Guangdong Xinyu (Upper and Lower)

Author: Qu Dajun
Publisher:
Publication Date: 1985-04-01
Features: Qu Dajun's Guangdong Xin Yu is a valuable Qing Dynasty note book. The entire work consists of twenty-eight volumes, with each volume describing a category of things, such as heaven, earth, mountains, waters, insects, and fish. It covers all aspects of Guangdong, including astronomy, geography, economy, and local products, as well as customs and traditions. The reason it is named Guangdong Xin Yu is explained in the preface: "In Guangdong Tongzhi, I omitted the old and focused on the new, with thirteen chapters on the old and seventeen on the new, hence the name 'Xin Yu.' This book is an external record of Guangdong." It is clear that the purpose of this book was to supplement the shortcomings of Guangdong Tongzhi. Moreover, what it supplements is not just "examining local geography and reviewing historical records," but also "verifying through personal experience and confirming with eyewitness accounts." Therefore, "the new is detailed" and "the new has seventeen chapters" are merely superficially new, not substantively new. Qu Dajun lived during the transition between the Ming and Qing dynasties, and he was deeply troubled by the suffering of the people. As a result, Xin Yu places particular emphasis on the economic impact and relationship with the people in its discussions, exposing the exploitation and oppressive policies of the feudal ruling class that hindered productivity, differing from general local records. Thus, in his preface, Qu Dajun also writes, "This book is not confined to Guangdong, yet it reveals the essence of Guangdong beyond its borders. Although it is an external record of Guangdong, it is vast and profound, capable of encompassing the world without exceeding its bounds." This is the main purpose of writing Xin Yu. Furthermore, the book provides a realistic reflection of the social conditions at the time, exposes contradictions, and contains rich and detailed materials on local products and customs. It can also serve as a historical record of the economy and thought during the Ming and Qing periods. Qu Dajun was born in the third year of the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty and died in the thirty-fifth year of the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty (1630–1696). His original name was Shaolong, and he was also known as Wengshan, Jiezi, and Caiguo. He was from Panyu, Guangdong, and a Ming scholar. When the Qing army conquered Guangzhou, he fled to a monastery, traveled north and south, and associated with loyalists. He soon abandoned Buddhism and returned to Confucianism. In Kuaiji, he was close to Wei Geng; in Shaanxi, he befriended Gu Yanwu and Li Yindu. Wei Geng provided intelligence to Zheng Chenggong, and Qu Dajun participated in the planning. When Wu Sangui rebelled, Qu Dajun briefly joined his army in Hunan but later left due to disagreements. After the suppression of the Three Feudatories, he retired to seclusion and wrote extensively, with his poetry being particularly renowned. This book was completed in his later years, and the author lived in an era of sharp national contradictions, often thinking of overthrowing the Qing Dynasty and restoring the Ming. The book contains many references to the past to critique the present and uses objects to express his sentiments. About seventy to eighty years after his death, the Qing Dynasty's literary inquisition flared up again. In 1774 (the thirty-ninth year of the Qianlong era), Li Shiyao, the Viceroy of Guangdong and Guangxi, fabricated charges and was ordered by the emperor to burn all of Qu Dajun's writings and their printing plates. His coffin was to be exhumed and his remains executed, but as his tomb could not be found, the plan was abandoned. Instead, his two illiterate grandsons, who owned copies of his books, were executed "leniently." However, valuable works cannot be suppressed by violence, so today, we can still see the original woodblock edition of Mutan Pavilion from the thirty-ninth year of the Kangxi era (Gengchen) and another woodblock edition from the Qianlong era. The latter has many printing errors, and "Mutan Pavilion" is mistakenly carved as "Shuitian Pavilion."