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The literary type of anthologies or collections (zongji 總集) is a sub-category to the literary category of belles-lettes (jibu 集部) in the collectaneum Siku quanshu 四庫全書. Books of this type include the writings of more than one person and are compiled according to certain criteria, for example, time periods, or literary styles. They can include poems written under the rule of one dynasty or prose writings from one defined period of time. The writings included in the latter type of book are often arranged according to literary genre, beginning with rhapsodies and poems, going on to memorials to the throne, notes and prefaces, letters and notes, and ending with elegies and tomb stone inscriptions. Books of the zongji type can either be inclusive, recording all types of writings from one style or one period, or and selective. The zongji section in the Siku quanshu includes 165 writings. The most famous are the anthology Wenxuan 文選 by Prince Zhaoming 昭明太子 from the Liang period 梁 (502-557), the anthologies Tangwencui 唐文粹, Songwenjian 宋文鑒, Yuanwenlei 元文類, and Mingwenhai 明文海, as well as the large anthology Wenyuan yinghua 文苑英華 from the Song period 宋 (960-1279) which is often erroneously called an encyclopedia.
* not included in the imperial collectaneum Siku quanshu 四庫全書
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Chinese literature according to the four-category system
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