Complete Notes on the Song Dynasty. Volume 1, Three

Author: Zhu Yian / Fu Xuancong, et al. (editors)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-10-01
Features: Upon reviewing this book, the editor found that it possesses the following characteristics: First, based on a scientific definition of the term "notes," the book attempts to collect as many notes written by Song Dynasty scholars as possible, truly reflecting the "comprehensiveness" of the Complete Notes of the Song Dynasty, avoiding omissions and disorganization. The compilers adhere to the principle that "notes are spontaneous records rather than deliberate compositions," limiting the collection to "complete collections of notes by Song Dynasty scholars" and excluding "scattered individual notes that have not formed a complete collection," as well as "specialized collections with focused themes and rigid structures," such as "poetic discussions, recorded sayings, genealogical records, The Tea Classic, Painting Spectacle, Records of Renowned Officials, and Official Precepts," etc. Of course, it also excludes novels and biographies that narrate stories in a sequential manner. Comparing this book with the Grand Collection of Notes and Fiction published by Taiwan's Emerging Books Company in 1984 (June), the latter, while including many Song Dynasty notes, has two shortcomings: first, it mixes Song Dynasty notes with fiction, genealogical records, popular tales, and poetic discussions; second, some of the versions are not refined. Naturally, the reviewer judges this book from the perspective of Song Dynasty notes and does not deny its overall documentary value. Comparing it with the Comprehensive Collection of Notes and Fiction of Dynasties·Song Dynasty Notes and Fiction published by Hebei Education Press in 1995 (February), the latter's shortcomings are: first, it only includes 188 Song Dynasty notes, and some important notes are inexplicably excluded, such as Hong Mai's Rongzhai Notes, Zhou Mi's Kixin Miscellaneous Records, Zhou's Qingbo Magazine, Wang Guanguo's Xuelin, Yue Ke's Muchen History, Luo Daqing's Helin Yulu, Wang Bi's Mianshui Yantalu, Ouyang Xiu's Retirement Records, He's Chunzhu Jiyun, Peng's Moke Huixi (which has already included ten volumes of Continued Moke Huixi), Zhao Liantian's Houlinglu, Ye Mengde's Shilin Yanyu, Lu You's Laoxue Anbi, Gong Mingzhi's Zhongwu Jiyun, etc. Without these notes, it is difficult to reflect the full picture of Song Dynasty notes, which is a great regret. Additionally, the catalog of Song Dynasty notes and fiction compiled in the latter contains numerous errors, such as the author of Yanji Yimolu being mistakenly listed as "Wang Muyong" instead of "Wang Yong," the author of Ding Jin Gong Tanlu being listed as "Ding Wei" instead of "Ding Wei," the author of Song Jingwen Gong Biji being listed as "Song Qi" instead of "Song Qi," the character "zhou" being mistakenly written as "zhou" in Pingzhou Ketao, the character "ji" being mistakenly written as "yi" in Jiyou Biance Lu, the character "zhu" being mistakenly written as "shu" in Zhuqian Xulun, the author Dai Hu being listed as "Dai Zhi" instead of "Dai Zhi," the author Zhao of Yangkao Manbi being listed as "Zhao of Yangkao Manbilu" instead of "Zhao of Yangkao Manbi," and the author Chen being listed as "Chen" instead of "Chen," etc. Second, most of the Song Dynasty notes in this book are presented to the public for the first time after being collated and punctuated, reflecting the "new" characteristic. In the 49 notes compiled in this book, 13 have already been collated and punctuated by Zhonghua Book Company and Shanghai, while 36 have been newly collated and punctuated, accounting for over 73% of the total. Among these newly collated and punctuated notes, some of the more important ones include Zhang Ji's Jia Shi Tanlu, Wang Zeng's Wang Wen Zheng Gong Biliu, Song Qi's Song Jingwen Gong Biji, Jiang Xiufu's Jiang Liji Zazhi, Zeng Bu's Zeng Gong Yilu, Su Shi's Quchi Biji, Su Shi's Yujiao Xianhua Lu, Chao Shuozhi's Chao Shi Keyu, Wang Qiner's Wang Shi Tanlu, etc. Some of these notes, though not lengthy, contain content related to the social economy, politics, and customs of the time, leaving behind valuable historical materials for later generations, making them particularly precious. Third, compared to previously collated and punctuated Song Dynasty notes, this book exhibits a relatively "accurate" characteristic, with the collation and punctuation being more precise. The compilers and collators of this book are mostly scholars who have made outstanding achievements in the fields of ancient Chinese history and ancient literature, especially in Tang and Song literature and history. Although it is not advisable to overpraise them as the best in the world, they can be considered first-class. Taking the compilation as an example, figures such as Kong Fanli, who collated and punctuated works like Dongpo Zhilin, Quchi Biji, Yujiao Xianhua Lu, Longchuan Luezhi, and Longchuan Biezhi, Deng Guangming and Zhang Xiqing, who collated and punctuated Sishui Jiyun, Yu Yunuo, who collated and punctuated Nanbu Xinwen, Jinshi Huayuan, Diao Ji Litan, and Ding Jin Gong Tanlu, and Huang Chunyan, who collated and punctuated works like Sun Weimin Zhengnan Lu, etc., are all renowned experts in Song Dynasty history or Song Dynasty literature and documents. This is sufficient to ensure that the collation, punctuation, and collation of this book are presented to readers with high quality. For example, the previously published Xiangshan Yelu by Shi Wenying (Zhonghua Book Company, 1984 edition) contains some punctuation errors, such as the original text in the first volume: "The minister of the Ministry of Works, Wang Gong, of the Zidao era, in the Bingwen year, served as the director of the Qiao military office" (page 23), mistakenly taking the last reign title of Emperor Taizong of Song, "Zidao," as the name of "the minister of the Ministry of Works, Wang Gong." This has now been corrected to: "The minister of the Ministry of Works, Wang Gong, served as the director of the Qiao military office in the Bingwen year of the Zidao era." Similarly, the first volume of Song Minqiu's Chunming Chu Chao Lu (Zhonghua Book Company, 1980 edition) originally read: "In the eighth year of the Kaibao era, November, Jiangnan was pacified, and the Bian River was left to await the boat of the Liguang ruler" (page 5). This has now been corrected to: "In the eighth year of the Kaibao era, November, Jiangnan was pacified, and the Bian River was left to await the boat of the Liguang ruler." These improvements are evident, thus ensuring that the quality of the punctuation in this book has further improved. In conclusion, The Complete Notes of the Song Dynasty is the third large-scale anthology in the field of Song Dynasty literature and history after The Complete Poems of the Song Dynasty and The Complete Writings of the Song Dynasty. Although it has only published the first volume so far and inevitably contains some shortcomings such as incorrect annotations and punctuation errors, according to the compilers' plan, the entire work will be divided into approximately 10 volumes and completed within five to six years. The reviewer believes that as the compilers accumulate more experience and the collators gradually improve their skills, they will eventually present a brand-new, high-quality documentary anthology to the readers.