A Study On The Family Annals Of Confucian Sages In The Ming Dynasty

The family annals of Confucian sages is a kind of document that records the deeds of Confucian sages and their family situations.It was originally created in the Song Dynasty and developed during the Jin and Yuan Dynasties.Under the impetus of the national policy of respecting Confucianism in the Ming Dynasty,there was a wave of compiling the family annals of Confucian sages.According to the records,there were at least 23 the family annals of Confucian sages,which were compiled in the Ming Dynasty,and 18 were preserved.The compilation time was concentrated in the mid and late Ming Dynasty.The number,scope and scale of the Ming Dynasty were developed compared with those in the Song and Jin Dynasties.The editors mainly composed of local officials and descendants of the sages.The purpose of compilation was to publicize the achievement of Confucian sages,to identify the lineages of the descendants of the sages,and to correct the erroneous of the old family annals.In terms of publication,most of the versions of the family annals of the Ming Dynasty were more than one type,and they were published by local officials or the descendants of the sages.From the aspect of spread,circulation and collection were the main ways of its dissemination.Through the investigations of the important family annals of the Ming Dynasty in Kong,Meng,Yan,Zeng,Zhongzi and Zhougong,we understand the specific situation of the family annals in the Ming Dynasty.The status of Kong Yan Meng San Shi Zhi is important.It is not only the first family annals of Confucian sages in the Ming Dynasty,but also the first family annals about other Confucian sages except Confucius.The content of the family annals of Confucian sages in the Ming Dynasty included images related to the family sages,the achievement of Confucian sages,the lineages of the descendants of the sages,the temples and rituals,the imperial grace of the past dynasties,and the writings of the past dynasties,which are the important historical data of studying on the ceremony of the Ming Dynasty.It is also indispensable for discussing the change of policies.The family annals also preserved a considerable number of historical literary works,which is not only an important historical material for studying the aforementioned problems,but also has important value in the preservation of the literature.Influenced by the development of the local chronicles and genealogies,the rule of the family annals of Confucian sages in the Ming Dynasty was more perfect than that of the Song and Yuan Dynasties.The family annals of Confucian sages in different structural forms were simultaneous,the classification became more reasonable,and the explanatory notes and prefaces were also developed.They provided a reference for the continuation of compiling the family annals in the Qing Dynasty.