San Fu Huang Tu Xiao Zhu (New Edition)

Author: He Qinggu, Annotations
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Qin's Xianyang and Han's Chang'an were renowned ancient capitals of China. Sanfu Huangtu is dedicated to the construction of Qin and Han capitals, with a focus on Han's Chang'an. It meticulously details the layout of Chang'an City and its surroundings, including palaces, pavilions, gardens, ponds, terraces, warehouses, bridges, cultural facilities, and ritual structures, making it exceptionally comprehensive. It is a crucial historical document for studying ancient capitals, particularly Han's Chang'an. Sanfu Huangtu, also known as Xijing Huangtu and abbreviated as Huangtu, does not attribute its authorship. The initial compilation date is debated: Sun Xingyan's preface dates it to "a work by someone in the late Han Dynasty"; Miao Changyan's inscription attributes it to "a work from the Han to Wei period"; Chao Gongwu's Zhenxiang Shujuzhì dates it to "the Liang and Chen period"; Song Liankui's preface attributes it to "a work by someone in the late Eastern Han Dynasty"; and Chen Zhi believes it was "compiled in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, early Wei period." While these views differ, they all cite the fact that Ru Chun, Jin Zhuo, and Liu Zhao, who annotated books, already referenced Sanfu Huangtu. This evidence is indeed conclusive. Since these annotators cited the book for their notes, it proves that it had already been published in their time. Ru Chun was a person from the Three Kingdoms period's Cao Wei dynasty, having served as the Chen Prefecture Administrator of Wei. He frequently referenced Sanfu Huangtu in his annotations to the Book of Han, with at least four references still visible today. Liu Zhao was a person from the Southern Dynasties' Liang dynasty, having held positions such as Fengchaoqing during the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang. His annotations to the Book of the Later Han in the Records of Sacrifices and Geographic Records both cite Sanfu Huangtu, with two references still extant, as listed in this book's Supplementary Notes. Based on these annotations, Sanfu Huangtu's initial compilation should, as Chen Zhi suggests, have been completed in the "late Eastern Han, early Wei period." The dates proposed for the Liang and Chen dynasties are too late to explain the objective existence of Sanfu Huangtu being referenced by Ru Chun and Jin Zhuo.