ChinaKnowledge.de -
An Encyclopaedia on Chinese History, Literature and Art
Guolao tanyuan 國老談苑 "The garden of discussions of the Elders of the State", also called Guolao xiantan 國老閑談, is a collection of stories compiled during the Song period 宋 (960-1279) by Wang Junyu 王君玉 (early 11th cent.?), style Yimen Yinsou 夷門隱叟.
The bibliography Zhizhai shulu jieti 直齋書錄解題 does not mention his family name but calls him Yimen Junyu 夷門君玉. In this bibliography, and the bibliographical chapter in the official dynastic history Songshi 宋史 (202-209 Yiwen zhi 藝文志), the length of the book is given as 2 juan, and the name as Guolao xiantan. Still, the descriptive catalogue Siku quanshu zongmu tiyao 四庫全書總目提要 calls it Guolao tanyuan 國老談苑 and the author Wang Junyu, yet without providing evidence for this statement.
The book includes stories from the court of the emperors Taizu 宋太祖 (r. 960-975), Taizong 宋太宗 (r. 976-997) and Zhenzong 宋真宗 (r. 997-1022) of the Song dynasty. The text is heavily tendentious and criticises many courtiers, such as Tao Gu 陶穀 (903-970), while praising others, such as Tian Xi 田錫 (940-1004). Nevertheless, the stories are a helpful source for the history of the early Song period.
It is to be found in the series Siku quanshu 四庫全書, Baichuan xuehai 百川學海, Xu baichuan xuehai 續百川學海, Shuofu 說郛, Xuejin taoyuan 學津討原 and Congshu jicheng chubian 叢書集成初編.