The 部 pu or subheads, it will be noted, vary so much in length, that the true magnitude of the Encyclopaedia can hardly be gauged from an Index like the present, which consists for the most part in a mere enumeration of these. Length of the subheads. As the Chinese editor puts it, 'One pu may comprise tens or even hundreds of chüan; one chüan may also contain ten or more pu'. A few additional statistics, therefore, may fittingly be given here. Out of the total number of subheads, there are no fewer than 208 which comprise 10 chüan and upwards; of these, 124 have between 10 and 19 chüan, 38 have between 20 and 29, 23 have between 30 and 49, 16 have between 50 and 99, 5 have between 100 and 199, one has 210, and one the colossal total of 540 chüan, or something like 43,200 pages. This last subhead, 醫 Medicine, is again minutely subdivided, 5 of the sub-subheads containing between 10 and 19 chüan, 2 between 20 and 29, and 2 between 40 and 50. Passing to the other extreme, we find a number of subheads which are extremely short, sometimes occupying only a column or two. Such occur especially among the uncommon surnames and foreign countries about which next to nothing is known. So many of the subheads being of such prodigious length, and yet hardly susceptible, like Medicine, of further subdivision according to subject, some other expedient was obviously necessary in order that this enormous bulk of matter might be rendered more approachable for purposes of reference. Internal classification of the subheads.What the editors did was to introduce under each subhead a systematic classification of a novel kind. In previous compilations little or no distinction had been made between the various sources laid under contribution, and the extracts appearing under each subhead had been jumbled together without any attempt at marking their relative value or authenticity. This defect was now remedied by the expedient of arranging the material in certain fixed groups, occurring in the following invariable order: —
(1) 匯考 Hui k'ao. The principal series of extracts from standard works of every description, arranged chronologically so far as the nature of the subject permits. Included in this division are also (a) 圖 T'u, pictures, maps and diagrams, about which a word will be said presently; and (b) 表 Piao, chronological and other tables.
(2) 總論 Tsung lun. Disquisitions of a general character, or constituting an all-round treatment of the subject. These are also drawn from the most authoritative sources, and form the principal group in cases where a chronological survey is not admissible. As a rule, however, they represent opinions rather than facts, and may. therefore be considered as of less importance than the Hui k'ao.
(3) 列傳 Lieh chuan. Biographies. These are indicated by the letter 'b' in the present Index.[1]
(4) 藝文 I wên. Elegant compositions, especially pieces in the poetical prose known as 詞. The shorter specimens are reproduced entire, from the longer ones only the cream is extracted. Generally speaking, in the more ancient pieces, down to the T'ang dynasty inclusive, fullness is aimed at, while from the Sung onwards there is more abbreviation.
- ↑ It was first of all intended to include the other groups as well; but it soon appeared that the amount of labour entailed would be quite incommensurate with the advantage to be gained.
