A Research About Compilation Activities Of Jiao Hong

Jiao Hong, a well-known scholar during the Middle and Late Ming Dynasty and an acknowledged spiritual leader then, exerted great influence on the later generations in such areas as literature, history and philosophy. He was not only a prolific writer, but an assiduous complier, for which reason he set an example for the literati then and more importantly thus preserved large amounts of materials precious for the future generations. According to the author's rough statistics, Jiao Hong had totally written 10 works of expertise, but compiled as many as 70. Compared with his expertises, Jiao's compiled works can not be underestimated. Therefore, it makes great sense to research Jiao's activities of compilation.Most scholars have attatched much importance to Jiao's works themselves. This paper instead intends to make a deep study into Jiao's achievements in the field of compilation so as to reveal the significance of those activities. Centering on his three influential compiled works, Xi Xiang Ji Re-collated, Guo Chao Xian Zheng Lu and Lao Zi Yi in the areas of literature, history and philosophy respectively, this paper tries to make an exploration into the above-mentioned works in a Point-to-Area way in terms of their compilation background, the processes, origins of version, compilation styles, documentary value and the orientations in the hope of studying Jiao's activities of compilation.Prior to the body of the paper is an introduction, which first sketches Jiao Hong and his writing and compiling activities briefly, then combs the related materials concerning Jiao Hong and finally makes a general statement of the researches on him and his works ever done so that a clear-cut idea about this paper can be achieved.Chapter one roughly demarcates the phases of Jiao Hong's compiling activities. Based on the sequence of his taking office and being dismissed, it can be divided into three parts, namely, the germinating period (before enrolled in the office), the ascending period (in the office) and the flourishing period (after dismissed from the office). Due to his different experiences, Jiao Hong's compilation activities in all periods show different characteristics at the same time.The second, third and fourth chapters examine the importance and impact of his compilation activities in his overall literary creation by discussing respectively his three representative works-Xi Xiang Ji Re-collated, Guo Chao Xian Zheng Lu and Lao Zi Yi in accordance with the three areas, literature, history and philosophy. In the compilation of literature, he prompted the debate over the theory of Tong Xin and inspired the Xing Ling theory of the Gong An parties. Besides, he was also actively engaged in the field of popular literature, making no small contributions to the dissemination of popular literature and the construction of theories. In the compilation of history,he not only compiled Guo Chao Xian Zheng Lu, Guo Shi Jing Ji Zhi as well as other important historical writings, but set down the principles of Practical and Creditable. In the compilation of philosophy, he upheld the conceptions of "How to Get the Best Life" and the "Three Religions to One".Succeeding the body of this paper is a concluding remark, which serves as the supplement and summary of Jiao Hong's compilation activities and reaffirms the importance and influence of Jiao's compilation activities.