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Yongle Encyclopedia

Type Object Region China Time 1403–1408

The Yongle Encyclopedia is a large encyclopedic compilation commissioned during the Yongle reign of the Ming dynasty, begun in 1403, gathering over 8…

Timeline

  1. 1403–1405Nanjing · JiangsuThe Yongle Emperor ordered Xie Jin and others to preside over the compilation of a large encyclopedic work, establishing the format of arranging by rhyme, gathering the classics, and organizing by character meaning, and recruiting scholars from across the realm to open a compilation bureau.
  2. 1411–1420Ming compilation bureau · ChinaThe compilation project continued steadily during this period; scholars transcribed, classified, and collated texts from successive dynasties on an unprecedented scale. Some volumes were completed around 1408, with further additions still to come.
  3. 1408–1567Wenyuan Pavilion, Beijing · BeijingThe master copy of the Yongle Encyclopedia was completed around 1408, totaling over 22,000 volumes, and was stored in the Wenyuan Pavilion in Beijing after the capital was moved; most of it was destroyed in warfare during the Ming-Qing transition, and less than four percent survives today.

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