Complete Notes on the Song Dynasty: Volume 1 (Part 2)

Author: Zhu Yian
Publisher:
Publishing Time: Not available
Features: Upon reviewing this book, the editor found the following characteristics: First, the book defines "notes" scientifically and strives to collect 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 compiler insists that "notes" are "spontaneous records rather than deliberately composed works," limited to "collected works of notes by Song Dynasty scholars," excluding "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, such as The Tea Classic, Painting Spectra, Records of Prominent Officials, and Official Precepts," and certainly not including novels or biographies that narrate stories in detail. Comparing this book to The Great Collection of Notes and Fiction published by Taiwan's Emerging Book Company in 1984, the latter, while including many notes by Song Dynasty scholars, has two shortcomings: first, the notes are mixed with fiction, genealogies, popular tales, and poetic discussions; second, some of the versions are not refined. Of course, the author evaluates this book from the perspective of Song Dynasty notes and does not deny its overall documentary value. Comparing it to The Collection of Notes and Fiction of All Dynasties·Song Dynasty Notes and Fiction published by Hebei Education Press in February 1995, the latter's shortcomings are: first, it only includes 188 notes by Song Dynasty scholars, and some important notes are inexplicably excluded, such as Hong Mai's Rongzhou Notes, Zhou Mi's Kixin Miscellaneous Records, Zhou's Qingbo Magazine, Wang Guoguo's Xuelin, Yue Ke's Muchen History, Luo Daqing's Helin Yulu, Wang Bi's Mianshui Yantalu, Ouyang Xiu's Retirement Records, He's Chunzhu Jiyun, Peng's Moke Weixi (the ten volumes of Continued Moke Weixi have been compiled), Zhao Liantian's Houlinglu, Ye Mengde's Shilin Yanyu, Lu You's Laoxue An Notes, Gong Mingzhi's Zhongwu Jiyun, etc. Without these notes, it is difficult to reflect the full picture of Song Dynasty notes, which is deeply regrettable. Additionally, the catalog of Song Dynasty notes and fiction compiled in the latter contains many errors, such as the author of Yanji Yimolu being mistakenly written as "Wang Muyong" instead of "Wang Yong," the author of Ding Jin Gong Tanlu being mistakenly written as "Ding Wei" instead of "Ding Wei," the author of Song Jingwen Gong Notes being mistakenly written as "Song Qi" instead of "Song Qi," the character "zhou" in Pingzhou Ketao being mistakenly written as "zhou," the character "ji" in Jiyu Biance Lu being mistakenly written as "yi," the character "zhu" in Zhuailan Xulun being mistakenly written as "shu," the author of Shupu being mistakenly written as "Dai Zhi" instead of "Dai Zhi," the author of Yangkao Manbi being mistakenly written as "Zhao Jin" instead of "Zhao Jinlu," and the author of Fuxuan Yelu being mistakenly written as "Chen" instead of "Chen," etc. Second, most of the notes by Song Dynasty scholars in this book are presented to the public for the first time after being collated and punctuated, reflecting the "new" characteristic. In the 49 notes in the volume, 13 have been collated and punctuated by Zhonghua Book Company and Shanghai, while 36 have been newly collated and punctuated, accounting for more than 73% of the total. Among these newly collated and punctuated notes by Song Dynasty scholars, some of the more important ones include Zhang Ji's Jia Shi Tanlu, Wang Zeng's Wang Wen Zheng Gong Bilu, Song Qi's Song Jingwen Gong Notes, 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. Some of these notes, though not lengthy, contain content related to the social economy, politics, and customs of the time, leaving behind valuable historical materials for later generations, making them extremely precious. Third, compared to previously collated and punctuated notes by Song Dynasty scholars, this book has the relatively "accurate" characteristic, meaning the collation and punctuation are more precise. The compilers and collators of this book are mostly outstanding scholars in the fields of ancient Chinese history and literature, especially in Tang and Song literature and history. Although they may not be the best in the world, they are undoubtedly first-class. Taking the volume as an example, especially Kong Fanli, who collated and punctuated works such as Dongpo Zhilin, Quchi Bilu, Yujiao Xianhua Lu, Longchuan Luezhi, and Longchuan Biexhi, Deng Guangming and Zhang Xiqing, who collated and punctuated Sishui Jiyun, Yu Yunuo, who collated and punctuated Nanbu Xinwen and Jinshi Huayuan, Diao Ji Litan, and Ding Jin Gong Tanlu, Huang Chunyan, who collated and punctuated works such as Sun Weimin Zhengnan Lu, etc., are all renowned experts in Song Dynasty history or Song Dynasty literature research. This is enough to ensure that the collation, punctuation, and collation of the book are presented to readers in high quality. For example, the previously published Xiangshan Yelu by Wen Wenying (Zhonghua Book Company, 1984 edition) contains some punctuation errors, such as the original text in the first volume: "The Vice Marshal, King of Wei, Wang Gong, served as the Qiao Prefecture Military Commissioner in the Zhitao year of the Bingwei era" (page 23), mistakenly taking the last reign title of Emperor Taizong of Song, "Zhitao," as the name of the Vice Marshal, Wang Gong. This has now been corrected to: "The Vice Marshal, Wang Gong, served as the Qiao Prefecture Military Commissioner in the Bingwei year of the Zhitao era." Similarly, in the first volume of Chunming Tuichao Lu by Song Minqiu (Zhonghua Book Company, 1980 edition), the original text reads: "In the eleventh month of the Kaobao eighth year, Jiangnan was pacified, and the Bian River was left to await the boat of the Liguang ruler" (page 5). This has also been corrected to: "In the eleventh month of the Kaobao eighth year, Jiangnan was pacified, and the Bian River was left to await the boat of the Liguang ruler." These improvements are evident, thus ensuring that the quality of the book's collation 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 volume so far and inevitably contains some errors in punctuation and sentence division, according to the compiler's plan, the entire book is divided into about 10 volumes and will be completed in five to six years. I believe 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.