References

• 《四庫全書總目提要·卷20 經部·禮類二》

Source: 'Yili Yaoyi' (《儀禮要義》), a fifty-volume work, is one of the nine treatises in 'Jiujing Yaoyi' (《九經要義》) authored by Wei Liaoweng during the Song Dynasty. The treatise focuses on the 'Yili' (《儀禮》), a classic text that is notoriously difficult to read and interpret. Wei Liaoweng structured each chapter of 'Yili Yaoyi' with detailed headings and selectively included excerpts from the 'Zhu' (注, commentaries) and 'Shu' (疏, sub-commentaries) at the bottom of each section. This format is similar to that of 'Zhouyi Yaoyi' (《周易要義》), another work in the 'Jiujing Yaoyi' series. The 'Yili' is one of the most challenging texts among the Confucian classics. Scholarly interpretations and exegeses of the 'Yili' are relatively scarce. Historical records show that, apart from commentaries on 'Sangfu' (《喪服》), only a few other works are listed in the bibliographies of the 'Sui' (《隋志》), 'Old Tang' (《舊唐志》), and 'New Tang' (《新唐志》) dynasties. Today, only the commentaries by Zheng Xuan (鄭玄) and the sub-commentaries by Jia Gongyan (賈公彥) remain. Zheng Xuan's commentaries are known for their antiquity and complexity, making them difficult to understand at times. Jia Gongyan's sub-commentaries, while comprehensive, are verbose and intricate, which can obscure the main points. This complexity is noted in the 'Zhuzi Yulü' (《朱子語錄》), where it is mentioned that the 'Yili' is not very clear, suggesting the difficulty in comprehending its content. Wei Liaoweng aimed to simplify and clarify the 'Yili' by selectively editing and organizing Zheng and Jia's works. He divided the content into clear headings and sections, making the text more systematic and easier to understand. This approach allows readers to grasp the nuances and details of the 'Yili' without being hindered by the intricate and sometimes convoluted language. Wei Liaoweng's meticulous work has been particularly beneficial to scholars, as it provides a concise and well-organized resource. While 'Yili Yaoyi' primarily draws from Zheng and Jia, it captures the essential interpretations and insights from their commentaries and sub-commentaries. Subsequent commentaries on the 'Yili' often use Zheng and Jia's work as a foundation, making 'Yili Yaoyi' a valuable summary and reference. Thus, 'Yili Yaoyi' serves as an important guide to the 'Yili', offering a clear and accessible presentation of its content and interpretations. ==References== * 《四庫全書總目提要·卷20 經部·禮類二》