Beideng Suoyan--Tang and Song

Author: Sun Guangxian compiled, Jia Erqiang annotated
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features: Since the chaos and dispersion of Tang's records during the reign of Emperor Wuzong, the court's and the people's merits have remained unheard. I, born in Min and Emei and serving in Jing and Ying, have always been ashamed of my ignorance of the capital's stories. During my travels, I dedicated myself to extensive research. Recently, I met the former Fengxiang Yangbing, the young prefect, who often spoke of the past stories of Qin. These have stayed with me. Later, I met Yuan Cheng, the middle inspector, in Zhou Gong, and our friendly conversations confirmed these tales. Yuan said to his descendants, "Those who were born in Chang'an heard more than those in Fuchun; this is because of the great benefits of inquiring." Afterward, whenever I heard a story, I dared not take it at face value but cross-referenced it multiple times before putting pen to paper. Not only did I want to preserve these tales in words, but also to serve as a warning through them. Over three years, I collected these notes, and now, with my retirement, I have compiled them. First, I listed the words and deeds of the wise in the Tang Dynasty, and those with similar themes from the Tang to the Later Tang, as well as the states of Liang, Shu, and Jiangnan, were appended at the end. In total, I compiled thirty volumes. The Book of Yu says, "In the dream of the land, the Yi was created," and the transmission mentions, "Hunting in the Jiangnan dream." As I work in the north of Jingjiang, I titled this work "North Dream Fragments." The fragments are small, but the essence is clear. Though not a grand work, I hope to inspire future generations to look back on the past, much like weaving cotton and flax. Those who are knowledgeable should not mock it too much.