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Yuquanzi 玉泉子

Dec 10, 2010 © Ulrich Theobald

Yuquanzi 玉泉子 "Master Jade Source" is a collection of stories from the Tang period 唐 (618-907). It is also known under the titles Yuquan biduan 玉泉筆端, Yuquan bilun 玉泉筆論, or Yuquanzi jianwen zhenlu 玉泉子見聞真錄. Who Yuquanzi, the putative author, was, is unknown. The original book was 5 juan long, but only fragments are preserved. Other sources speak of a length of 3 juan plus one supplementary chapter. The books is said to have been finished in 883.

The stories are primarily drawn from the lives of officials from the middle and late Tang periods, as well as historical figures. Some of the stories are also seen in the Yinhualu 因話錄, Shangshu gushi 尚書故實, and Lushi zashuo 盧氏雜說.

There were apparently different versions in circulation, not only of varying size, but also of other content. The received version contains 82 stories.

The Yuquanzi is included in the series Baihai 稗海, Siku quanshu 四庫全書, Shuofu 說郛, Leishuo 類說 and Tangren shuohui 唐人說薈. In 1958, the Zhonghua Shuju Press 中華書局 published a modern edition, in a joint publication with the book Jinhuazi 金華子.

Sources:
Bian Xiaoxuan 卞孝萱. 2000. "Tang xiaoshuo ji Yuquanzi de zhengzhi qingxiang 唐小說集《玉泉子》的政治傾向." Nantong Shifan Xueyuan xuebao (Zhexue shehui kexue ban) 南通師範學院學報(哲學社會科学版) 2000 (3): 10-14.
Li Xueqin 李學勤, and Lü Wenyu 呂文郁, eds. 1996. Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典, vol. 2, 2140. Changchun: Jilin daxue chubanshe.
Xia Qing 夏婧. 2013. "Zeng Zao Leishuo yin Yuquanzi yiwen bianzheng 曾慥《類說》引《玉泉子》佚文辨正." Guji zhengli yanjiu xuekan 古籍整理研究學刊 2013 (2): 31-33.
Yan Jie 嚴傑. 1992. "Yuquanzi kao 《玉泉子》考." Guji zhengli yanjiu xuekan 古籍整理研究學刊 1992 (3): 48-50.