欽定四書圖說 (Qin ding si shu tu shuo)

欽定四書圖說 (Qin ding si shu tu shuo)

An illustrated manuscript set of the “Four Classics” on Confucian core value and belief systems: 《論語》 (Analects)、《孟子》(Mencius)、《大學》(Great Learning)、《中庸》 (Doctrine of the Mean). Written upon imperial order of the Qing emperor Guangxu toward the end of his reign (1904–06), it took two years to produce two copies. One was submitted to the throne (later destroyed in the palace fire), and the other is here in The Claremont Colleges Library, which now holds the only copy of the book worldwide.