"Yuanfeng Jiuyu Zhi (Volume 1 and 2)"

Author: Wang Cun (Song Dynasty), Wang Wenchu, Wei Songshan (eds.)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features: Yuanfeng Jiuyu Zhi is a comprehensive geographical general treatise of the Northern Song Dynasty during Emperor Shenzong's Yuanfeng era, primarily focusing on territorial divisions and administrative regions. The book is divided into ten volumes, starting with the four capitals, followed by twenty-three circuits, and concluding with the abolished prefectures, military commands, and frontier states. It records the subordinate prefectures, counties, military commands, and inspection departments under each circuit, including their distances from the capital, cardinal directions, and distances to surrounding locations, as well as the number of principal and common households, local tribute, number of administered counties, and their names. Under each county, it details the distances from the prefecture or county seat in terms of direction and distance, the number of subordinate towns, fortresses, and garrisons, as well as the names of famous mountains and rivers. All prefectures, counties, and districts are ranked. The text is straightforward and comprehensive, with clear organization. The book records the historical changes of prefectures and counties, primarily focusing on events before the Yuanfeng era, with brief mentions of the Tang and Five Dynasties periods. Although the text is concise, the content is rich and unique. In addition to recording the territorial divisions of the time, it also provides detailed information on the population of each region, the amount of local tribute in the third year of Yuanfeng (1080), and the distribution of cities, towns, fortresses, garrisons, mountains, and rivers. Statistics show that there were over 1,880 towns, and more than 1,000 mountains and rivers. This is a valuable resource for studying historical economic geography and historical natural geography. The recorded amounts of local tribute are far more detailed than those in any previous historical texts or geographical general treatises, and the listed town names are unique to other Northern Song Dynasty geographical treatises. Yuanfeng Jiuyu Zhi was jointly compiled by Wang Cun, Zeng Zhao, and Li Degu of the Northern Song Dynasty.