Xiyu Shuidao Ji (Including Two Other Works)

Author: Xu Song (Qing Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-07-01
Features: The Records of Waterways in the Western Regions (with two additional works) by Xu Song, a renowned scholar of the Qing Dynasty, is a seminal work on the history and geography of the Western Regions. The "two additional works" are Supplementary Notes on the Western Regions in the Book of Han and Ode to Xinjiang. The three works vary in style but share the same subject matter, forming an organic whole. Since their publication, they have been widely known as The Three Works of the Daxing Xu Family, The Three Works of the Western Regions, and The Three Works Written by Mr. Xu Xingbo.
The Records of Waterways in the Western Regions documents detailed geographical information about the sources, basins, and lakes of various rivers in the Western Regions. Its scope covers a vast area from west of Jiayuguan to the east and south of Balkhash Lake in the modern Northwest. Following the style of The Waterways of the States, Xu Song added his own annotations, meticulously recording the conditions of each river while also providing in-depth research on the evolution of administrative divisions, institutional systems, factories, pastures, frontier posts, military stations, scenic spots, historical facts, and ethnic changes within the basins.
From an academic perspective, the work has three notable characteristics:
1. Emphasis on field investigations and surveys. Xu Song traveled extensively across the northern and southern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains, meticulously documenting and mapping his findings. Each hydrological system in the book is accompanied by detailed survey maps.
2. Creatively classifying the waterways of the Western Regions into 11 systems based on the principle that inland rivers flow into lakes.
3. Fully incorporating the advanced Western projection and surveying techniques to determine the geographic coordinates of the Western Regions.
Additionally, as an academic work of great practical value, The Records of Waterways in the Western Regions is written in concise yet vivid language, with many passages even suitable for reading as travelogues. Simultaneously with The Records of Waterways in the Western Regions, Xu Song compiled Supplementary Notes on the Western Regions in the Book of Han, correcting the evolution of ancient place names and using modern knowledge to verify the past. The two works complement each other, with their respective emphases on contemporary geography and historical research. They often include the note "mutually referenced" in relevant sections, revealing the author's meticulous approach.
Ode to Xinjiang is a literary work that narrates the achievements of pacifying the Western Regions and expanding the territory since the reign of Emperor Qianlong, while also providing a concise description of the mountains and rivers in the northern and southern routes of Xinjiang.
The Records of Waterways in the Western Regions (with two additional works) is compiled and collated using Xu Song's original manuscripts and revised versions, with his annotations and revisions systematically integrated into the text. Readers can hold this volume in their hands to appreciate the complete form of this masterpiece by the Xu family. Moreover, by examining the traces of Xu Song's revisions, one can gain insight into his methods and process of scholarship and research.