Huangzhi Wenzhou Prefecture Records

Author: Wang Zan (Ming)
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2006-03-01
Features: Hu Zhusheng, the annotator of The, said that this book preserves a wealth of valuable historical materials of ancient Wenzhou before the Ming Dynasty. It holds a pivotal position in the history of Wenzhou local chronicles, bridging the past and the future. Its reorganization and publication will greatly enrich people's understanding of ancient Wenzhou. From an academic perspective, the book retains a large amount of lost historical records of ancient Wenzhou, such as the methods of making Wenzhou lacquerware, refining alum, and (testing for pufferfish toxicity in folk methods), as well as the records of the former residences of numerous historical figures like Zhou Xingji. It is well-argued and demonstrates outstanding insights. Why is a locally significant chronicle like The little-known in Wenzhou history? According to journalists, for a long time after its completion, the entire book was lost in Wenzhou, and scholars could only study it by citing fragments from later chronicles like The Wanli Wenzhou Prefecture Chronicle. It wasn't until 1936 that the Wenzhou Local Scholars Association purchased 8 volumes and 22 copies of The from the Tianyi Pavilion in Ningbo for 100 yuan and had them photocopied. However, due to its rarity, this photocopied edition was kept as a "rare book" in the Wenzhou Library. In 2001, to rescue and develop Wenzhou's historical and cultural heritage, the Wenzhou Literary Series was established, and The was included in the reprinting plan.