Complete Notes on the Song Dynasty. Volume 1, Part 2

Author: Zhu Yian / Fu Xuancong, etc., 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 compile as many notes written by Song Dynasty scholars as possible, truly reflecting the "comprehensiveness" of the Complete Notes of the Song Dynasty and 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 complete collections," as well as "specialized collections with focused themes and rigid structures," such as "poetic discussions, recorded sayings, genealogical records like The Tea Classic, Painting Spectra, Records of Prominent Officials, and Official Precepts," and certainly not including novels or biographies that narrate stories in detail. Comparing this book to the Grand Collection of Notes and Fiction published by Taiwan's Emerging Book Company in 1984, the latter, while including many Song Dynasty notes, has two shortcomings: first, it mixes Song Dynasty notes with fiction, genealogical records, popular narratives, and poetic discussions; second, some of the versions are not refined. Of course, the reviewer evaluates this book only from the perspective of Song Dynasty notes and does not deny its overall documentary value. Comparing it to the Comprehensive Collection of Notes and Fiction of All Dynasties·Song Dynasty Notes and Fiction published by Hebei Education Press in February 1995, the latter has the following shortcomings: first, it only includes 188 Song Dynasty notes, and some important notes are inexplicably omitted, such as Hong Mai's Rongzhai Notes, Zhou Mi's Kixin Miscellaneous Records, Zhou's Qingbo Magazine, Wang Guoguo's Xuelin, Yue Ke's Muchen Shi, Luo Daqing's Helin Yulu, Wang Bi's Mianshui Yantalu, Ouyang Xiu's Guiquanlu, 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'an Notes, 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 recorded as "Wang Muyong" instead of "Wang Yong," the author of Ding Jin Gong Tanlu being recorded as "Ding Wei" instead of "Ding Wei," the author of Song Jingwen Gong Biji being recorded as "Song Qi" instead of "Song Qi," the character "zhou" in Pingzhou Ketao being mistakenly recorded as "zhou," the character "ji" in Jiyu Biance Lu being mistakenly recorded as "yi," the character "zhu" in Zhuailian Xulun being mistakenly recorded as "shu," the author Dai Hu being mistakenly recorded as "Dai Zhi," the author Zhao of Yangkao Manbi being recorded as "Zhao of Yangkao Manbi," and the author Chen of Fuyuan Yelu being recorded as "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 in the first volume, 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 important ones include Zhang Ji's Jia Shi Tanlu, Wang Zeng's Wang Wen Zheng Gong Bilu, 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. These notes, though not lengthy, contain valuable historical materials related to the social economy, politics, and customs of the time, leaving behind treasures for later generations. Third, compared to previously collated and punctuated Song Dynasty notes, this book has a relatively "accurate" characteristic, meaning the collation and punctuation are more precise. The contributors to the collation and punctuation of this book are mostly scholars with outstanding achievements in ancient Chinese history and literature, particularly in Tang and Song literature and history. Although it is not daring to call them the best in the world, they can be considered first-class. Taking the collation and punctuation of the first volume as an example, especially Kong Fanli, who collated and punctuated works such as Dongpo Zhilin, Quchi Biji, Yujiao Xianhua Lu, Longchuan Luezhi, and Longchuan Biexhi, Deng Guangming and Zhang Xiqing, who collated and punctuated Sishui Jiyun, Yu Yunuo, who collated and punctuated Nanbu Xinshu, Jinshi Huayuan, Diao Ji Litan, and Ding Jin Gong Tanlu, and Huang Chunyan, who collated and punctuated works such as Sun Weimin Zhengnan Lu, etc., are all renowned experts in Song Dynasty history or Song Dynasty literature. 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 Prime Minister of the Ministry of Works, Wang Gong, served as the director of Qiao during the Zhidao era of the Zhenzong reign" (page 23), mistakenly taking the last era name "Zhidao" of Emperor Zhenzong as the name of "Wang Gong." This has now been corrected to: "The Prime Minister of the Ministry of Works, Wang Gong, served as the director of Qiao during the Zhidao era of the Zhenzong reign." Similarly, in the first volume of Chunming Tuichao Lu by Song Minqiu (Zhonghua Book Company, 1980 edition), the original text reads: "In the eleventh month of the Kaobao era of the Taizong reign, 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 eleventh month of the Kaobao era of the Taizong reign, 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 collation and punctuation of this book has been 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, with inevitable shortcomings such as some incorrect annotations and punctuation errors, according to the compilers' plan, the entire book is divided into approximately 10 volumes and will be completed within five to six years. The reviewer believes that as the compilers gradually accumulate experience and the collators steadily improve their skills, they will eventually present a brand-new, high-quality documentary anthology to the readers.