哈佛大学馆藏《拍案惊奇》的价值

The Value of the Harvard University Collection of Amazing Tales

美国哈佛大学哈佛燕京图书馆馆藏的《拍案惊奇》来自齐如山,共36卷12册,为消闲居刻本。此书缺失4篇小说,盖有5种印,目录有36卷的回目,部分篇目有标点、评点。此书印刷不够精良,错别字多,保存不完善,多处字迹漫漶。但此本有一定的学术研究及参考价值,其中不少文字比通行的其他版本更形象、准确、通俗,研究藏书人或读者对此本的标点和评点,可以获知此本的流传、接受情况,目前对于《拍案惊奇》的研究大都是以明代尚友堂刊本为底本的各种版本,对于此本的研究是不够的,我们应该努力发掘此本的价值,有效保护和整理利用流失海外的珍贵文献,达到延长中国古籍生命的目的。

The collection of Amazing Tales in the Yanjing Library at Harvard University in the United States is from Qi Rushan,and engraved by Xiao Xianju.The 36 volumes of the book are compiled into 12 paper bindings.The book has 4 novels missing,and is stamped with 5 various seals.The catalog consists of a 36-volume retrospective,and some of main content is punctuated and commented.Despite its plain printing,many misspellings,poor preservation,and indecipherable handwriting in many places,the book does have certain academic research and reference value,and many of its texts are more vivid,accurate,and popular than other commonly used versions.Moreover,the circulation and acceptance of this book can be concluded by studying the punctuation and evaluation of its collectors or readers.At present,most research on Amazing Tales is based on various versions of the engraving of Shang Youtang,which means insufficient research on the book itself.In this case,we should strive to discover the value of this book,and protect and utilize the precious overseas documents that has been lost,so as to prolong the life of ancient Chinese book.