Longchuan biezhi 龍川別志 and Longchuan lüezhi 龍川略志

Longchuan biezhi 龍川別志 "Alternative records from Longchuan" and Longchuan lüezhi 龍川略志 "Brief records from Longchuan" are story collections written during the Song period 宋 (960-1279) by Su Zhe 蘇轍 (1039-1112), courtesy name Ziyou 子由 or Tongshu 同叔, from Meishan 眉山 (in today's Sichuan province). He was the younger brother of the eminent writer Su Shi 蘇軾 (Su Dongpo 蘇東坡; 1037-1101).

Su Zhe, together with Su Shi, passed the civil service examination in 1057. They also both succeeded in the special examination for policy proposals (cezhi ju 策制舉), after which Su Zhe was appointed as military judge (junshi tuiguan 軍事推官) in Shangzhou 商州. During Emperor Shenzong's 宋神宗 (r. 1067-1085) reign, when Wang Anshi 王安石 (1021-1086) drafted new financial regulations (see Wang Anshi's reforms), Su Zhe was appointed as one of his subordinates. However, when Wang implemented the Green Sprouts Law (qingmiaofa 青苗法), Su Zhe strongly argued against it and was reassigned as Judicial Officer (tuiguan) in Henan 河南.

During the Yuanyou reign-period 元祐 (1086-1093) under Emperor Zhezong 宋哲宗 (r. 1085-1100), Su Zhe was summoned to court as Remonstrator of the Right (you sijian 右司諫), and was subsequently promoted through a series of posts to become Vice Censor-in-Chief (yushi zhongcheng 御史中丞), then Right Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat (shangshu zuocheng 尚書右丞), and eventually Vice Director of the Chancellery (menxia shilang 門下侍郎). At the commencement of the Shaosheng reign-period 紹聖 (1094-1097), when Emperor Zhezong took personal control, Su Zhe was demoted to prefect of Ruzhou 汝州, and shortly afterwards, further exiled to Junzhou 筠州. Subsequently, he faced further demotion to Leizhou 雷州 and later to Xunzhou 循州. In 1100, he was permitted to return north and resettle in Yingchang 潁昌, where he established a residence on the banks of the Ying River, calling himself "Old Man Left Behind at Yingbin" (Yinbin Yilao 潁濱遺老). His collected writings are called Luancheng ji 欒城集.

The two books provide details about the society, politics, personalities and customs and habits of the time, with a focus on the region of Sichuan. The Biezhi in 4 juan is a diverse record of events from the reign of Emperor Taizu 宋太祖 (r. 960-975) to that of Emperor Zhezong of the Song dynasty. It remains faithful to historical facts and holds great value as a historical source. It compiles anecdotes and hearsay about more than forty notable officials, including Yang Yi 楊億 (974-1020) and Ouyang Xiu 歐陽修（1007-1072), covering topics such as legal cases and secret practices of alchemy and medicine, thereby reflecting various aspects of Northern Song 北宋 (960-1126) society. The book recounts a broad range of events from the author's life. Some episodes are highly narrative and possess a certain novelistic quality. For example, in juan three, the chapter Wang Jiang shan yang sheng 王江善养生 "Wang Jiang's skill in nourishing life" depicts Wang Jiang as a free-spirited drinker, unrestrained and unconventional, feared by many—vividly illustrating his bold and unbridled character. In the same fascicle, the story Zhao sheng jia shu 趙生挾術 "Scholar Zhao and his arts" describes the eccentric behaviour of the beggar Zhao, whose wildness resembled that of Wang Jiang. The writing is detailed and nuanced, though at times somewhat verbose.

According to Chao Gongwu's 晁公武 (c. 1105-1180) book catalogue Junzhai dushu zhi, the work was initially listed as being four juan in length. The version preserved in the National Library of China (Guojia Tushuguan 國家圖書館), a Song-period manuscript facsimile once owned by Fu Zengxiang 傅增湘 (1872-1949; the Fu version 傅本), indeed consists of four juan. However, the version included in Shang Jun's 商濬 series Baihai 稗海 (the Shang version 商本), as well as that in the Siku quanshu 四庫全書 (the Siku version 庫本), are both arranged in just two juan. Collation with the Fu version shows no difference in content or sequence between them; the two-juan editions are simply different physical arrangements of the same text. Another printed edition exists, namely the lead-type edition produced by the Hanfenlou Publishing House 涵芬樓, collated by Xia Jingguan 夏敬觀 (1875-1953).

The Longchuan lüezhi is a collection of miscellaneous notes written by Su Zhe during his exile in Longchuan 龍川, prefecture of Xunzhou 循州, in 1099. The work was transcribed and compiled into a book by his son, Su Yuan 蘇遠. It focuses on Su Zhe's recollections of his official career, interweaving reflections on political practice and observations of court and society. The text addresses key issues of the Northern Song period, including administrative reforms, debates over the Green Sprouts Law, and diplomatic treaties. It systematically documents Su Zhe's involvement in government decisions and institutional reforms, such as the staff reductions during the Yuanyou reign-period and the establishment of combined ritual ceremonies, maintaining detailed accounts of these historical events. It also includes verbatim records of Su Zhe's dialogues with Wang Anshi and envoys from the Khitan state.