Complete Notes on the Song Dynasty (Volume 1, Part 5)

Author: Zhu Yian, Fu Xuanzong, et al. (editors)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-10-01
Features: Upon reviewing this book, the editor found the following characteristics: First, the book scientifically defines the term "notes" and strives 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 works of notes by Song Dynasty scholars" and exclude "scattered individual notes that have not formed a complete collection," "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," etc." Naturally, they also exclude novels and biographies that narrate stories in detail. Comparing this book with the Grand Collection of Note Novels 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, genealogy, popular tales, and poetic discussions; second, some of its versions are not refined. Of course, the reviewer judges this book solely from the perspective of Song Dynasty notes and does not deny its overall documentary value. Comparing it with the Comprehensive Collection of Notes and Novels of Dynasties·Song Dynasty Notes and Novels 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 missing, such as Hong Mai's Rongzhou Notes, Zhou Mi's Kixin Miscellaneous Records, Zhou's Qingbo Magazine, Wang Guanguo's Xuelin, Yue Ke's Muchen History, Luo Daqing's Helin Yulu, Wang Bi's Mianshui Yantao Lu, Ouyang Xiu's Retirement Records, He's Chunzhou Jiwen, Peng's Moke Weixi (which has already included ten volumes of Continued Moke Weixi), Zhao Lintian's Houling Lu, Ye Mengde's Shilin Yanyu, Lu You's Laoxue Anbi Ji, 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 novels compiled in the latter contains numerous errors, such as Wang Muyong being mistakenly listed as the author of Yanji Yimou Lu instead of Wang Yong, Ding Wei being listed as the author of Ding Jin Gong Tanlu instead of Ding Wei, Song Qi being listed as the author of Song Jingwen Gong Ji instead of Song Qi, the character "zhou" being mistakenly written as "zhou" in Pingzhou Ketao, "ji" being mistakenly written as "yi" in Jiyu Biance Lu, "zhu" being mistakenly written as "shu" in Zhuqian Xulun, Dai Hu being listed as the author of Shupu instead of Dai Zhi, Zhao Jin being listed as the author of Yangkao Manbi instead of Zhao Jinlu, and Chen being listed as the author of Fuxuan Yelu, etc. Second, most of the Song Dynasty notes in this book are newly collated and punctuated for the first time, reflecting the "new" characteristic. Among the 49 notes in this volume, 13 have already been collated and punctuated by Zhonghua Book Company and Shanghai, while 36 have been newly collated and punctuated, accounting for over 73% of the total. Among these newly collated and punctuated notes, some important ones include Zhang Ji's Jia Shi Tanlu, Wang Zeng's Wang Wen Zheng 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. These notes, though not lengthy, contain valuable historical materials related to the social economy, politics, and customs of the time, leaving behind treasures for later generations. Third, compared to previously collated and punctuated Song Dynasty notes, this book has a relatively "accurate" characteristic, meaning the collation and punctuation are more precise. The compilers and collators of this book are mostly outstanding scholars in the fields of ancient Chinese history and literature, especially in Tang and Song literature and history. Although they dare not overpraise them as the best in the world, they can be considered first-class selections. Taking the collation and punctuation of this volume as an example, particularly Kong Fanli, who collated and punctuated works such as Dongpo Zhilin, Quchi Bilu, Yujiao Xianhua Lu, Longchuan Luezhi, and Longchuan Biexhi, Deng Guangming and Zhang Xiqing, who collated and punctuated Sishui Jiwen, Yu Yunuo, who collated and punctuated Nanbu Xinwen, Jinshi Huaiyuan, 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. This is sufficient to ensure that the collation, punctuation, and collation of this 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 Minister of the Ministry of Works, Wang Gong, of the Zidao era, served as the director of the Qiao military office in the Bingwei year" (page 23), mistakenly treating the last reign title of Emperor Taizong of Song as the name of "the Minister of the Ministry of Works, Wang Gong." This has now been corrected to: "The Minister of the Ministry of Works, Wang Gong, served as the director of the Qiao military office in the Bingwei year of the Zidao era." Similarly, the first volume of Song Minqiu's Chunming Chu Chao Lu (Zhonghua Book Company, 1980 edition) originally read: "In the eleventh month of the Kaobao eighth year, Jiangnan was pacified, and the Bian River was left to await the boat of the Liguang ruler" (page 5). This has now been corrected to: "In the eleventh month of the Kaobao eighth year, Jiangnan was pacified, and the Bian River was left to await the boat of the Liguang ruler." These improvements are evident, thus ensuring that the quality of the collation and punctuation of this book has further improved. In conclusion, 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 first volume so far, with inevitable shortcomings such as some incorrect annotations and punctuation errors, according to the compilers' plan, the entire book is divided into approximately 10 volumes and will be completed within five to six years. The reviewer 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.