Ancient Records

Author: Yu Zhibin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-04-01
Features: What is a "Miscellaneous Record"? A Miscellaneous Record is a genre of writing established by ancient scholars in classifying literary styles. Wu Ne of the Ming Dynasty, in his preface to Discrimination of Literary Styles, explains this genre: "Generally, a record is meant to preserve memories. For example, when recording the construction of a building, one should note the duration and cost of the project, as well as the names of the supervisors and assistants. After narrating the events, a brief discussion should be added to conclude. This is the standard form." The classification of literary genres by ancient scholars greatly facilitated the compilation of literary anthologies. Works like Liang Xiangtong's Literary Selection, Song Yaoxian's Tang Literary Essence, Lü Zuxian's Song Literary Mirror, and Qing Yao Nai's Compendium of Classical Prose all followed this approach of categorizing and compiling articles. The compilation of literary works has never ceased throughout history. In the process of compilation, it has become increasingly difficult for scholars to control the scope of Miscellaneous Records, while others have sought to clearly define the nature and conventions of "Miscellaneous Records." Yao Nai, in the preface to Compendium of Classical Prose, states: "Miscellaneous Records belong to the category of epitaphs," as an example. Literary genres have become increasingly diverse with the passage of time, a general trend that fully demonstrates the creativity and flexibility of Chinese characters in expressing subjective and objective phenomena. Modern scholars aptly note that narrowly defined, Miscellaneous Records can be briefly categorized into four types: records of government buildings and scenic spots, travel writings of mountains and rivers, records of calligraphy, painting, and miscellaneous items, and miscellaneous records of human affairs. Broadly defined, Miscellaneous Records encompass all writings that record events or objects. Some even argue that they include biographies outside official histories, as well as related works like epitaphs and eulogies, all of which can be termed Miscellaneous Records. The term "Miscellaneous Record" and its meaning as a literary genre first appeared in the Rites of Zhou. This cultural classic is a compendium of Confucian studies, including discussions on the meaning of rites and academia, interpretations of the Rites of Zhou, records of conversations between Confucius, his disciples, and contemporaries, and accounts of ancient institutions and rituals, among others. The Rites of Zhou contains two sections titled "Miscellaneous Records, Part 1" and "Miscellaneous Records, Part 2." Zheng Xuan, in his Catalogue of the Rites of Zhou, described them as: "Named 'Miscellaneous Records' because they record the funerals of feudal lords and scholars." Sun Xitan explained: "This section is called 'Miscellaneous Records' because the recorded matters are diverse." Miscellaneous Record works had already emerged by the Wei and Jin dynasties, one of the markers being the creation of a large number of Miscellaneous Record-style "supernatural tales." After the Tang and Song dynasties, classical writers' Miscellaneous Records often interwove narration with discussion and emotion, sometimes with significant portions dedicated to these elements. Some Miscellaneous Records that focused solely on discussion could actually be classified as essays. In the notes and historical records of various dynasties, the content recorded by scholars was rich and varied, covering cultural arts, science and technology, local customs, and anecdotes, making them a treasure trove of Miscellaneous Records. The Sayings of the World by the outstanding Wei and Jin-era author, also a Miscellaneous Record-style "supernatural tale," is a collection of literary works. Shen Kuo's Dream Pool Essays (along with his Supplementary Dream Pool Essays and Continued Dream Pool Essays), praised by predecessors as "meticulous in recording events and precise in wording," demonstrate the important role of Miscellaneous Records in historical works. Miscellaneous Records generally do not strive for artistic perfection but instead exhibit a clear, natural style, earning them the reputation of "literature that prioritizes substance over form," with value not inferior to works written with literary techniques. Research on "Miscellaneous Records" continues today, and the scope of this genre and its works are expanding. Gu Jiegang pointed out that the original version of the Zuo Zhuan existed before Liu Xin, and the Zuo Zhuan itself was also a Miscellaneous Record-style history, similar to the Records of the States, Strategies of the Warring States, Guan Yu's Garden, New Orders, Sayings of the World, Tang Literary Records, and Song Biao Lei Chao. Some believe that the Tao Te Ching is a Miscellaneous Record-style work, where Laozi recorded his thoughts in poetic language. Bao Gong An (also known as Longtu Gong An), a novel, is also a Miscellaneous Record-style work. Journey to the West should be considered a geographical travelogue rather than a novel, given the presence of the character "travel." Wu Cheng'en, renowned for his Miscellaneous Records, likely wrote Journey to the West in a Miscellaneous Record style (the above information was obtained from online searches). When determining the scope of this anthology, the editor first reviewed the selected titles of the "Chinese Ancient Poetry and Prose Series" and found that the series already included Eternal Epitaphs and Eternal Travel Writings. Next, the editor discovered that Chinese note literature is vast, with the editor's Grand View of Note Novels alone collecting over 200 works from the Jin to Qing dynasties, and Old Novels containing over 700 note works. This series, published by Anhui Literature and Art Publishing House, aims to create a literary treasury beloved by the masses through an evolving perspective on development, with the goal of popularizing, preserving, and highlighting the humanistic spirit of traditional Chinese literature. Extracting epitaphs and travel writings from Miscellaneous Records holds practical significance, allowing readers and audiences to examine and understand these two types of works more carefully and systematically. The editor recommends that the series further extract note works from the Miscellaneous Records to form a standalone Eternal Notes. Thus, the editor's Eternal Miscellaneous Records excludes epitaphs, travel writings, and notes, with nearly 80% of the selected works being articles titled with "Record," such as Cold Spring Pavilion Record, Drunken Official Pavilion Record, and Fenhu Lake Stone Record. The remaining works include those titled with "Book," "Record," "Note," or "Commentary," such as Book He Yiyi, Xiangji Pavilion Record, Book Wang Shangfu's Affairs, Book Lu Liangchai, Note Dongpo's Bamboo Hat and Leather Shoes, Book Ji Zhou and Duishan's Affairs, and Note Jiangnan Leisure Album · Hengtang, which were long recognized by predecessors as "Book," "Record," "Note" being synonymous with "Record." Additionally, texts written to accompany paintings are also called "Painting Notes" or "Epitaphs" (in this sense, "Note" is a shortened form of "Painting Notes" or "Epitaphs"). There are also works titled with "Biography," such as Record of Fang Shanzi, Record of Tong Qi, Record of Xu Wenlang, Record of Xi'an Elder, Short Record of Li He, Record of Dai Wenjin, Short Record of Huangshan Man, and Record of Yan Dianxi, whose styles and formats align with Miscellaneous Records rather than the so-called "biographical" genre. Finally, there are works without "Record," "Book," "Record," "Note," or "Biography" in their titles but are indeed Miscellaneous Records, such as Fighting Ants, Fighting Ants, Watching the Tidal Bore, and Fleeting Events of the Righteous Minister of the Left. Others like Jinglin Temple and Three Gorges, selected from Records of the Buddhist Monasteries of Luoyang and Annotations to the Waterways of China, respectively, demonstrate that the Wei and Jin dynasties were indeed a mature period for Miscellaneous Records. The article Postscript to Li Zhuangjian's Family Letters is a reading of Miscellaneous Records, while On the Jiuyong Pass is particularly noteworthy—its title contains the character "Discuss," which might suggest an essay, but upon closer reading, it becomes clear that it is a Miscellaneous Record with a strong focus on alternating narration and discussion. Some explain that the Miscellaneous Record titled Xiangji Pavilion Record, which narrates the life of its subject, is a Miscellaneous Record, thus equating "Record" with "Record." Following this logic, works like Record of Xu Wenlang are also Miscellaneous Records, equating "Biography" with "Record." In reality, Chinese characters have complex meanings. If one consults specialized dictionaries, they will find that "Book," "Record," "Note," "Biography," and even "Postscript" all carry the meaning of "Record." This aligns with our country's five-thousand-year history of writing civilization. It is believed that the title of an article is not the criterion for judging Miscellaneous Records; the inclusion of "Miscellaneous Records" in Eternal Miscellaneous Records is beneficial, as it allows readers to better understand the diversity of Miscellaneous Record works. Among the five Miscellaneous Record writers with more than five selected works in the editor's Eternal Miscellaneous Records are: Ouyang Xiu (7 pieces), Su Shi (6 pieces), Yuan Hongdao (8 pieces), Fang Bao (6 pieces), and Yao Nai (5 pieces). The works of these great Miscellaneous Record writers must be selected in greater numbers. Ouyang Xiu and Su Shi, two of the "Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties," their life experiences and emotional worlds in the pavilions, towers, pavilions, halls, gardens, and temples of scenic spots, offering a wealth of material for contemplation. Later writers' Miscellaneous Records of scenic spots in terms of their aspirations, reflections, compositions, and discussions, could not surpass them. Yuan Hongdao's Miscellaneous Records on fighting insects and roosters have a unique style, as the interest of humans and animals is the same. Together with Yuan's other works, they not only give voice to "spiritual essence" but also earn full recognition for the "Gong'an School." Fang Bao and Yao Nai's Miscellaneous Records are typical examples of the Tongcheng School, which dominated the Qing literary scene, showing concern for social conditions and humanistic spirit. One has no reason not to select more Miscellaneous Records from these predecessors.