Jul 3, 2010 © Ulrich Theobald
Yuejueshu 越絕書 "End of the kingdom of Yue" is a history of the regional state of Yue 越 during the Eastern Zhou period 東周 (770-221 BCE). The 19-juan long book was compiled by the Han-period 漢 (206 BCE-220 CE) writer Yuan Kang 袁康 (fl. 40 CE) and revised by Wu Ping 吳平.
It is written not in the style of an historical report but rather like a history novel. It provides nevertheless valuable historial material of the region of Yue, the modern provinces of Zhejiang and southern Jiangsu. The original text consisted of 8 "inner reports" (neiji 内記) and 17 "outer reports" (waiji 外記) of which 5 chapters were already lost in the 10th century. The main part deals with the reign of King Goujian 句踐 (r. 496-465) who made the state of Yue a powerful player in the southeast of China.
The oldest surviving print is that from the Shuangbo Studio 雙柏堂 from the Ming period 明 (1368-1644) which is included in the series Sibu congkan 四部叢刊. The Yuejushu was reprinted, along with a commentary, in 1956 by the Shangwu Press 商務印書館.
There is an English translation by Olivia Milburn (2010), The Glory of Yue: An Annotated Translation of the Yuejue shu (Leiden: Brill).
Table 1. Contents of the Yuejueshu 越絕書
| 1. |
越絕外傳本事 |
Waizhuan: Benshi |
| 2. |
越絕荊平王內傳 |
Jing Pingwang neizhuan |
| 3. |
越絕外傳記吳地傳 |
Waizhuanji: Wudizhuan |
| 4. |
越絕吳內傳 |
Wu neizhuan |
| 5. |
越絕計倪內經 |
Ji Ni neijing |
| 6. |
越絕請糴內傳 |
Qingdi neizhuan |
| 7. |
越絕外傳紀策考 |
Waizhuanji: Cekao |
| 8. |
越絕外傳記范伯 |
Waizhuanji: Fan Bo |
| 9. |
越絕內傳陳成恒 |
Neizhuan: Chen Chenheng |
| 10. |
越絕外傳記〔越〕地傳 |
Waizhuanji: Yuedizhuan |
| 11. |
越絕外傳計倪 |
Waizhuan: Ji Ni |
| 12. |
越絕外傳記吳王占夢 |
Waizhuanji: Wu wang zhan meng |
| 13. |
越絕外傳記寶劍 |
Waizhuanji: Baojian |
| 14. |
越絕內經九術 |
Neijing: Jiushu |
| 15. |
越絕外傳記軍氣 |
Waizhuanji: Junqi |
| 16. |
越絕外傳枕中 |
Waizhuan: Zhenzhong |
| 17. |
越絕外傳春申君 |
Waizhuan: Chunshen Jun |
| 18. |
越絕德序外傳記 |
Dexu waizhuanji |
| 19. |
越絕篇敘外傳記 |
Pianxu waizhuanji |
Sources:
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