Xiaoting Miscellaneous Records--Qing Dynasty

Author: Zhao of the Qing Dynasty, compiled by He Yingfang
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features: Zhao's Xiaoting Zalü is a richly informative Qing Dynasty note book. It preserves a wealth of valuable historical materials on politics, military affairs, economy, culture, institutional systems, civil and military officials, and social customs from the early years of the Daoguang reign and earlier. The author records his personal experiences and observations, with many historical accounts not found in other records. As a result, works such as Wei Yuan's Shengwu Ji, Li Heng's De Guo Qizhen Lei Zheng, and the New Qing History have drawn heavily from it, and Qing historians frequently refer to and cite it. For example, the event of Tu Hai's military campaign to conquer Chahar is not mentioned in the Biographies of Tu Hai in the New Qing History, though it is briefly touched upon in the New Qing History, it remains extremely concise. However, the entry on Tu Wen Xiang's Military Campaign in this book provides a more detailed account of Tu Hai's campaign against Chahar and reveals the true reason why Tu Hai was appointed as a deputy commander: "After Wu Sangui's execution, Chahar again stirred up trouble. When the matter was reported, the Emperor was concerned. Empress Xiaozhuang Wen said, 'Tu Hai is exceptionally talented and capable; he can take on this responsibility.' The Emperor immediately summoned him and bestowed upon him the general's seal.'" This brief passage reflects Empress Xiaozhuang Wen's significant role in early Qing political life. The entry on the Kaiyou Incident recounts the events of Lin Qing's attack on the Forbidden City in the mid-Jiaqing era, with Zhao personally participating in the suppression. The entry on the Battle of Muguemu describes the Qing government's campaign to pacify the Daxinchi people, while the entry on the Battle of Xiaogan details the conflict between Qing rulers and the White Lotus Rebellion forces in Xiaogan, Hubei. These two events were personally recounted to Zhao by Lin Mingliang, who served as an assistant advisor in the former battle and later as a deputy military governor of Guangzhou in the latter. These firsthand accounts should be quite credible and can supplement the gaps in historical records.
Regarding the anecdotes of Qing government officials, especially their unscrupulous behavior such as greed, debauchery, cowardice, selfishness, flattery, and intrigue, were topics that Confucian scholars of the time dared not write about, yet Zhao recorded them without hesitation. The entry on The Rise and Fall of Yue Wensheng explains that Yue Zhongqi lost his title due to offending a minor Manchu official. The entry on The Family Rules of Ming's Grand Tutor describes how, after being criticized by Guo Huayan, felt that his reputation was tarnished and thus established a set of rules to preserve his status. The entry on Shi Fan's Frugality tells the story of how Fa Shishan accumulated wealth through his stinginess. These accounts help us understand people and their times.
The records on institutional systems are also highly valuable parts of this book. Li Ciming wrote in his Yue Man Tang Reading Notes: "Reading Xiaoting Zalü, one finds detailed accounts of the Qing Dynasty's historical practices. For those studying the Qing's history, no other book is as comprehensive."