RareBooks in National Palace Museum, Yuan dynasty

Welcome to the National Palace Museum's collection of rare books from the Yuan dynasty! These texts were written by some of China's most influential scholars, and they provide us with a unique insight into Chinese culture during this period. You will find the Literary Collection of Fan Zhongyan, The Analects, Classified Draft of the Yuan-feng Era, Essentials to the Collected Meaning of The Four Books, Dynastic Regulations for Sagacious Rule of the Great Yuan and Painting Catalogue of the Hsuan-ho Collection. These books offer an incredible glimpse into the past, and we hope you enjoy exploring them!

1. Literary Collection of Fan Zhongyan

Fan Zhongyan was born in 989 in Wuxian, Jiangsu province. He was a diligent student who showed great promise. His collected writings were originally entitled "Tan-yang chi" (Tan-yang Anthology), though after his death they were renamed "Wenzheng."

2. The Analects

The Collected Exegeses of the Analects is a compilation of various editions of the Analects from the Western Han period onward, as well as renowned explanations by Kung An-kuo, Pao Hsien, Ma Jung, Cheng Hsuan, Ch'en Chun, Wang

3. Classified Draft of the Yuan-feng Era

Zeng Gong was a Chinese writer who lived in the Chien-ch'ang region during the Tang and Song dynasties. He was known for his wide learning and elegant literary style.

4. Essentials to the Collected Meaning of The Four Books

The book "Essentials to the Collected Meaning of The Four Books" was printed in 1330 by the Branch Secretariat of Kiang-Che. The book was once in the inner court of the Ming dynasty. The book was compiled by Liu Yin and is incomplete.

5. Dynastic Regulations for Sagacious Rule of the Great Yuan

This Yuan imprint is one of the earliest examples of this text that has survived. It is also an important source of information for the study of the Yuan government. However, there is no information about who the editor(s) was/were or when it was printed, because there are no prefatory inscriptions or end

6. Painting Catalogue of the Hsuan-ho Collection

This book is a catalogue of the paintings in the inner court under Emperor Huizong (r. 1101-1125) of Song. It is divided into ten sections and has 20 chapters. The catalogue mentions 231 artists and 6396 hanging scrolls.