Literature General Examination (Volume 1 and Volume 2)

Author: Ma Duanlin
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2003-12-01
Features: A comprehensive history of China's institutions from ancient times to the reign of Emperor Ningzong of the Song Dynasty. Abbreviated as Tongkao. Written by Ma Duanlin. Around the age of 30, Ma Duanlin spent over 20 years developing and supplementing Tongdian to complete this work. Tongkao is divided into 24 categories: Land Tax, Coinage, Population, Labor Services, Taxation, Market Purchases, Tribute, State Expenditure, Elections, Schools, Official Positions, Sacrificial Rites, Ancestral Temples, Royal Ceremonies, Music, Military Affairs, Punishments, Classics, Imperial Genealogy, Feudalism, Astrology, Strange Phenomena, Geography, and Foreign Tribes. Each category is further subdivided, making the institutional history more detailed and comprehensive. Among these, the categories of Classics, Imperial Genealogy, Feudalism, Astrology, and Strange Phenomena were newly created by the author. Tongkao draws from a vast range of sources, including official histories of various dynasties, historical records of conferences, Zizhi Tongjian, and private writings such as biographies and records of institutions. These historical records are referred to as "wen," meaning "classics." Additionally, many memorials and discussions by officials and scholars of the time were cited in the narrative. These memorials and discussions are known as "xian," meaning "virtuous scholars." Because the author aimed to thoroughly study and integrate these materials to understand the origins and developments of various institutions, the work was named Wenxian Tongkao. Wenxian Tongkao provides particularly detailed accounts of Song Dynasty institutions, offering numerous corrections and supplements to the relevant sections of Songshu. It also offers many unique insights into the evolution of historical institutions, making it a fundamental historical source for studying the Song Dynasty.