Two volumes of an encyclopedia from the Ming dynasty in China sold for 1,000 times more than they were listed for at an auction in Paris this week.
The volumes, which sold for more than $9 million at Paris auction house Beaussant Lefevre, are part of the Yongle Dadian, an encyclopedia commissioned by Yongle Emperor Zhu Di that included recipes, the ancestry of emperors, and a diverse collection of literature from centuries ago.
“The Encyclopedia sought to encompass ALL knowledge,” collector Tong Bingxue tweeted. “Commissioned by the Yongle Emperor in 1403.”
Bingxue added that Jin Liang, a Chinese entrepreneur from Zhejiang Province, purchased the two volumes.
In a description of the books released by Beaussant Lefevre, the auction house said the Yongle Dadian was created through the work of 2,000 scholars between 1404 and 1408 and consists of more than 22,000 chapters. The Yongle emperor also oversaw the construction of China’s Forbidden City, which still stands today.
The two volumes are part of only 400 remaining volumes, or 4% of the original encyclopedia, according to Beaussant Lefevre.
Two volumes of the Ming Dynasty’s Yongle Encyclopedia (永樂大典) sold yesterday at auction in Paris for 8 128 000€, over 1000 times of the estimated price. The Encyclopedia sought to encompass ALL knowledge. Commissioned by the Yongle Emperor in 1403. pic.twitter.com/isGOt9aB3Q
— Tong Bingxue 仝冰雪 (@tongbingxue) July 8, 2020
