Shehualu 舌華錄

Shehualu 舌華錄 "Blossoms of the tongue" is a collection of stories compiled during the Ming period 明 (1368-1644) by Cao Chen 曹臣 (b. 1583), courtesy name Jinzhi 藎之, later Yechen 野臣, style Wenji Shanren 文几山人, from Shexian 歙縣, Anhui.

The book compiles refined sayings and witty remarks from earlier scholars, presented in a question-and-answer format. It is organised into nine juan, comprising eighteen categories, including Wise Sayings (Huiyu 慧語), Famous Sayings (Mingyu 名語), Heroic Sayings (Haoyu 豪語), Bold Sayings (Kuangyu 狂語), Flattering Sayings (Jiaoyu 澆語), and Melancholy Sayings (Qiyu 淒語). The quotations are sourced from ninety-nine different works, ranging from the Shishuo xinyu 世說新語 to various Song-period 宋 (960-1279) miscellanies. The collection spans from the Han 漢 (206 BCE-220 CE) and Wei 曹魏 (220-265) periods to the Ming era. All recorded words are taken from spoken exchanges, with no written correspondence or letters included—hence, the title Shehualu, derived from the Buddhist expression "a tongue as the lotus blossom", symbolising eloquence and purity of speech.

The entire work comprises fragments of casual conversation and assorted reflections, sometimes rather scattered and unpolished, representing one of the Ming literati's attempts to emulate the style of the Shishuo xinyu. Occasionally, it also includes a few amusing anecdotes and humorous remarks.

The text is included in the series Biji xiaoshuo daguan 筆記小說大觀. In 1985, the Yuelu Shushe 岳麓書社 published a modern edition with critical notes.