Family Anecdotes, West Creek Whispers

Author: Yao Kuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1993-12-01
Features: This book is one of the "Collected Notes on Tang and Song Historical Materials," including two works by Song Dynasty scholars. One, Xixi Congyu (Notes from West Creek), is a note-taking work by Yao Kuan (1105-1162) of the Song Dynasty, divided into two volumes with a total of 141 entries. The book exhibits a pragmatic academic style and is rich in historical materials, documenting some lesser-known poems of Song Dynasty figures and lost literary works from various dynasties. It also includes descriptions of ancient artifacts such as qin (a type of zither) and mirrors, as well as records of the official appointment systems across dynasties. Particularly valuable for modern research on Song Dynasty maritime economy and technology are the entries on the salt tax system of Zhejiang, the inscriptions of the Huai'an Sea Tides Monument, and the methods of salt refinement (shì lǔ). The other work, Jia Shi Ji Wen (Family Anecdotes), is a famous work by the Southern Song Dynasty poet Lu You, recording the anecdotes and stories of his ancestors from his great-grandfather Lu Zhen to his father Lu Zai, as well as some predecessors of the Tang family on his mother's side. It covers historical facts from the Song Dynasty, including politics, economy, diplomatic relations, institutional systems, moral norms, academia, and literature during the reigns of eight emperors from Emperor Zhenzong to Emperor Gaozong. Many of these historical materials are unique to this book and serve as important sources for studying the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties.