Differential textural research on fabricator of the facsimile handwritten copy of Northern Song edition of Shang han lun

Abstract

The 'facsimile handwritten copy of Northern Song edition of Shang han lun' was collected from Japan and named by Yang Shou-jing (1829 - 1915). It was identified as a apocryph. Some scholars even thought if was fabricated by Yang, and announced the messages including the process of fabrication by Yang, being printed by Ke Heng-shi, and being bought by Zhang Jun-heng. This study not only focused on these subjects, but also discussed if Yang had the motive of fabrication or there were other cases fabricated by Yang. Finally we revealed some different results. Firstly, there was no evidence could proof the copy was fabricated by Yang. The most possible fabricator was Japanese in the Eto period (1603 - 1867). Secondly, the edition printed by Ke was not derived from the facsimile handwritten copy. Lastly, the copy was transferred from Yang to Zhang during 1913 to 1914.