The Textual Research on Qian Jian Du Shi Based on Sheng'an Shi Hua

In the period of the late-Ming (明) and early-Qing (清) dynasty, one can observe a vital change in academic atmosphere: the adoption of a concrete and open mind in conducting academic research which finally led to the flourish of textual research. This change in academic atmosphere can trace its origin to the scholars of the middle-Ming, especially Yang Shen(Sheng'an)(杨慎, 升庵). His Sheng'an Shi Hua(《升庵诗话》) criticized the'emptiness' of the Ming's academic research and had beneficial influence on many scholars. Qian Qianyi(Muzhai) (钱谦益, 牧斋) was among those scholars and his Qian Jian Du Shi(《钱笺杜诗》) is an outstanding work of textual research in early-Qing, which, like Yang's work, emphasized creative and practical mind in academic research.In Qian Jian Du Shi, Qian only quoted one Ming scholar's opinions and this scholar was Yang, but, up to many people's surprise, Qian criticized Yang harshly and never said a good word on him. Why this happened if Yang was considered to be an all-round academic? This essay will look into this question by examining the quotations of Sheng'an Shi Hua in Qian Jian Du Shi and studying the academic developments during the late-Ming and early-Qing period.