The Notes on the Waterways (Upper and Lower)

Author: Shui Jing Zhu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Shui Jing Zhu (Notes on the Waterways) was written by Li Daoyuan, a Northern Wei dynasty scholar, as annotations to Shui Jing. Shui Jing is an ancient Chinese text dedicated to recording the river systems of China, divided into three volumes, with the author now unknown. Based on its content, it is likely that it was drafted during the Xin Dynasty or Eastern Han period, and completed during the Three Kingdoms era. Shui Jing describes 137 rivers, but only briefly mentions the sources and courses of each, as well as their ultimate tributaries—their brevity is evident. In form, Shui Jing Zhu serves as annotations to Shui Jing, but in content, it is not only over 20 times longer but also rich and vivid, making it a timeless classic. Shui Jing Zhu records 1,252 rivers, in addition to over 500 lakes and swamps, and over 200 springs and wells. It not only discusses rivers but also provides detailed accounts of the landforms, geology, minerals, and flora and fauna along their courses. Shui Jing Zhu holds significant importance in geography, archaeology, and water conservancy, while also achieving outstanding literary acclaim. It is a compendium of landscape prose from the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties periods, a collection of Chinese legends, a guide to famous scenic spots and historical sites, and an archive of local customs and traditions.