The Formation of the Variant Editions of Hu Hong’s Zhiyan and Zhu Xi, Zhang Shi, and Lu Zu-qian’s Zhiyan Yiyi

Zhiyan (知言), the representative work of the Song Dynasty scholar Hu Hong, underwent significant transformations in its structure and textual content during publication due to the influence of Zhiyan Yiyi (知言疑義) by Zhu Xi, Zhang Shi, and Lu Zu-qian. Current research on these two texts has focused predominantly on their philosophical interpretations, while a thorough examination of the formation of their variant editions remains insufficient. By reconstituting the circumstances and processes through which Zhiyan and Zhiyan Yiyi were composed, compiled, and published, and by tracing the editors of their variant editions, this paper provides insight into the extant versions while revealing the philosophical background of the Huxiang and the Zhu Xi schools. Specifically, this study finds that, (1) Zhiyan existed in at least 3 different editions and was distributed through 3 distinct channels; and (2) its original form was likely preserved until the late Southern Song Dynasty.