Textual research on the original edition of Chongguang buzhu huangdineijing suwen (Revisions and Extensive Notes on the Plain Question of Huangdi's Inner Classic)

Abstract

It is generally held that the original edition for the revision of Su wen (Plain Questions) by the Bureau for Revising Medical Books of Northern Song dynasty was Huangdineijing suwen (Plain Questions of the Huangdi's Inner Classic) commented by WANG Bing. However, some doubtful points were found in Chongguang buzhu huangdineijing suwen (Revised and Extensive Notes on the Plain Question of Huangdi's Inner Classic) that the government of the Song dynasty had twice arranged to collate Su Wen after WANG Bing and before LIN Yi; there were also private editors. Through in-depth study of the comments of LIN Yi, it can be concluded that the new revision did not adopt the original edition of the secondary annotated edition, but that of the alternative edition of the secondary annotated edition with commentaries, which ought to be the re-collated edition on the basis of the collation of Tiansheng in the fourth year (1026) by DING Du of Jingyou in the second year (1035).