Luoxi Notes

Author: Shen Kuo
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-08-01
Features: This book is a Song Dynasty miscellany. Shen Kuo of the Northern Song Dynasty (1031–1095) wrote it. Shen Kuo, styled Cunzhong, was a native of Qiantang and a renowned naturalist, politician, and graduate of the Jiayou Examination. In his later years, he resided in Runzhou, built Luoxi Garden, and compiled "Luoxi Notes" based on his life experiences. The book consists of thirty volumes. It includes "Record of Talks" () in twenty-six volumes, divided into twenty-seven categories such as anecdotes, debates, music theory, mathematics, human affairs, government, strategy, literature, calligraphy and painting, crafts, utensils, marvels, strange events, errors, satire, difficulties, and music discussions; "Supplementary Record of Talks" in three volumes, covering only eleven of these categories; and "Continued Record of Talks" in one volume, without categories. The entire book contains six hundred and nine entries, covering topics such as astronomy, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, geology, geography, meteorology, medicine, engineering technology, literature, history, music, and art. The natural science sections summarize the achievements of ancient Chinese science, especially during the Northern Song Dynasty. The book records important technological historical materials, such as Bi Sheng's movable-type printing, Yu Hao's "Wood Classics" and his architectural achievements, Gao Chao's advanced methods for joining rivers and sealing breaches, as well as methods for smelting iron. Shen Kuo correctly explained the imaging principle of concave mirrors, the origin of moonlight, the resonance of sound waves, and the erosional effects of water on the Taihang Mountains and Yandang Mountains. In mathematics, he summarized the summation method for second-order arithmetic progressions, "Xi Ji Sutras," and the approximate formula for calculating arc lengths, "Hui Yuan Sutras." The book also describes ancient paleontology, groundwater, petrified wood, petroleum applications, and the properties of medicinal substances. Regarding historical phenomena, it provides detailed accounts of the deeds of the peasant leader Li Shun, the actual implementation of tax and labor policies, the advantages and disadvantages of the Northern Song Dynasty's military in the northwest and northern regions, and the evolution of rituals and customs. The earliest existing edition of this book dates back to the Southern Song Dynasty's GanDao era (1164). Currently, only Yuan and Ming Dynasty reprints of the GanDao edition remain. The most widely circulated version is the "Baihai" continuation, which first appeared in the "Continuation of Three Editions." The earliest surviving edition is the Yuan Dynasty edition published by the Chaling Dongshan Academy. For this publication, the original annotations were not included, and the other texts were meticulously proofread based on the Qing Dynasty Guangxu era (1906) Wai's AiLou edition of Panyu, with reference to other versions.