Wang Wenqin Gong's Diary (Complete 5 Volumes)

Author: Chen Hong, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher: Jiangsu Ancient Books
Publication Date: 1998-12-01
Features: Wang Qingyun, styled Yanjing, was a native of Min County, Fujian. His diary covers the period from the first month of the 26th year of the Daoguang reign to the 11th year of the Xianfeng reign. The entries are based on the author's personal experiences, information obtained from official gazettes, imperial edicts, memorials, and conversations or correspondence with others. In addition to recording facts, the diary also expresses the author's opinions or viewpoints. Due to differences in his official positions and regions of appointment, the diary's content varies in focus. In the early stages, the emphasis was on historical compilation and financial management, while in the later stages, the focus shifted to governance, public order, defense, and salt administration. The interactions between the Qing army, the Taiping Army, and the Nian Army, as well as the actions of foreign aggressors, were consistently recorded. Beyond documenting major political, military, and economic events during the Daoguang and Xianfeng reigns, the diary also records various ceremonial customs of the Qing court, architectural landmarks in Beijing, imperial examinations, observations during the author's appointments, inspections, and visits to the capital, as well as the landscapes, customs, and folk traditions encountered along the way. Correspondence and literary works with friends are also included. The diary holds certain historical value and can serve as a reference for studying modern political history, economic history, the history of imperialist aggression in China, the Taiping Rebellion, and the Nian Rebellion. It can also provide insights into the local conditions of Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, and other provinces for the compilation of local chronicles. The diary is a handwritten transcript, copied by Wang Qingyun's descendant, Wang Xiaojin, in annual volumes totaling sixteen. Wang Xiaojin also added marginal notes, explaining names, institutional customs, and terms, which are available for readers' reference. No original manuscript has been discovered, and only two handwritten transcripts exist nationwide—one housed in the Beijing Library and the other in the Fujian Provincial Library. In the 1980s, Zhonghua Book Company planned to publish a series of diaries, with the more complete version held by the Fujian Provincial Library being selected. However, due to changes in publishing plans, the project was not realized. The series published here is based on the Fujian Provincial Library's copy, which is rare and highly valuable.