试析《明史·艺文志》专记一代著述的原因

Reasons Why Books only in that Dynasty Recorded in Records of Art and Literature of Ming History

《明史.艺文志》在编纂方式上,与以前的正史目录有着明显的区别,不是记一代藏书,而是专记一代著述。这样的做法,是因为当时没有可以依据的官藏书目;同时,明代官私藏书甚丰,要照顾到艺文志的内容与整部正史的平衡,也难以全部录入。这种编纂方式可从正史艺文志的编纂源流上找到依据,并且还有理论上的支持。

Records of Art and Literature of Ming History is different from other history books in that it records only the books written but not books kept in that dynasty. It is because there was no bibliogra- phy of authoritatively-kept books, and meanwhile, privately-kept books were too enormous to be recor- ded entirely in consideration of the balance between content of records of art and literature and the whole history book. This compiling method can be traced in all the records of art and literature in his- tory books and has its theoretical support.