遼寧省檔案館藏《明太祖實錄》稿部分抄本辨偽

A Critical Review of the Manuscript Copy of the Ming Taizu Shilu (Veritable Records of Ming Taizu) Kept inthe 'Archives of Liaoning Province

黃秀顏(Wong Sau-ngan, Kate)

《中國文化研究所學報》 新8期 (1999/01) Pp. 195-233

https://doi.org/10.29708/JCS.CUHK.199901_(8).0007

並列摘要

This article is a critical review of the manuscript copy of the Ming Taizu shilu, the Veritable Records of Ming Taizu, founder of the Ming dynasty, kept in the Archives of Liaoning Province. The Archives acquired the manuscript in 1969 and a preliminary study in 1985 alleged that it was a draft of the first compilation of the record produced during the brief Jianwen reign. The reason is that the manuscript mentions several times the name of the Prince of Yan. This was simply not impossible in the Yongle reign under the prescribed principles and rules of court compilation works. The only extant version of the Taizu shilu is the third compilation which was produced with political motives. The Yongle Emperor (Taizong) ordered the first compilation to be revised and rewritten in order to lay claim to legitimate succession to his father. This led to a series of expurgation and fabrication of facts and attitudes in his favour. For instance, it inserted a false statement that the Prince of Yan was born to Empress Ma and by implication, was the rightful successor to the throne according to the principle of Primogeniture. He was not appointed only because of the intervention of the Hanlin Academician Liu Sanwu. After the completion of the new draft, the old text was burned. The manuscript cop y kept in the Archives of Liaoning Province has been assumed to be a piece of rare literature and of high historical value. It has the record of only eighty-eight daily entries of the year of 1392, including the death of the crown prince, discussion on the appointment of the new heir apparent, the promotion and demotion of officials, the relief of people in stricken areas, the tributes by vassal states, and so on. However, this manuscript has numerous errors on official titles, personal and geographical names. Moreover, it has-the same account of the new heir apparent as that in the third compilation. It is impossible for a faked story interpolated into the draft of the first compilation before the enthronement of Taizong. Its origin and circumstances of dissemination also arouse doubts and confusions. For these reasons, the authenticity of this manuscript copy of Taizu shilu is very doubtful. It may be a multiple duplicate copy of the extant version or even a spurious product.