Shin Wen Feng Print

Shin Wen Feng Print (新文豐出版公司) is a Taiwanese academic and religious publishing house founded in 1973 by Gao Ben-zhao (高本釗). It is best known for issuing authoritative editions of the Chinese Buddhist canon, including the Taishō Tripiṭaka and several other recensions, and for large-scale documentary series on Daoism, Dunhuang studies, Chinese folk literature and traditional medicine. The company operates from Taiwan and distributes its titles through a network of agents in Japan, mainland China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. The firm's origins lie in the founder's earlier career as a printing and plate-making entrepreneur who took on Buddhist scripture printing jobs and built relationships with leading monks of the era. In 1971 the monk Dongchu entrusted him with the task of printing the canon, and the publishing company was formally established in 1973. Since then Shin Wen Feng has published multiple versions of the Buddhist canon and hundreds of Buddhist scholarly titles, alongside major series such as the 叢書集成新編, 石刻史料新編, 敦煌寶藏 and 俗文學叢刊. Beyond religion, Shin Wen Feng publishes academic monographs in literature, history, philosophy and the arts through imprints and series including 典範集成, 博雅集林 and 人文新貴, as well as a traditional Chinese medicine list under the 渤海堂 imprint. Its catalogue is aimed at libraries, research institutes and scholars of Sinology, and the company positions itself as a custodian of traditional Chinese textual heritage.

Shin Wen Feng Print was founded in 1973 (Republic of China year 62) by Gao Ben-zhao (高本釗). Gao had come to Taiwan with the military at the age of 14, lived in Tamsui, Chiayi and Tainan, and later left the salt police to study printing and plate-making in the north. At 24 he opened a plate-making company and, through circumstance, began taking on the printing of Buddhist books, forming ties with many eminent monks. Figures such as Cihang, Nanting, Baisheng, Dongchu, Zhenglian, Dao'an and Xuming supported his business, and he also came to know Master Xingyun and Master Shengyan. He later took on the printing of the Zhonghua Dazangjing (Chinese Buddhist Canon). During the printing of the Zhonghua Dazangjing, Japanese representatives came to Taiwan to dispute the copyright of the Taishō Shinshū Daizōkyō and the Wan Zheng and Wan Xu canons. After Buddhist dignitaries including Qu Yingguang, Zhao Hengti, Zhong Huaicun, Zhu Yimin and Cai Yunchen discussed the matter from a cultural perspective with the Japanese side, Japan agreed to grant the copyright of those two canon sets to the then Zhonghua Dazangjing Compilation Committee. When publication of the Zhonghua Dazangjing could not continue, it was taken over by the Chinese Buddhist Culture Institute led by Elder Dongchu. In 1971 Elder Dongchu handed the canon-printing work to Gao, and thus Shin Wen Feng Publishing Co., Ltd. was established. After its founding, the company first published the Taishō Shinshū Daizōkyō, then went on to publish six different versions of the Buddhist canon — the Wan Zheng Canon, Wan Xu Canon, Goryeo Canon, Qisha Canon, Jiaxing Canon and Qianlong Canon — becoming an authority in contemporary Chinese Buddhist canon publishing. To meet the needs of Buddhist studies scholars, it also sought out rare and precious Buddhist texts worldwide, and today offers several hundred purchasable Buddhist titles. In parallel, the company expanded into other historical and literary materials. In Sinology it issued the 叢書集成新編, 續編 and 三編, the 石刻史料新編 series 1–4, 大易類聚, the 補資治通鑑長篇系列, and the 臺灣珍藏善本叢刊 of Ming and Qing poetry collections. In Daoism it published the 道法海涵 series, 正統道藏, 道藏輯要, 中華續道藏初輯 and the 中國傳統儀式音樂研究系列. In Dunhuang studies it produced 敦煌寶藏, gathering Dunhuang manuscripts held in Europe, America, Japan and research institutions and libraries on both sides of the strait, described as the most complete contemporary collection of Dunhuang research materials; it also invited leading Dunhuang scholars to compile the 敦煌導論叢刊, 敦煌叢刊二輯 and 敦煌吐魯番研究中心叢刊, totalling more than two hundred volumes. In folk literature, the 俗文學叢刊 series 1–6, comprising 620 volumes, is described as the world's most complete database of Chinese folk literature. In folk religion it published the 明清民間宗教經卷文獻初編 and 續編, 近代中國民間宗教經卷文獻, 中國傳統科儀本彙編 and the 道教儀式叢書 series. In divination studies it issued the 珍本術數叢書, 中國預言救劫書彙編 and 術數藝文論叢. Beyond the compilation of ancient texts, the company also emphasises academic monographs, aiming to promote traditional culture and establish a benchmark for contemporary Sinology. Its scope covers traditional literature, history, philosophy and religion, with manuscripts first reviewed by editorial committees and then sent to specialist scholars in each field. It has established three book series, including the 典範集成 series, which had published twenty-one titles at the time of the source text, and the 博雅集成 series.

• 1973

  Shin Wen Feng Print is formally established in Taiwan.

• 1971

  Elder Dongchu entrusts Gao Ben-zhao with the printing of the Buddhist canon, leading to the founding of the company.

• Publication of the Taishō Shinshū Daizōkyō, followed by the Wan Zheng, Wan Xu, Goryeo, Qisha, Jiaxing and Qianlong canons.

• Publication of the 敦煌寶藏 collection of Dunhuang manuscripts.

• Publication of the 620-volume 俗文學叢刊 folk literature series.

• Launch of the 典範集成 academic monograph series, reaching twenty-one titles.

Academic and religious publisher of traditional Chinese textual heritage, serving libraries, research institutes and Sinologists worldwide.

• Taishō Shinshū Daizōkyō

• Wan Zheng Canon

• Wan Xu Canon

• Goryeo Canon

• Qisha Canon

• Jiaxing Canon

• Qianlong Canon

• Dunhuang Baozang

• Congshu Jicheng Xinbian

• Shike Shiliao Xinbian

• Suwenxue Congkan

• Zhengtong Daozang

• Zhonghua Fosi Zhi Congshu

• Dianfan Jicheng series

• Boya Jilin series

• Renwen Xingui series

• Bohaitang traditional Chinese medicine books

1. 1新文豐出版公司官方網站swfc.com.tw
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3. 3產品介紹 - 新文豐出版公司swfc.com.tw
4. 4產品介紹 - 新文豐出版公司swfc.com.tw
5. 5Shin Wen Feng Print - Wikidatawikidata.org