CHANT (CHinese ANcient Texts) Database

CHANT (CHinese ANcient Texts) Database

中國傳統類書資料庫

計劃簡介

　　中國傳統類書常被用為工具書。類書乃為前人匯集當時傳世文獻資料，依類區分，重新排列編纂之典籍。及唐、宋兩朝，編撰類書蔚然成風，著名類書如《北堂 書鈔》、《藝文類聚》、《太平御覽》、《初學記》等相繼編成付梓。漢達資料庫收錄先秦兩漢及魏晉南北朝一切傳世文獻資料庫，然而部份佚書、佚文則未見采 錄。此等佚書、佚文，可以借助類書引文重新蒐集。「香港研究資助局」於二零零零年撥款資助本研究計劃，旨在全面整理傳世類書，建立完整之類書電子資料庫， 其目的有二﹕一) 建立一完整之類書電子資料庫，方便學者利用類書引文進行研究工作。二)將類書引文與傳世古文獻文本進行對比研究，探求類書引文與傳世文本之異同。有關之比 對研究，可以概略分為三方面說明：一）首先，就相同文獻資料，以現存最早之類書引文與今本文獻對比，分析今本文獻與引文之異同。二）其次，經過對比研究， 蒐集同一文獻之異文，據此探求文本原貌。三）最後，就類書所引而又不見今本者，列為佚文，重新編排收錄，進行有系統之文獻輯佚工作。部份類書預計於二零零 四年開始上網。

A Computerized Database of the Entire Body of
Extant Chinese Encyclopedias (Leishu)

Project Summary

　　Chinese Encyclopedias (Leishu) are reference books consisting of extracts from sources extant at the time of compilation which were put under different categories. By the time of the Tang and Song dynasties, the compilation of Leishu became fashionable, and well-known examples of them survive in the present day, for instance, Beitong Shuchao, Yiwen Leiju, Taiping Yulan, Chuxueji. The CHANT Database contains the entire corpus of traditional Chinese texts down to the sixth century, but some missing titles/passages are still to be found in the form of citations in various Leishu. The Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Government funded this project in 2000. The objectives of this study are: i) to build up a computerized database of extant Leishu. ii) to make a comparative study of citations appearing in Leishu and the CHANT Database. Regarding the comparative study, there are three tasks we set ourselves. First, by comparing the earliest citations with extant versions, we hope to be able to correct textual mistakes wherever they occur. Second, we would make an analysis of the variant readings through textual comparison. In this way, we can get closer to the texts as they were in their original form, which may differ significantly from extant versions. Third, we are able to identify all texts which are not found in extant editions so that such missing parts can be culled and re-constituted for purposes of textual studies. We estimated that some of the Leishu could be available online in 2004.