Chen Menglei

In thisChinese name,thefamily nameisChen.

Chen Menglei
Trần mộng lôi
Born	1650 Fuzhou,Fu gian,Qing dynasty
Died	1741 Heilong gian g,Qing dynasty
Occupation(s)	Encyclopedist, historian, philosopher
Era	Kangxiera
Organization	Hanlin Academy
Known for	Gujin Tushu Jicheng
Chinese name
Chinese	TrầnMộngLôi
Transcriptions
Zezhen
Simplified Chinese	TắcChấn
Transcriptions
Shengzhai
Simplified Chinese	TỉnhTrai
Transcriptions
Songhe laoren
Chinese	TùngHạcLãoNgười
Transcriptions
Tianyidaoren
Chinese	ThiênMộtNóiNgười
Transcriptions

Chen Menglei(Chinese:Trần mộng lôi;Chinese:Trần mộng lôi;1650–1741) was a Chinese encyclopedist, historian, and philosopher during theQing dynasty.He was a scholar-writer known for being the chief editor, compiler, and author of theGujin Tushu JichengChinese encyclopedia. In 1670, he became aJinshi.Chen Menglei conducted research for over 50 years, covering more than 10,000 volumes of books,and in 1701 was entrusted by theKangxi Emperorto compile the Gujin Tushu Jicheng encyclopedia, which Chen completed in four and a half years.

Chen Menglei also had thecourtesy nameZezhen ( tắc chấn ),sobriquetorart nameShengzhai ( tỉnh trai ), and epithet "Pine Crane Elder" ( tùng hạc lão nhân ).

Life

Chen Menglei was born in modern-dayFuzhouinHouguan county.In 1670, at the age of 20, he obtained his scholar degree, became aJinshi,and was selected as a scholar for theHanlin Academy.In 1673, he returned to his hometown to visit his relatives, which coincided with theRevolt of the Three Feudatories,and he was caught in the midst ofGeng Jingzhong's rebellion. Chen Menglei at the time was friends with fellow writerLi Guangdi.Chen Sui ( trần toại ) and Li Guangdi together went to the office of Fu gian chancellor Fu Hongji ( phú Hòn Gai ) to demonstrate their loyalty to the Qing dynasty. In 1676, in September, the Qing soldiers passed through Xianxia pass ( tiên hà quan ) to enter Fu gian, and Geng Jingzhong surrendered. At this time, as part of machinations by Li Guangdi, Menglei was framed and falsely accused by Xu Hongbi ( từ hồng bật ) from the Geng faction. Chen Menglei was mistakenly taken for Chen Fang ( trần phưởng ). But later Chen Menglei cleared his name and showed his innocence.

Writing the Gujin Tushu Jicheng

In 1698, the Kangxi Emperor made an eastern tour, and Chen Menglei went to work and study with the third son of the Kangxi Emperor: Prince Cheng,Yinzhi.Chen Menglei's study was changed to "Songheshan Room" ( tùng hạc sơn phòng ), and he called himself "Songhe Elder" ( tùng hạc lão nhân ), meaning "Pine Crane Elder" as the Kangxi emperor gave the couplet "The pine is tall and the branches and leaves are luxuriant, while the old crane has new feathers."

During this period, in October of 1701, Chen began to compile the book, theCompendium,orTushu Huibian( sách báo tổng hợp ).Chen Menglei referred to the "Xieyitang" ( hiệp một đường ) book collection and more than 15,000 volumes of ancient books in his own family to classify and edit the encyclopedia. After five years (1701-1705) of 'eye to eye inspection, morning and evening' ( “Mục doanh tay kiểm, khăng khít thần tịch” ), in May of 1705, he completed theCompendium.

There are 10,000 volumes of the book and 40 volumes of catalogues, with a total of 160 million words. The whole book is divided into six parts: Astronomy/Calendar, Geography, Society, Nature, Philosophy, Economics, etc. ( lịch tượng, phương dư, minh luận, khoa vạn vật, lý học, kinh tế chờ ). Each edition is divided into severalcodices,totaling 36 codices, and each codex is divided into cadres, totaling 6,109. There are many contents, and the classification is clear.

In the 1706, the first draft was completed, and after the Kangxi emperor inspected it, he changed the title fromCompendiumto theGujin Tushu Jicheng( cổ kim sách báo tổng thể ), literally a 'compilation of ancient and modern books'. When theYongzheng Emperorascended the throne, he orderedJiang Tingxito help Chen Menglei finish completing the encyclopedia. In 1934, theZhonghua Book Company( Trung Hoa thư cục ) published copies of the encyclopedia signing Chen Menglei's name.

Zhang Tingyucommented: "Since the book contract was established, one book has been used throughout the past and the present, covering everything, and there is no one like the author of Gujin Tushu Jicheng."

In Chen Menglei's "Songheshan Fangji" (《 tùng hạc sơn phòng tập 》), Volume 2, "Starting the Compendium" (《 tiến tổng hợp khải 》 jin huibian qi), it is mentioned that in this great book "everything across the country, includingThirteen Classicsand the21 Histories,was covered. Almost nothing was left out from the collection of ancient history except maybe one or two words deleted. "

In 1722, the Kangxi emperor died. Chen Menglei continued to study with Prince Cheng, Yinzhi. However the incomingYongzheng Emperorhad been opposed by Yinzhi, and in January of 1723, Chen Menglei and his two children moved toHeilong gian g,having been exiled by the new emperor. At this time, Chen Menglei was 74 years old. In 1741, Chen Menglei died of illness in a garrison, aged 92.

Works

• Gujin Tushu Jicheng
• Gaodu Chenghuangwen (《 cáo đô thành hoàng văn 》), July 1680: onCity God (China)

Further reading

• Hummel, Arthur W. Sr.,ed. (1943)."Ch'ên Mêng-lei".Eminent Chinese of the Ch'ing Period.United States Government Printing Office.