Abstract: In the southern Song dynasty, Zuo Gui compiled Baichuan Xuehai(Lit. Hundred Rivers Reach the Sea of Learning), later praised as the earliest printed collectanea in China. Its first edition is in the possession of the National Library of China. Another old edition of Baichuan Xuehai is stored in the Imperial Household of Japan. This edition was previously appraised as a Ming dynasty print, whereas the author confirms this is totally identical to in printing block, including its frame, style, fonts, and carver’s names. It is difficult to judge the printing time, Song dynasty or Ming dynasty, only by comparison with reproduction, but at least this paper successfully proved the same printing blocks were used in the two editions, and these two are the earliest and reliable edition among all existing editions. Recently, the National Library of China edition was reprinted in the series of Chinese Rare Book Facsimile Reprints, by complementing with the Minkuo period edition for the first volume and nine books which originals are lost in China. By desterilizing another edition in Japan, we can restore the original print of 99 in all the 100 original books of the collectaneam, while the rest is Shengmen Shiye Tu (Illustration of Sacred Member Enterprises), which is lost in the both editions.

Key words:  , Baichuan Xuehai (Hundred Rivers Reach the Sea of Learning), Philology, Distribution of editions, the Imperial Household of Japan, Sheng Men Shi Ye Tu