Complete Notes on the Song Dynasty (Volume 1, Part 6)

Author: Zhu Yian, Fu Xuanzhong, et al.
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2003-10-01
Features: Upon reviewing this book, the editor found that it possesses the following characteristics: First, based on a scientific definition of the term "notes," the book attempts to collect as many notes written by Song Dynasty scholars as possible, truly reflecting the "comprehensiveness" of the Complete Notes of the Song Dynasty, avoiding omissions and disorganization. The compilers adhere to the principle that "notes are spontaneous records rather than deliberately composed works." They limit the collection to "collected volumes of notes by Song Dynasty scholars," excluding "scattered individual notes that have not formed a complete collection," as well as "specialized collections with focused themes and rigid structures," such as "poetic discussions, recorded sayings, genealogical records like The Tea Classic, Painting Spectra, Records of Renowned Officials, and Official Precepts," and certainly not including novels or biographies that narrate stories in detail. Comparing this book with the Grand Collection of Notes and Fiction published by Taiwan's Emerging Book Company in 1984, the latter, while including many Song Dynasty notes, has two shortcomings: first, it mixes Song Dynasty notes with fiction, genealogies, popular narratives, poetic discussions, etc., and second, some of the versions are not refined. Of course, the author evaluates this book only from the perspective of Song Dynasty notes and does not deny its overall documentary value. Comparing it with the Comprehensive Collection of Notes and Fiction from Dynasties·Song Dynasty Notes and Fiction published by Hebei Education Press in 1995, the latter has the following shortcomings: first, it only includes 188 Song Dynasty notes, and some important notes are inexplicably excluded, such as Hong Mai's Rongzhou Notes, Zhou Mi's Kixin Miscellaneous Records, Zhou's Qingbo Magazine, Wang Guoguo's Xuelin, Yue Ke's Muchen History, Luo Daqing's Helin Yulu, Wang Bi's Mianshui Yantalu, Ouyang Xiu's Retirement Records, He's Chunzhou Jiwen, Peng's Moke Weixi (already including ten volumes of Continued Moke Weixi), Zhao Liantian's Houlinglu, Ye Mengde's Shilin Yanyu, Lu You's Laoxue'an Notes, Gong Mingzhi's Zhongwu Jiwen, etc. Without these notes, it is difficult to reflect the full picture of Song Dynasty notes, which is a great regret. Additionally, the catalog of Song Dynasty notes and fiction compiled in the latter contains numerous errors, such as the author of Yanji Yimolu being mistakenly recorded as "Wang Muyong" instead of "Wang Yong," the author of Ding Jin Gong Tanlu being recorded as "Ding Wei" instead of "Ding Wei," the author of Song Jingwen Gong Ji being recorded as "Song Qi" instead of "Song Qi," the character "zhou" in Pingzhou Ketao being mistakenly recorded as "zhou," the character "ji" in Jiyu Biluan being mistakenly recorded as "yi," the character "zhu" in Zhuailian Xulun being mistakenly recorded as "shu," the author of Shupu being recorded as "Dai Zhi" instead of "Dai Zhi," the author of Yangkao Manbi being recorded as "Zhao Jin" instead of "Zhao Jinlu," and the author of Fuxuan Yelu being recorded as "Chen" instead of "Chen," and so on. Secondly, most of the Song Dynasty notes in this book are presented to the public for the first time after being collated and punctuated, reflecting the "new" characteristic. Among the 49 notes in the volume, 13 have already been collated and punctuated by Zhonghua Book Company and Shanghai, while 36 have been newly collated and punctuated, accounting for more than 73% of the total. Among these newly collated and punctuated notes, some of the more important ones include Zhang Ji's Jia Shi Tanlu, Wang Zeng's Wang Wenzheng Gong Bilu, Song Qi's Song Jingwen Gong Ji, Jiang Xiufu's Jiang Liji Zazhi, Zeng Bu's Zeng Gong Yilu, Su Shi's Quchi Bilu, Su Shi's Yujiao Xianhua Lu, Chao Shuozhi's Chao Shi Keyu, Wang Qiner's Wang Shi Tanlu, etc. Some of these notes, though not lengthy, contain content related to the social economy, politics, and customs of the time, leaving behind valuable historical materials for later generations, making them extremely precious. Thirdly, compared to previously collated and punctuated Song Dynasty notes, this book has the relatively "accurate" characteristic, meaning the collation and punctuation are more precise. The compilers and collators of this book are mostly scholars with outstanding achievements in ancient Chinese history and literature, especially in Tang and Song literature and history. Although they may not be considered the absolute best, they are undoubtedly top-tier candidates. Taking the volume as an example, especially Kong Fanli, who collated and punctuated works such as Dongpo Zhilin, Quchi Bilu, Yujiao Xianhua Lu, Longchuan Luezhi, and Longchuan Biezhi, Deng Guangming and Zhang Xiqing, who collated and punctuated Sishui Jiwen, Yu Yunuo, who collated and punctuated Nanbu Xinwen and Jinshi Huayuan, Diao Ji Litan, and Ding Jin Gong Tanlu, and Huang Chunyan, who collated and punctuated works such as Sun Weimin Zhengnan Lu, etc., are all renowned experts in Song Dynasty history or Song Dynasty literature and documents. This is sufficient to ensure that the collation, punctuation, and collation of the book are presented to readers with high quality. For example, the previously published Xiangshan Yelu by Shi Wenying (Zhonghua Book Company, 1984 edition) contains some punctuation errors, such as the original text in the first volume: "The Vice Marshal, King of Hui, Wang Gong, served as the director of Qiao during the Zhidao year of the Bingzhen era" (page 23), mistakenly taking the last reign title of Emperor Taizong of Song, "Zhidao," as the name of "Vice Marshal, King of Hui." This has now been corrected to: "The Vice Marshal, King of Hui, Wang Gong, served as the director of Qiao during the Bingzhen year of the Zhidao era." Similarly, in the first volume of Song Minqiu's Chunming Chuachao Lu (Zhonghua Book Company, 1980 edition), the original text reads: "In the eleventh month of the Kaobao eighth year, Jiangnan was pacified, and Bian River was left to await the boat of the Liguang ruler" (page 5). This has also been corrected to: "In the eleventh month of the Kaobao eighth year, Jiangnan was pacified, and Bian River was left to await the boat of the Liguang ruler." These improvements are evident, thus ensuring that the quality of the book's collation has been further enhanced. In summary, The Complete Notes of the Song Dynasty is the third large-scale anthology in the field of Song Dynasty literature and history after The Complete Poems of the Song Dynasty and The Complete Writings of the Song Dynasty. Although it has only published the volume so far and inevitably contains some shortcomings such as incorrect annotations and punctuation errors, according to the compiler's plan, the entire book is divided into about 10 volumes and will be completed within five to six years. The author believes that as the compilers gradually accumulate experience and the collators steadily improve their skills, they will eventually present a brand new, high-quality documentary anthology to the readers.