Author:Yu Li-wen

Feng Menglong was not only an active figure in the late Ming publishing market, compiling folk song anthologies, vernacular fiction, and dramas, while serveing as both an author (including editor) and a publisher, but he was also a Confucian scholar deeply versed in the Chunqiu, holding the dual role of historian. Scholars have explored the influence of Feng Menglong’s identity as a historian on his editorial activities, as well as the historical consciousness and political concerns reflected in his works. However, little research has been done on the concrete impact of his dual identities as both literati and Confucian scholar on the compilation of his diverse works.

Building on existing studies of Feng Menglong’s contributions to history of the books, this paper examines the target readership for his various works, using the controversial figure Wang Anshi whose reputation among scholars after the mid-Ming period was more often negative than positive, as a focal point. By comparing his portrayal in Gujin xiao, Zhi nang, Jingshi tongyan, and Gangjian tongyi, this study aims to offer a more detailed understanding of Feng Menglong’s compilation strategies and how he shaped the image and evaluation of the same historical figure across different types of works.
Page: 123-162
Keywords: Feng Menglong, history of the books, editor, Chunqiu, scholar
BULLETIN OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHINESE LITERATURE NATIONAL CHENGCHI UNIVERSITY NO.42