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Which four branches of Chinese learning were included in the Sikuquanshu?
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Qianlong
Chinese emperor Qianlong.
The Sikuquanshu (or "Complete Library in the Four Branches of Literature"), commissioned by the Qianlong emperor, organized Chinese learning into four traditional divisions:1
- Classical works
- Historical works
- Philosophical works
- Belles lettres
This massive compilation, which involved the scrutiny of imperial and private libraries, served as a significant contribution to Chinese literature, though the project was also accompanied by strict censorship of texts deemed seditious by the emperor.1