Compiled under the reign of Emperor Yongle (1402–1424), the Yongle Encyclopedia was the largest reference work in Chinese history, encompassing 11,095 volumes and nearly 23,000 chapters. It gathered almost every known text of the time—preserving thousands of earlier works from the Song and Yuan dynasties that might otherwise have been lost. Along with Zheng He’s maritime expeditions and the construction of Beijing, it stands as a hallmark of the Yongle era’s cultural and political grandeur.
Tragically, the encyclopedia was nearly destroyed in later centuries. The original was lost after a palace fire in the Ming dynasty, and the surviving copy—made during the Jiajing reign—was largely dispersed or destroyed during the Boxer Rebellion and the invasion of Beijing by the Eight-Nation Alliance in 1900. Today, less than four percent of the work survives, scattered among libraries and museums across the world.
In this lecture presented by the Renwen Society at China Institute, Professor Kong will explore the extraordinary history and enduring significance of the Yongle Encyclopedia: its compilation process and political motives; its value in preserving early Chinese civilization; its reflection of the spirit and integrity of Ming scholars; and the mystery surrounding the lost original.
《永乐大典》是中国历史上规模最大的一部按韵编排的类书，全书共11,095册，汇集明初以前近万种珍贵典籍，与郑和下西洋、营造北京城并称为“永乐盛世”的象征。
然而，自清末“庚子事变”八国联军入侵后，这部旷世巨典散佚殆尽，现存卷数不足原书的4%，且流散于世界各地。《永乐大典》的命运，正是中华优秀文化历经劫难的缩影。
华美人文学会将在美东时间2025年11月22日（周六）晚8时至9时半（北京时间11月23日上午9时至10时半）特邀南京艺术学院孔庆茂教授做“《永乐大典》的前世与今生”在线讲座。
本讲座将从以下几个方面，深入探讨《永乐大典》的非凡历史与文化意义：
1. 修纂缘起与时代背景——燕王朱棣靖难称帝后，为巩固皇权、笼络人心而下令编纂《永乐大典》，以文治与武功并举，成为“永乐盛世”的象征。永乐十九年迁都北京后，大典随迁。嘉靖三十六年内府失火，为防典籍损毁，朝廷重抄一部副本，自此永乐原本下落不明。嘉靖副本在清末义和团运动及八国联军入侵中亦多遭散佚。追寻失落的《永乐大典》，成为百年来中国知识界与文化界挥之不去的梦想。
2. 在中国文化史上的价值与意义——《永乐大典》保存了大量宋元以前的佚书与古籍，是传承中华文明的重要文献宝库。
3. 明代士人与《永乐大典》精神——从编纂过程与学术风貌，探讨明代士人的学术气节与文化自信，并与《四库全书》进行比较。
4. 正本之谜与当代意义——关于永乐原本的命运与去向，至今仍是学界未解之谜，也激发了后世对文化遗产保护与重建的深思。
