Beibian beidui 北邊備對

Beibian beidui 北邊備對 "Well-funded answers concerning the northern frontier" is a book written during the Southern Song period 南宋 (1127-1279) by Cheng Dachang 程大昌 (1123－1195), who is better known for his book Yanfanlu 演繁錄.

In the preface of the 1-juan-long book, Cheng explains that when studying the geographical data of the Shangshu 尚書 chapter Yugong 禹貢, Emperor Xiaozong 宋孝宗 (r. 1162-1189) did not find information on the land beyond the borders of China proper. To find a solution, Cheng compiled this book. However, the 21 chapters are based on ancient books and topics (like the Great Wall), and not on the latest news. Nonetheless, some findings of Cheng are beneficial, for instance, his finding that the phonetic commentary Hanshu yinyi 漢書音義 speaks not only of the Yinshan Range 陰山 south of the Yellow River, but that north of the River, there was also a region called Yangshan 陽山.

The book was thus not included in the imperial series Siku quanshu 四庫全書, but it is found in the Gujin shuohai 古今說海, Gujin yishi 古今逸史, Lidai xiaoshi 歷代小史, Shuofu 說郛, Zhongguo yeshi jicheng 中國野史集成 and Xuxiu siku quanshu 續修四庫全書.