, materials and craft, the evolution of printing, binding formats, authentication and identification, and official, private, Buddhist and Daoist printing through the dynasties. Drawing on years of research, the author breaks complex knowledge into clear questions and answers, combining professional expertise with accessibility. This expanded edition adds questions on the origin of books and hired copyists, clarifies misconceptions such as the “Jin Tianfu bronze edition,” corrects the controversy over Chinese copper movable-type printing, and rewrites previously brief entries such as the Hongwu Southern Canon, offering systematic guidance for rare books practitioners and enthusiasts of traditional culture.

Editor's review

This is a Q&A-style knowledge guide to Chinese rare books culture. The author, Li Zhizhong, has long engaged in rare books and bibliography research. The book breaks topics—the definition of rare books, the origin of books, materials and craft, the evolution of printing, binding formats, authentication and identification, and official, private, Buddhist and Daoist printing through the dynasties—into clear questions, balancing professionalism with readability. The expanded edition adds questions on the origin of books and hired copyists, and clarifies and corrects several common misconceptions, bringing the content closer to current scholarly consensus. For readers who need to build a systematic framework of rare books knowledge, the Q&A structure makes it easy to consult as needed and suitable as supplementary material for training or teaching; for general enthusiasts of traditional culture, the explanations of craft and formats help them understand the technical context behind physical rare books. It is best read alongside specific bibliographies or direct observation of physical items, rather than stopping at memorizing terms.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Rare books cataloging, bibliography, and library professionals who need a systematic review of foundational knowledge
  • Enthusiasts of traditional culture who want to understand physical rare books through craft and format
  • Students of literature and history using it as an introductory aid to rare books bibliography
  • Museum and auction house staff who need quick reference to common concepts

Not a good fit for

  • General leisure readers expecting light, story-driven reading; the Q&A format is knowledge-dense
  • Researchers with deep bibliographical training; some entries may be too basic
  • Readers who only want a specific rare book or collection story; this is a general survey

Reading tips

  1. First read the table of contents to build a framework by section—origin, materials, printing, binding, authentication—then read the questions in detail.
  2. When reaching the authentication section, compare format features with facsimiles or book images at hand.
  3. Mark the newly added and rewritten questions in the expanded edition separately, and read them against conventional accounts in earlier editions.
  4. When used as a reference book, look up keywords first; it is not necessary to read from beginning to end.

About the publisher

Jiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art Publishing House China · Founded in 1958

Jiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art Publishing House focuses on literary publishing while also covering the humanities, social sciences, and books on art and daily life. Its approximately 1,535 titles in the database span social novels, world history, design, science fiction, classic works, and film and television: they include modern Chinese literary classics by Lu Xun such as A Madman's Diary: The Complete Short Stories of Lu Xun, Call to Arms, Four Generations Under One Roof, and Teahouse, as well as foreign literary memoirs like Stefan Zweig's The World of Yesterday. In science fiction it offers Asimov's Galactic Empire series, while in architecture and art it publishes Liu Dunzhen's Classical Gardens of Suzhou and design titles from Phoenix Space. Its authors are concentrated among classic writers such as Lu Xun, Zweig, and Asimov, with translators including Liang Xijiang, Zhong Haonan, and Ye Lihua. Its overall character is built on classic works while embracing genre fiction and visual culture. Public information is limited, and this introduction is based on the titles in the database.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 增订本序言
  3. 问：什么是中国古籍？
  4. 问：典籍、载籍、经籍、书籍是一个概念吗？
  5. 问：前边所言使我们明白了什么是中国古籍，但它们究竟起源于中国历史上的什么时期？
  6. 问：那么上限呢？
  7. 问：中国书籍起源后的发展大体分为几个阶段？
  8. 问：什么叫初期书籍？
  9. 问：什么是甲骨文书？
  10. 问：什么是青铜器铭文？
  11. 问：什么是早期石刻文字与石头书？
  12. 问：什么是正规书籍，其制作材料有哪些？
  13. 问：如何对书籍制作材料进行加工？
  14. 问：中国什么时候有了纸书？
  15. 问：为什么说在蔡伦之前就有了纸制书？
  16. 问：为什么说蔡伦是造纸术的发明人？
  17. 问：什么时候纸书取代了简帛书？
  18. 问：制作书籍的用纸怎样进行加工？
  19. 问：如何认识不同时代不同地域的书籍用纸？
  20. 问：书籍有过什么不同的制作方法？
  21. 问：什么叫刀笔吏？
  22. 问：什么是书籍手写本时代的佣书人？
  23. 问：什么是书籍手写本时代的写经生？
  24. 问：中国什么时候有了图书交换市场？
  25. 问：中国什么时候发明了印刷术并用它来印制书籍？
  26. 问：雕版印刷术发明在我国历史上的什么时期？
  27. 问：什么是雕版印刷术发明的物质条件？
  28. 问：中国什么时候有了笔墨？
  29. 问：什么是雕版印刷术发明的技术条件？
  30. 问：什么叫石刻传拓技术？
  31. 问：什么叫玺印图章的雕刻钤印技术？
  32. 问：什么是雕版印刷术发明的社会条件？
  33. 问：何谓雕版印刷术？
  34. 问：何谓活字印刷术？
  35. 问：活字印刷术发明在我国历史上的什么时期？
  36. 问：什么书最早记载了毕昇泥活字的发明？
  37. 问：您能说说毕昇的基本情况吗？
  38. 问：现有泥活字印制书籍的实物留存吗？
  39. 问：木活字印书出现在我国历史上的什么时期？
  40. 问：毕昇之后有什么人继续试制木活字印书法？
  41. 问：中韩到底谁先使用了金属活字？
  42. 问：中国什么时候有了铜活字，还有实物留存吗？
  43. 问：铜活字的实物留存知道了，中国现在还有铜活字所印书的实物留存吗？
  44. 问：明代无锡华、安两家活字印书到底是不是铜活字？
  45. 问：泰安徐志定印的两种书是磁版还是磁活字？
  46. 问：什么是活字泥版印刷？
  47. 问：印刷史上有过铜版印制的书吗？
  48. 问：印刷史上有过蜡版印刷吗？
  49. 问：中国的套色印刷起源于何时？
  50. 问：套色印刷有什么样的演进过程？
  51. 问：元代以后的套印技术是怎样发展演进的？
  52. 问：中国古代书籍的装帧艺术包括哪些内容？
  53. 问：中国古书有哪些装帧形制？
  54. 问：书籍为什么称本？
  55. 问：秦汉之间果真有经折装书籍吗？
  56. 问：叶德辉与余嘉锡谁的说法对？
  57. 问：什么叫版本？
  58. 问：什么叫善本？
  59. 问：善本为什么会是因人因时而异的不固定概念？
  60. 问：什么是版本学？
  61. 问：版本学中应注意的倾向是什么？
  62. 问：版本学中的不良风气有社会原因吗？
  63. 问：版本学有什么功用？
  64. 问：从事版本学工作需要具备哪些基本知识？
  65. 问：什么叫庙号？
  66. 问：什么叫祧庙？
  67. 问：什么叫谥法？
  68. 问：什么叫私谥？
  69. 问：皇帝有没有谥号？
  70. 问：什么是皇帝的年号？
  71. 问：什么叫徽号？
  72. 问：古人命名有哪些讲究？
  73. 问：什么是字号，字与名有什么关系？
  74. 问：什么是号和别号？
  75. 问：什么叫室名斋号？
  76. 问：什么叫避讳？
  77. 问：中国的避讳习俗起源于何时？
  78. 问：避讳有哪几种类型？
  79. 问：避讳有多少种方法？
  80. 问：避讳有多少种改字方法？
  81. 问：什么叫天文学？
  82. 问：什么叫编历？
  83. 问：什么叫阳历？
  84. 问：什么叫阴历？
  85. 问：什么叫阴阳历？
  86. 问：中国历史上使用过多少种历法？
  87. 问：中国历史上都有过什么样的纪时方法？
  88. 问：什么叫干支纪年法？
  89. 问：什么叫王公即位年次纪年法？
  90. 问：什么叫年号纪年法？
  91. 问：什么叫岁星纪年法？
  92. 问：什么叫太岁纪年法？
  93. 问：什么叫生肖纪年法？
  94. 问：古人纪月通常有几种方法？
  95. 间：古人纪日通常有几种方法？
  96. 问：古人纪时通常有几种方法？
  97. 问：什么叫校、庠、序？
  98. 问：什么叫辟雍、頖宫？
  99. 问：什么叫五学？
  100. 问：什么叫太学？
  101. 问：什么叫国子学、国子监？
  102. 问：什么叫四门学？
  103. 问：什么叫乡学？
  104. 问：什么叫州序？
  105. 问：什么叫党庠？
  106. 问：什么叫家塾？
  107. 问：什么叫郡国学？
  108. 问：什么叫黉学、黉宇？
  109. 问：什么叫县、道、邑、侯国学？
  110. 问：什么叫鸿都门学？
  111. 问：什么叫宗学？
  112. 问：什么叫旗学？
  113. 问：什么叫书院？
  114. 问：什么叫学堂？
  115. 问：什么叫儒学？
  116. 问：什么叫学官？
  117. 问：什么叫博士？
  118. 问：什么叫太常博士？
  119. 问：什么叫太学博士？
  120. 问：什么叫五经博士？
  121. 问：什么是今文经学？
  122. 问：什么是古文经学？
  123. 问：什么叫博士祭酒？
  124. 问：什么叫国子司业？
  125. 问：什么叫国子主簿？
  126. 问：什么叫教授？
  127. 问：什么叫教谕？
  128. 问：什么叫助教？
  129. 问：什么叫学正？
  130. 问：什么叫学政？
  131. 问：什么叫学录？
  132. 问：什么叫教习？
  133. 问：什么叫山长？
  134. 问：历代有哪些中央官署与刻书有关？
  135. 问：历代有哪些地方机构与刻书有关？
  136. 问：历代有哪些路、道、使司与刻书有关？
  137. 问：历代学校和书院刻书状况如何？
  138. 问：历代私宅和坊肆刻书状况如何？
  139. 问：历代佛、道藏的刊印情况如何？
  140. 问：古书大体有多少种造伪的手段和辨伪的方法？
  141. 问：版本鉴定可资下手的途径有哪些？
  142. 问：雕版印本书和活字排版印本书怎样鉴别？
  143. 问：怎样鉴定抄写本？
  144. 问：古书版本类型有多少称谓？
  145. 出版后记

FAQ

Is this book suitable for complete beginners to read directly?
Yes. The book uses a Q&A format, each question is relatively independent, and the language aims to be accessible. Complete beginners can start with basic questions such as the origin of books and materials and craft. However, some content on bibliography and block-printed editions involves technical terms; when encountering unfamiliar concepts, it is advisable to read in connection with nearby entries in the table of contents, or skip and return later—there is no need to understand everything in one pass.
What are the main differences between the expanded edition and the earlier edition?
According to the materials, the expanded edition adds questions on the origin of books and hired copyists, clarifies misconceptions such as the “Jin Tianfu bronze edition,” corrects the controversy over Chinese copper movable-type printing, and rewrites previously brief entries such as the Hongwu Southern Canon. Overall, while keeping the Q&A structure, it adds new questions and revises old accounts, making the treatment of some controversial topics more cautious.
The book discusses authentication—can one learn it without physical objects?
The book provides a conceptual framework and common identification points; it is knowledge-based guidance and cannot replace hands-on observation and practical training. Readers can first master terminology and format classifications, then compare with facsimiles, book images, or collection items to gradually develop judgment. If the goal is practical authentication, professional courses and hands-on contact with physical objects are still necessary.

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

李致忠 Author

Li Zhizhong is an author for whom limited public information is available. His only confirmed work in the database is Questions and Answers on the Culture of Ancient Books. Judging from the title and its common classification, the book is a history title that introduces knowledge about ancient Chinese books in a question-and-answer format, touching on traditional bibliographical topics such as editions, physical forms, transmission, and collecting. This format usually allows readers to look up topics as needed and to move from basic to more detailed knowledge, making the book suitable as an introductory reference for general readers interested in traditional culture and textual editions. Because reliable public records of the author's life, nationality, education, and research focus have not been found, this introduction makes no speculation and describes the work only on the basis of the database entry: it is primarily informative and popular in orientation, turning specialized knowledge of ancient book culture into accessible question-and-answer entries. More public information is needed to fill in his personal and academic background.

Top rated in the same category

A Draft on the Political History of the Tang Dynasty cover
5.0
A Draft on the Political History of the Tang Dynasty Chen Yinke
A Brief Discussion of the Origins of Sui and Tang Institutions cover
5.0
A Brief Discussion of the Origins of Sui and Tang Institutions Chen Yinke
Records of the Grand Historian cover
5.0
Records of the Grand Historian Sima Qian
Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government cover
5.0
Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government Sima Guang
Book of Documents cover
5.0
Book of Documents Anonymous
A Brief Study of the Origins of Sui-Tang Institutions; A Study of Tang Political History cover
5.0
A Brief Study of the Origins of Sui-Tang Institutions; A Study of Tang Political History Chen Yinke
General History of Taiwan (Complete 3 Volumes) cover
4.9
General History of Taiwan (Complete 3 Volumes) Lian Heng
History of the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties (Chinese Dynastic History Series) cover
4.9
History of the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties (Chinese Dynastic History Series) 王仲荦