Journal of the Garden, Qing Dynasty Historical Materials Notebooks

Author: (Qing) Liu Tingjing, compiled by Zhang Zongqian
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-03-01
Features: The Garden Magazine in four volumes, compiled by Qing Dynasty scholar Liu Tingjing. Liu Tingjing (c. 1654—?), styled Yuheng and known by the sobriquet Zaoyuan, originally resided in Kaifeng, Henan, before later moving to Liaoyang and being enrolled in the Han military banner. His grandfather once served as the Governor of Fujian, while his father held positions such as magistrate in Hebei and Anhui. Leveraging his family's achievements, Tingjing entered official service early and pursued a career in the imperial bureaucracy, serving as an Inner Court Secretary, Magistrate of Jiazhou (now Lishui) in Zhejiang, and Vice Commissioner of Zhejiang. In his later years, he was transferred to river management, participating in the governance of the Yellow and Huai Rivers. From a young age, he was deeply fond of poetry and prose, possessing a reputation for literary talent in his youth. Combined with his family environment and extensive life experiences, he had the opportunity to associate with and exchange ideas with contemporary prominent scholars and artists. His poetry collection Gezhuang Fenzheng Shichao in fourteen volumes was prefaced by the renowned poet Wang Shizhen, while his prose collection The Garden Magazine in four volumes was introduced by the celebrated dramatist Kong Shangren. The fact that prominent scholars of the era personally penned the prefaces demonstrates his influential position in the literary circles of his time. Although Liu Tingjing's poetry is not widely circulated, his The Garden Magazine stands out as a unique and exceptional work, rich in content, encompassing a wide range of topics, and highly informative, making it a rare masterpiece.