Geography Broad Records (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Ouyang Min (Song Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-08-01
Features: Guodi Guangji is an important historical geography work from the Song Dynasty. The book "covers from Yao and Shun to the present, totaling thirty-eight chapters, titled Guodi Guangji." The entire book consists of thirty-eight volumes. Since its publication, although it was once printed during the Southern Song Dynasty, it did not have a significant impact at the time and did not attract enough attention. Even the Southern Song people doubted whether Ouyang Min, the author of Guodi Guangji, was a real person, let alone further exploration of the book. Compared to previous and contemporary historical geography works, Guodi Guangji has many unique features in its compilation style. The first four volumes begin by outlining the territorial changes of past dynasties, summarizing the key points. "Changes in boundaries and mergers are linked to the names of current prefectures and counties." The fifth volume lists the prefectures and counties of the Song Dynasty, with a particularly clear and organized system. For ancient states and cities that no longer existed in the Song Dynasty, such as the Sixteen States of Yan and Yun, they are appended to the end of each circuit as "Foreign States," providing valuable references. The book "has clear explanations and is easy to find, making it an excellent edition among geographical records." The Qing scholar Zhu Yizun also praised the book, saying, "Its chronological changes are well-organized and more superior to Taiping Huanyu Ji by Le Shi." The book records the geographical changes of past dynasties concisely and clearly. Its unique and innovative compilation style has been deeply influenced by Guodi Guangji.