Complete Notes on the Song Dynasty: Volume 1 (7)

Author: Zhu Yian
Publisher:
Publishing Time: Not available
Features: Upon reviewing this book, the editor found the following characteristics: First, the book scientifically defines the term "notes" and strives to compile as many notes written by Song Dynasty scholars as possible, truly reflecting the "comprehensiveness" of the Complete Notes of the Song Dynasty, avoiding omissions and disorganization. The compilers adhere to the principle that "notes are spontaneous records rather than deliberately composed works." They limit the collection to "complete collections of notes by Song Dynasty scholars" and exclude "scattered individual notes that have not formed a complete collection," as well as "specialized collections with focused themes and rigid structures," such as "poetic discussions, sayings, genealogies, and specialized works like The Tea Classic, Painting Spectra, Records of Prominent Officials, and Official Precepts." Naturally, they also exclude novels and biographies that narrate stories in detail. Comparing this book with the Grand Collection of Notes and Fiction published by Taiwan's Emerging Book Company in 1984, the latter, while including many Song Dynasty notes, has two shortcomings: first, it mixes Song Dynasty notes with fiction, genealogies, popular tales, and poetic discussions; second, some of the versions are not refined. Of course, the author evaluates this book only from the perspective of Song Dynasty notes and does not deny its overall documentary value. Comparing it with the Comprehensive Collection of Notes and Fiction of All Dynasties·Song Dynasty Notes and Fiction published by Hebei Education Press in 1995, the latter has the following shortcomings: first, it only includes 188 Song Dynasty notes, and some important notes are inexplicably missing, such as Hong Mai's Rongzhai, Zhou Mi's Guijin, Zhou's Qingbo, Wang Guoguo's Xuelin, Yue Ke's Muchen, Luo Daqing's Helin, Wang Bi's Mianshui, Ouyang Xiu's Guiquan, He's Chunzhu, Peng's Moke (which has already included ten volumes of Continued Moke), Zhao Liantian's Houling, Ye Mengde's Shilin, Lu You's Laoxuean, Gong Mingzhi's Zhongwu, etc. Without these notes, it is difficult to reflect the full picture of Song Dynasty notes, which is a great regret. Additionally, the catalog of Song Dynasty notes and fiction compiled in the latter contains numerous errors, such as the author of Yanjiyi Wang Muyong being mistakenly listed as "Wang Yong," the author of Dingjin Ding Wei being listed as "Ding Wei," the author of Song Jingwen Song Qi being listed as "Song Qi," the character "zhou" in Pingzhou being mistakenly written as "zhou," the character "ji" in Jiyu being mistakenly written as "yi," the character "zhou" in Zhuilin being mistakenly written as "shu," the author Dai Huai of Shupu being listed as "Dai Zhi," the author Zhao Jin of Yangkao being listed as "Zhao Jinlu," the author Chen of Fuxuan being listed as "Chen," and so on. Second, most of the Song Dynasty notes in this book are newly collated and punctuated for the first time, reflecting the "newness" of the collection. Among the 49 notes in this volume, 13 have already been collated and punctuated by Zhonghua Book Company and Shanghai, while 36 have been newly collated and punctuated, accounting for over 73% of the total. Among these newly collated and punctuated notes, some of the more important ones include Zhang Ji's Jia Shi Tanlu, Wang Zeng's Wang Wenzheng Gong Bilu, Song Qi's Song Jingwen Gong Bilu, Jiang Xiufu's Jiang Liji Zazhi, Zeng Bu's Zeng Gong Yilu, Su Shi's Quchi Bilu, Su Shi's Yujiao Xianhua Lu, Chao Shuozhi's Chao Shi Keyu, Wang Qiner's Wang Shi Tanlu, etc. These notes, though not lengthy, cover topics related to the social economy, politics, and customs of the time, leaving behind valuable historical materials that are highly treasured. Third, compared to previously collated and punctuated Song Dynasty notes, this book is relatively "accurate" in its collation and punctuation. The compilers and collators of this book are mostly scholars with outstanding achievements in ancient Chinese history and literature, especially in Tang and Song literature and history. Although they dare not overpraise them as the best in the world, they can be considered top-tier choices. Taking the compilation of this volume as an example, figures such as Kong Fanli, who collated and punctuated works like Dongpo Zhilin, Quchi Bilu, Yujiao Xianhua Lu, Longchuan Luezhi, and Longchuan Biezhi, Deng Guangming and Zhang Xiqing, who collated and punctuated Sishui Jiwen, Yu Yunuo, who collated and punctuated Nanbu Xinwen and Jinshi Huiyuan, Diaoji Litan, and Dingjin Gong Tanlu, and Huang Chunyan, who collated and punctuated works like Sun Weimin Zhengnan Lu, are all renowned experts in Song Dynasty history and literature. This is sufficient to ensure that the collation, punctuation, and collation of this book are presented to readers with high quality. For example, the previously published Xiangshan Yelu by Shi Wenying (Zhonghua Book Company, 1984 edition) contains some punctuation errors, such as the original text in the first volume: "The Vice Marshal, King Wang Gong, of the Zhi dynasty, in the Bingwen year, served as the director of Qiao" (page 23), mistakenly treating the last reign title of Emperor Taizong of Song as the name of the Vice Marshal, Wang Gong. This has now been corrected to: "The Vice Marshal, King Wang Gong, served as the director of Qiao in the Bingwen year of the Zhi dynasty." Similarly, the first volume of Song Minqiu's Chunming Chuachao Lu (Zhonghua Book Company, 1980 edition) originally read: "In the eleventh month of the Kaobao eighth year, Jiangnan was pacified, and Bian River water was left to await the boat of the Liguang ruler." (page 5). This has now been corrected to: "In the eleventh month of the Kaobao eighth year, Jiangnan was pacified, and the Bian River water was left to await the boat of the Liguang ruler." These improvements are evident, thus ensuring that the quality of the book's punctuation has been further improved. In conclusion, The Complete Notes of the Song Dynasty is the third large-scale anthology in the field of Song Dynasty literature and history after The Complete Poems of the Song Dynasty and The Complete Writings of the Song Dynasty. Although it has only published the first volume so far, with inevitable shortcomings such as some incorrectly marked and punctuated sentences, according to the compiler's plan, the entire book is divided into approximately 10 volumes and will be completed within five to six years. The author believes that as the compilers gradually accumulate experience and the collators steadily improve their skills, they will eventually present a brand-new, high-quality documentary anthology to the readers.