Puxi Xiaozhi

Author: Gu Chuanjin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-07-01
Features: Townships serve as intermediaries between cities and rural areas and play a special role in the process of urbanization. Therefore, urban history research should not only focus on the study of urban districts but should also be further expanded to the level of townships, so as to better elucidate the depth and breadth, radiation, and attractiveness of urbanization. Particularly in the current construction of urban-rural integration, uncovering the historical and cultural characteristics of townships is of great practical significance for accelerating the urbanization process of townships and promoting coordinated development between urban and rural areas. Jiangnan is currently one of the areas with the highest level of urbanization in China, which is closely related to its historically active urban-rural interaction and numerous towns. Therefore, it is extremely necessary to clarify the rise, development, and fluctuations of townships in this region.
In light of this, Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House has launched the "Jiangnan Famous Town Records" series, aiming to collect and publish local gazettes of famous townships in Jiangnan to provide readers with convenient access to reading and research. Unlike general ancient texts that simply require a few people to punctuate and mark, this series invites scholars and experts who were born and raised in these townships to utilize their familiarity with local customs and culture for punctuation and collation, correcting all errors and annotating all misinterpretations, making them more reliable and authoritative. Additionally, each township gazette is accompanied by ancient and modern maps of the town and color photographs of scenic spots, making the entire series more vivid and engaging.
The first three volumes of this series are "Puxi Xiaozhi," "Nanxiang Town Records," and "Anting Records." They were compiled during the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods. The former is actually the gazette of Qibao Town, which was not published after completion but was only printed from a manuscript in the early days of the People's Republic of China and distributed internally. This time, it is published based on the printed version, supplemented by various manuscripts, marking its first official publication. At the end of the book, there is a comparison table of differences between the two main manuscripts. The latter two were published in the Jiaqing period and reprinted during the Republic of China, being relatively refined. However, this publication still uses the Jiaqing edition as the base to preserve authenticity and ensure credibility.
China has had a long tradition of compiling local gazettes since ancient times. As early as the Warring States period, the first practice of compiling gazettes emerged. After more than two thousand years of exploration and research, it reached its peak in the Qing Dynasty, not only with complete formats and rich content but also with a large number of high-quality and diverse types, including townships, which joined the ranks of gazette compilation, setting a record in history. Statistics show that of the more than 8,000 existing local gazettes in China, over 5,000 were compiled during the Qing Dynasty, accounting for about 70%, with a significant number being township gazettes. The aforementioned three gazettes are products of the peak period of Qing-era township gazettes. They respectively record the historical evolution, economic, and social customs of Qibao, Nanxiang, and Anting, holding high historical value and serving as important documents for studying the humanities and history of Shanghai.
First, all three towns are ancient towns with a history of over a thousand years, and they have been major sources of tax revenue since the Ming and Qing dynasties. As a result, their administrative divisions have changed frequently, and their regional boundaries have been complex. Through careful research and by the compilers of the gazettes, their historical evolution has been clarified, providing with a convenient understanding of the origins and developments of each town.
Second, all three towns are typical Jiangnan water towns, and their rise and decline are closely related to the condition of water conservancy and water transport. When water conservancy was well-maintained, merchants gathered, and agricultural activities flourished; when water conservancy was neglected, salt marshes accumulated, and livelihoods declined. This shows that the construction of water conservancy was the top priority in agricultural societies, even for water towns. The large amount of material preserved in the gazettes can provide us with first-hand data for studying the relationship between towns and water conservancy, as well as the operation of the "River Engineering," one of the four major state policies of ancient China.
Third, all three towns were rich in cotton production, with a developed cotton textile industry. The locally produced cotton fabrics were diverse, including koubu, biabu, xibu, and jiangbu, which were smooth, thick, and of high quality, renowned nationwide. As a result, the towns were filled with shops, commerce flourished, and customs were luxurious. Not only were weddings and funerals elaborate, but various cultural and entertainment activities were also abundant and diverse. Of course, bad customs such as gambling, cricket fighting, and opium smoking were also prevalent. The gazettes provide detailed records of all these aspects, serving as valuable resources for economic and social history researchers.
Fourth, the prosperity of industry and commerce in these towns inevitably promoted cultural development. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Qibao, Nanxiang, and Anting produced numerous talents, not only with continuous success in imperial examinations and famous officials and scholars in both the court and the civil service but also with outstanding scholars, physicians, and skilled craftsmen. As a result, the region was a gathering place for scholars and often visited by renowned figures such as Zhao Mengfu and Gui Youguang. They either formed associations, taught students, or gathered with friends through poetry and painting. The gazettes preserve many records of their visits and deeds, which are valuable for researching the cultural mindset, life interests, and social interactions of Jiangnan scholars during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties.
In addition to the above, the numerous poems and articles collected in the gazettes can supplement the deficiencies of existing literature. For example, the approval document by Lin Zexu on preserving the Puhui Lake tidal dam in "Puxi Xiaozhi" is missing from the "Collected Works of Lin Zexu" published by Zhonghua Book Company. The four articles, including "A Plea for Repairing Yuanquan Temple," in "Anting Records" are absent from the "Complete Works of Qidingshan Jia Daixin" published by Jiangsu Ancient Books Publishing House. The poems such as "Returning to Anting After Failing the Imperial Examination" are missing from the "Collected Works of Zhenchuan Master" published by Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House. The poems related to Nanxiang Temple in "Nanxiang Records," such as "Record of Building the Mountain Gate and Bridge" and "Poem of Nanxiang Temple," are also missing from "Complete Works of the Song Dynasty" and "Complete Poems of the Song Dynasty." These poems and articles, which were once scattered and lost, can now be recovered through the gazettes.
Local gazettes are comprehensive and cover a wide range of topics, having been regarded as precious cultural heritage and abundant cultural treasures. Indeed, the "Jiangnan Famous Town Records" series also belongs to this category. Each gazette in the series not only reflects the level and achievements of Qing-era gazette compilation but also serves the functions of preserving history, providing governance, promoting benefits, and enlightening the people. It is believed that with their publication, they will have a positive and beneficial impact on urban-rural integration, the in-depth study of local gazette research, and the development of Shanghai history research.