Xixi Congyu Family Anecdotes

Author: [Song] Yao Kuan, Lu You wrote, Kong Fanli edited
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1993-12-01
Features: This book is one of the "Collected Notes on Tang and Song Historical Materials," including two types of notes by Song Dynasty scholars. One, Xi Xi Cong Yu (Notes from West Creek), is a work by Yao Kuan (1105-1162) of the Song Dynasty, divided into two volumes with a total of 141 entries. The book is characterized by a pragmatic academic approach and rich historical materials, recording some lesser-known poems of Song Dynasty figures and lost literary works from various dynasties. It also includes descriptions of ancient artifacts such as musical instruments and mirrors, as well as records of historical official systems. Particularly valuable for modern research on Song Dynasty marine economy and technology are the entries on the salt tax system of Zhejiang, the tidal of Huji, and the method of testing (water) salt. The other, Jia Shi Jiu Wen (Family Anecdotes), is a work by the famous Song Dynasty poet Lu You, documenting the anecdotes and stories of his ancestors from his great-grandfather Lu Zhen to his father Lu Zai, as well as some predecessors of the Tang family on his mother's side. It covers historical facts from the Song Dynasty emperors from Emperor Zhenzong to Emperor Gaozong, including politics, economy, diplomatic relations, institutional systems, moral norms, academia, and literature. Many of these historical materials are unique to this book and serve as important sources for studying the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties.