"World of Words"

Author: Cai Zhizhong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: The Sayings of the World (Shishuo Xinyu) is a representative work of "recorded tales" from the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties periods of China, compiled by Liu Yiqing of the Southern Dynasties of the Southern Dynasties. According to its content, it is divided into categories such as "Virtue," "Speech," "Governance," and "Literature," totaling thirty-six categories, each containing several anecdotes. The entire book contains over a thousand anecdotes, with varying lengths—some spanning several lines, while others are just a few words. This reflects the characteristic of "note-taking as inspiration" in recorded tales. The Sayings of the World primarily records the lives and thoughts of scholars, as well as the situation of the ruling class, reflecting the thoughts and actions of scholars during the Wei and Jin periods, and the life of the upper class. The descriptions are rich and realistic, helping readers understand the era and political and social environment in which scholars lived. It also gives us a clear view of the so-called "Wei and Jin intellectual discourse."