The Changes of the Naming of Works on The Book of Songs in Ming Dynasty

The changes in the naming of studies on Shi Jing (The Book of Songs) in Ming Dynasty reflect shifts in research focus during this period. This paper classifies and statistically analyzes the titles of works of commentaries on The Book of Songs in Ming Dynasty. It also summarizes their patterns and examines the reasons for these changes in the context of the academic landscape in the period. The findings suggest as follows. On one hand, there was an increase in titles using terms such as MAO’s commentary on The Book of Songs, an integrative approach, and judicious evaluation. The usage of the terms was influenced by the revival of traditional Chinese studies before Yuan Dynasty. On the other hand, the use of terms like compilation of explanations and collective lectures and discussions were not found frequently. This indicates that scholars of the Ming Dynasty shifted their focus away from Commentary on The Book of Songs by Zhu Xi. The shift might result from the influence of WANG Yangming’s School of Mind Philosophy on which an interpretive approach centered on mind is rested. Therefore, the words in the titles included yi (imagination) and yi (doubt). It is also worth mentioning that the literariness of titles is refined. Under the strict writing requirements of the bagu wen (the eight-part essay) which was composed by candidates of the imperial examination, there was a significant increase of works interpreting The Book of Songs through academic discussion and exchange. As a result, the development of the publishing industry also contributed to the changes in the naming conventions of imperial examination texts.