Midian zhulin 秘殿珠林 and Shiqu baoji 石渠寶笈 (www.chinaknowledge.de)

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Mar 24, 2023 © Ulrich Theobald

Midian zhulin 秘殿珠林

(Qinding) Midian zhulin (欽定)秘殿珠林 "Pearl forest of the imperial palace" (also called Bidian zhulin 祕殿珠林) is a catalogue-like book on calligraphies and paintings of Buddhist and Daoist themes collected by the Imperial Household (neifu 內府). The book of 24 juan length was compiled on imperial order by a team under the direction of Zhang Zhao 張照 (1691-1745), Liang Shizheng 梁詩正 (1697-1763), Li Zongwan 勵宗萬 (1705-1759) and Zhang Ruo'ai 張若靄 (1713-1746). The "secular" counterpart of the Midian zhulin is the book Shiqu baoji 石渠寶笈.

Apart from calligraphies and paintings, the collection also discusses old book prints, imprinted silk (kesi 刻絲), embroideries and brocades (xiu jin 繡錦) and well as rubbings of stone or stele inscriptions.

Both books, finished in 1744, were later supplemented by further artworks acquired by the emperor. The Midian zhulin xubian 秘殿珠林續編 was published in 1791 as a compilation of Ruan Yuan 阮元 (1764-1849) et al., and the Midian zhulin sanbian 秘殿珠林三編 was finished in 1815, compiled by a team under Yinghe 英和 (1771-1840) et al. The original versions and their supplement describe more than 2,000 artworks.

The Midian zhulin begins with the principles of compilation (Fanli 凡例) and a general register (Zongmu 總目), but each chapter has a table of contents as well. Apart from juan 1, 23, and 24, the arrangement is first Buddhist, then Daoist artworks, first calligraphies, then paintings (which has emerged as a principle in traditional Chinese art books), first artworks whose creator is known, then anonymous ones; individual artworks are arranged according to their physical shape, namely bound booklets (ce 冊) first, then scrolls (juan 卷), and finely mounted scrolls (zhou 軸) last. Below this level, artworks are arranged according to their grade of mastery (shangdeng 上等, cideng 次等). Each artwork is described in detail, not only according to criteria of art, dimensions, the use of paper, ink, and colours, but also concerning titles (biaoti 標題), inscriptions (ti-ba 題跋), artist's notes (kuanzhi 款識) and seal imprints (yinji 印記). The Midian zhulin is the first art book in Chinese history specifically discussing religious calligraphies and paintings.

A modern edition was published in 1991 by the Shanghai Guji Shudian 上海古籍書店. It is included in the series Siku quanshu 四庫全書. Both Xubian supplements appeared on the market as a joint edition in 1948, with the title Midian zhulin Shiqu baoji xubian 秘殿珠林石渠寶笈續編.

Table 1. Contents of the *Midian zhulin* 秘殿珠林 (original series)
1.	御制四朝宸翰	Artworks created by the four Qing emperors
2.-3.	名人書釋氏經冊	Booklets with calligraphies of Buddhist texts
4.-5.	無名氏書釋氏經冊	Booklets with calligraphies of Buddhist texts by unknown masters
6.	名人書釋氏經卷	Scrolls of calligraphies of Buddhist texts
7.	名人書釋氏經軸	Finely mounted scrolls of calligraphies of Buddhist texts
7.	無名氏書釋氏經軸	Finely mounted scrolls of calligraphies of Buddhist texts by unknown masters
8.	名人畫釋氏圖冊	Booklets with images of Buddhist topics
8.	無名氏畫釋氏圖冊	Booklets with images of Buddhist topics of unknown masters
9.-10.	名人畫釋氏圖卷	Scrolls of paintings of Buddhist topics
11.	無名氏畫釋氏圖卷	Scrolls of paintings of Buddhist topics by unknown masters
12.	名人畫釋氏圖軸	Finely mounted scrolls of paintings of Buddhist topics
13.	無名氏畫釋氏圖軸	Finely mounted scrolls of paintings of Buddhist topics by unknown masters
13.	名人書畫釋氏合卷	Combined scrolls of calligraphies and paintings of Buddhist topics
14.	名人書刻本釋氏經冊	Printed booklets with calligraphies of Buddhist texts
	舊刻本釋氏經冊	Ancient prints of booklets with calligraphies of Buddhist texts
	繡線釋氏經冊	Booklets with embroideries of Buddhist texts
	繡線釋氏圖卷	Scrolls of embroidered images of Buddhist topics
	繡線釋氏圖軸	Finely mounted scrolls of embroidered images of Buddhist topics
	刻絲釋氏圖軸	Finely mounted images of Buddhist topics printed on silk
15.	名人書道氏經冊	Booklets with calligraphies of Daoist texts
15.	無名氏書道氏經冊	Booklets with calligraphies of Daoist texts by unknown masters
16-17.	名人書道氏經卷	Scrolls of calligraphies of Daoist texts
17.	無名氏書道氏經卷	Scrolls of calligraphies of Daoist texts by unknown masters
17.	名人書道氏經軸	Finely mounted scrolls of calligraphies of Daoist texts
18.	名人畫道氏圖冊	Booklets with images of Daoist topics
	無名氏畫道氏圖冊	Booklets with images of Daoist topics by unknown masters
	名人畫道氏圖卷	Scrolls of paintings of Daoist topics
19.	無名氏畫道氏圖卷	Scrolls of paintings of Daoist topics by unknown masters
20.	名人畫道氏圖軸	Finely mounted scrolls of paintings of Daoist topics
	無名氏畫道氏圖軸	Finely mounted scrolls of paintings of Daoist topics by unknown masters
	名人書畫釋道合集	Combined artworks of Buddhist and Daoist topics
21.	舊刻本道氏經冊	Ancient prints of booklets with calligraphies of Daoist texts
	繡線道氏圖軸	Finely mounted scrolls of embroidered images of Daoist topics
	刻絲道氏圖軸	Finely mounted images of Daoist topics printed on silk
22.	臣工書釋氏經冊	Booklets of calligraphies of Buddhist texts by ministers and officials
	臣工書釋氏經卷	Scrolls of calligraphies of Buddhist texts by ministers and officials
	臣工書釋氏經軸	Finely mounted scrolls of calligraphies of Buddhist texts by ministers and officials
	臣工畫釋氏圖冊	Booklets with images of Buddhist topics by ministers and officials
	臣工畫釋氏圖卷	Scrolls of paintings of Buddhist topics by ministers and officials
	臣工畫釋氏圖軸	Finely mounted scrolls of paintings of Buddhist topics by ministers and officials
	臣工書道氏經冊	Booklets of calligraphies of Daoist texts by ministers and officials
	臣工畫道氏圖冊	Booklets with images of Daoist topics by ministers and officials
23.	御書石刻釋氏經典	Rubbings of stone slab inscriptions of Buddhist texts calligraphied by emperors
	御書石刻道氏經典	Rubbings of stone slab inscriptions of Daoist texts calligraphied by emperors
	御書木刻釋氏經典	Rubbings of wood-board inscriptions of Buddhist texts calligraphied by emperors
	御定刻本釋氏經典 (語錄附)	Rubbings of inscriptions of Buddhist texts fixed by emperors (app. Sayings)
	御定刻本道氏經典	Rubbings of inscriptions of Daoist texts fixed by emperors
	收貯釋氏經典 (語錄附)	Collections of Buddhist texts (app. Sayings)
	收貯道氏經典 (科儀附)	Collections of Daoist texts (app. Liturgies)
24.	供奉繪圖	Paintings and images presented to the throne
24.	供奉經典	Sutras and scriptures presented to the throne

Sources:

Beijing Dongfang Shoucangjia Xiehui 北京東方收藏家協會, ed. (1996). Zhonghua shoucang da cidian 中華收藏大辭典 (Beijing: Beijing Yanshan chubanshe), 31.

Cui Jin 崔錦 (1997). "Midian zhulin 秘殿珠林", in Men Kui 門巋, Zhang Yanjin 張燕瑾, eds. Zhonghua guocui da cidian 中華國粹大辭典 (Xianggang: Guiji wenhua chuban gongsi), 812.

Li Xueqin 李學勤, Lü Wenyu 呂文郁, eds. (1996). Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典 (Changchun: Jilin daxue chubanshe), Vol. 2, 1815.

Liu Di 劉迪 (2009). "Midian zhulin Shiqu baoji chu-xu-sanbian zhi bianzuan ji banben qingkuang kaoshu 《秘殿珠林石渠寶笈》初續三編之編纂及版本情況考述", Guji zhengli yanjiu xuekan 古籍整理研究學刊, 2009 (4): 94-100.

Liu Zhaocheng 劉兆程 (2012). "Lüshun Bowuguan cang Midian zhulin, Shiqu baoji zhulu zuopin zongshu 旅順博物館藏《秘殿珠林》《石渠寶笈》著錄作品綜述", Zhongguo shuhua 中國書畫 2012 (7): 4-13+17+21+25+29+33.

Wang He 王赫 (2011). "Tushu Midian zhulin Shiqu baoji de qianyin 圖說秘殿珠林石渠寶笈的鈐印", Yishu shichang 藝術市場, 2011 (6): 83.

Xue Yongnian 薛永年 (1992). "Midian zhulin, Shiqu baoji 《秘殿珠林》、《石渠寶笈》", Zhongguo da baike quanshu 中國大百科全書, part Meishu 美術 (Beijing/Shanghai: Zhongguo da baike quanshu chubanshe), Vol. 1, 544.

Yang Danxia 楊丹霞 (2015). “Qinding Midian zhulin Shiqu baoji zhulu shuhua 《欽定秘殿珠林石渠寶笈》著錄書畫", Wenwu tiandi 文物天地, 2015 (11): 70-75.

Shiqu baoji 石渠寶笈

The Shiqu baoji 石渠寶笈 "Precious satchel of the Stone Channel [Studio]" has a length of 44 juan. It presents secular artworks according to nine categories, namely booklets with calligraphies (shuce 書冊), booklets with images (huace 畫冊), combined booklets (shuhua hece 書畫合冊), scrolls of calligraphies (shujuan 書卷), scrolls of paintings (huajuan 畫卷), combined scrolls (shuhua hejuan 書畫合卷), finely mounted scrolls of calligraphies (shuzhou 書軸), and of paintings (huazhou 畫軸), and combined ones (shuhua hezhou 書畫合軸). Each category is divided into first-class artworks (shangdeng) and common artworks (cideng).

The catalogue describes the type of paper or silk canvas, the dimensions of the artworks, artists' notes (kuanzhi), seals of owners (yinji), and additional descriptions or dedications ("prefaces and afterwords", tiyong 題詠, bawei 跋尾, ti-ba) found on the artworks listed.

The compilers decided to arrange the whole catalogue according to the buildings where these artworks were stored, which is quite inconvenient for the study of individual genres or artworks:

Table 1. Contents of the *Shiqu baoji* 石渠寶笈 (original series)
1-9	乾清宮	Palace of Celestial Purity
10-18	養心殿	Hall of Mental Cultivation
19	三希堂	Hall of the Three Rarities
20-27	重華宮	Palace of Cherished Glory
28-40	御書房	Imperial Study of Calligraphy
41	學詩堂	Hall of Studying Poetry
42	畫禪室	Studio of Painting and Meditation
43	長春書屋	Library of Eternal Spring
	隨安室	Studio of Suiting Complacency
	攸芋齋藏	Studio of Leisurely Abiding
44	翠雲館	Studio of Azure Clouds
	漱芳齋	Studio of Cleansing Fragrance
	靜怡軒	Lodge of Peaceful Enjoyment
	三友齋	Studio of Triple Amity

The first supplement, Shiqu baoji chongbian 石渠寶笈重編 or xubian 石渠寶笈續編, was compiled by Wang Jie 王傑 (1725-1805), Dong Hao 董浩, Ruan Yuan et al., and the second supplement, Shiqu baoji sanbian 寶笈三編, by Yinghe, Huang Yue 黃鉞 (1750-1841), Wu Qiyan 吳其彥 (1779-1823), Hu Jing 胡敬 (1769-1845) et al. Ruan Yuan and Hu Jing wrote "brush-notes"-style (biji 筆記) essays related to the compilation of the catalogue, namely Shiqu suibi 石渠隨筆, and Xiqing zhaji 西清札記, respectively.

In 1918, the publisher Hanfenlou 涵芬樓 created lithographic prints of the first and second part. The Sanbian was published in full only in 1969, by the Gugong Bowuyuan 故宮博物院 in Taiwan.

Sources:

Cui Jin 崔錦 (1997). "Shiqu baoji 石渠寶笈", in Men Kui 門巋, Zhang Yanjin 張燕瑾, eds. Zhonghua guocui da cidian 中華國粹大辭典 (Xianggang: Guoji wenhua chuban gongsi), 812.

Feng Deming 馮德明 (2010). "Shiqu baoji bing fei shuhua shoucang de baodian 《石渠寶笈》并非書畫收藏的“寶典”", Dongfang shoucang 東方收藏, 2010 (5): 12.

Li Xueqin 李學勤, Lü Wenyu 呂文郁, eds. (1996). Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典 (Changchun: Jilin daxue chubanshe), Vol. 2, 1816.

Qi Yangui 戚廷貴, Liu Xiaoyan 劉孝嚴, Tang Shufan 唐樹凡, eds. (1992). Dong-xifang yishu cidian 東西方藝術辭典 (Changchun: Jilin jiaoyu chubanshe), 656.

Sun Guobin 孫國彬 (1996). "Shiqu baoji 石渠寶笈", in Zhou Gucheng 周谷城, ed. Zhongguo xueshu mingzhu tiyao 中國學術名著提要, Vol. Yishu 藝術卷 (Shanghai: Fudan daxue chubanshe), 845.

Tao Mingjun 陶明君, ed. (1993). Zhongguo hualun cidian 中國畫論辭典 (Changsha: Hunan chubanshe), 311.

Wang He 王赫 (2011). "Tushuo Midian zhulin, Shiqu baoji de qianyin 圖說秘殿珠林石渠寶笈的鈐印", Yishu shichang 藝術市場, 2011 (6): 83.

Xie Jing 謝婧 (2014). "Zhongguo gudai shuhua lei gongjushu: Shiqu baoji 中國古代書畫類工具書——《石渠寶笈》", Heilongjiang shizhi 黑龍江史志, 2014 (15): 297-298.

Xue Yongnian 薛永年 (2015). "Shiqu baoji yu shuhua jiancang 《石渠寶笈》與書畫鑒藏", Zhongguo Guojia Bowuguan guancang 中國國家博物館館刊, 2015 (8): 73-82.

Yang Danxia 楊丹霞 (2001). "Guanyu Shiqu baoji zhulu 關於石渠寶笈著錄", Shoucangjia 收藏家, 2001 (12): 14-19.

Yang Danxia 楊丹霞 (2004). “Shiqu baoji yu Qingdai gongting shuhua de jiancang 《石渠寶笈》與清代宮廷書畫的鑒藏", Yishu shichang 藝術市場, 2004 (10): 119-121; 2004 (11): 134-135; 2004 (12): 116-117.

Yang Danxia 楊丹霞 (2015). “Qinding Midian zhulin Shiqu baoji zhulu shuhua 《欽定秘殿珠林石渠寶笈》著錄書畫", Wenwu tiandi 文物天地, 2015 (11): 70-75.

Zhao Guoying 趙國英 (1992). "Shiqu baoji 石渠寶笈", in Zhongguo da baike quanshu 中國大百科全書, part Wenwu bowuguan 文物·博物館 (Beijing/Shanghai: Zhongguo da baike quanshu chubanshe), 475.

Zhao Lizhong 趙力忠 (1993). "Shiqu baoji 石渠寶笈", in Ru Xin 汝信, ed. Shijie baike zhuzuo cidian 世界百科著作辭典 (Beijing: Zhongguo gongren chubanshe), 359.

Zhao Zhiqiang 趙智强, Zhao Wenjing 趙文婧 (2006). "Shiqu baoji yu gudai shuhua jianding 《石渠寶笈》與古代書畫鑒定", Zhongguo shuhua 中國書畫, 2006 (5): 190-192.

Zhu Saihong 朱賽虹 (2015). "Shiqu baoji chuanshi banben jishi 《石渠寶笈》傳世版本紀實", Zijincheng 紫禁城, 2015 (9): 34-43.