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Shiwu jiyuan 事物紀原

Dec 15, 2010 © Ulrich Theobald

Shiwu jiyuan 事物紀原 "Compound source of matters and facts", also called Shiwu jiyuan jilei 事物紀原集類, is an encyclopaedia compiled during the Southern Song period 南宋 (1127-1279) by Gao Cheng 高承 (fl. 1197). A Ming-period 明 (1368-1644) edition says that the author is not known. The book was finished and printed in 1197. It comprises 10 juan with 55 topics.

The encyclopaedia deals with 1,765 topics, ranging from the universe to social entertainment. Gao quoted from ancient books all he could find about the various themes, with the intention to provide his readers with a broad range of general information. The headlines of the topics all have four characters that can be used as a mnemonic verse. Gao's indication of his sources is very excellent, and he provides also some analytical thoughts on it. Later editions have been enlarged by supplementary chapters.

There is a print from 1197 produced by Master Yu 余氏 from Jian'an 建安 and one from 1447 by Yan Jing 閻敬 from Nanchang 南昌 which uses the longer title for the book. Master Chen 陳氏 from Haining 海寧 published a print in 1722. The Shiwu jiyuan is included in the series Siku quanshu 四庫全書 and Xiyinxuan congshu 惜陰軒叢書. The latter edition has been reproduced in 1937 by the Shanghai Shangwu Press 上海商務印書館 in the series Congshu jicheng chubian 叢書集成初編.

There are also some revised versions of the Shiwu jiyuan, like the Shiwu jiyuan shanding 事物紀原刪定 by the Ming-period scholar Zhao Bi 趙弼 (fl. 1445) and the Shiwu jiyuan bu 事物紀原補 by the Qing-period scholar Nalan Yongshou 納蘭永壽 (1702-1731), republished in 1989 by the Zhonghua shuju press 中華書局.

Table 1. Contents of the Shiwu jiyuan 事物紀原
1 天地生植 Heaven, Earth and living beings
正朔歷數 The year and the calendar
帝王后妃 Emperors, princes and empresses
嬪御命婦 Guiding consorts and instructing wives
朝廷注措 Arrangements at the court
治理政體 Reigning and the conduct of government
利源調度 Taxation and adjustment of prices
2 公式姓諱 Official names and posthumous designations
禮祭郊祀 Rituals and state sacrifices
崇奉褒冊 Presentation and reception of patents
樂舞聲歌 Music and dance
輿駕羽衛 Chariots, carts, banners and guards
3 旗旐采章 Patterns on banners
冠冕首飾 Caps and head ornaments
衣裘帶服 Robes, furs, girdles and clothing
學校貢舉 Schools and stipends
4 經籍藝文 Classics and other literature
官爵封建 State offices and titles of nobility
勳階寄祿 Meritorious ministers and titular offices
師保輔相 Preceptors, defenders, and counsellors
法從清望 Heralds of the imperial train
5 三省綱轄 Subordinated offices of the Three Departments
持憲儲闈 Keepers of the rules in the princely establishments
九寺卿少 Ministers and vice ministers of the Nine Courts
秘殿掌貳 Administrators of the palace halls
五監總率 The Five Directorates
環衛中貴 Guards and eunuchs
6 橫行武列 Free advancement of the military ranks
東西使班 Diplomatic missions
節鉞帥漕 Use war axes sparingly and observe the imperial canal
撫字長民 Support literacy and grow the people
京邑館閣 Official institutions of the capital
會府臺司 Prefectural and provincial administration
7 庫務職局 Warehouses and bureaus
州郡方域 Local administration
真壇凈社 Altars and monasteries
靈宇廟貌 Shrines and temples
道釋科教 Daoism, Buddhism and education
伎術醫卜 Magic, prognostication and medicine
8 舟車帷幄 Boats, carts and tents
什物器用 Various tools in daily life
歲時風俗 The seasons and related customs
宮室居處 Palaces and other buildings
城市藩御 Cities and provinces
9 農業陶漁 Peasants, potters and fishers
酒醴飲食 Wine and food
吉兇典制 Auspicious and inauspicious matters
博弈嬉戲 Chess and plays
戎容兵械 Military activities and weapons
戰陣攻守 Battle arrays and city defence
10 軍伍名額 The army and its size
律令刑罰 Edicts, commands and penal law
布帛雜事 Textiles and miscellaneous matters
草木花果 Herbs, trees, flowers and fruits
蟲魚禽獸 Worms and insects, fishes, birds and beasts
Sources:
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Li Shanshan 李姗姗 (2011). "Shiwu jiyuan de minsuxue jiedu 《事物紀原》的民俗學解讀", Huabei Shuili Shuidian Xueyuan xuebao (Shekeban) 華北水利水電學院學報(社科版), 27 (1): 106-108.
Li Wenning 李文宁 (2016). "Shiwu jiyuan suishi fengsu bu xushu moshi ji qi chengyin chutan 《事物紀原》歲時風俗部叙述模式及其成因初探", Changjiang xueshu 長江學術, 51 (3): 52-58.
Li Xueqin 李學勤, Lü Wenyu 呂文鬰, eds.g (1996). Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典 (Changchun: Jilin daxue chubanshe), Vol. 2, 2038.
Pan Yinsheng 潘寅生, Guo Jinkui 郭建魁, eds. (1993). Zhonghua shehui kexue gongjushu cidian 中華社會科學工具書辭典 (Lanzhou: Gansu renmin chubanshe), 691.
Wang Yuguang 王餘光, Xu Yan 徐雁, eds. (1999). Zhongguo dushu da cidian 中國讀書大辭典 (Nanjing: Nanjing daxue chubanshe), 1092.
Wu Feng 吳楓, ed. (1987). Jianming Zhongguo guji cidian 簡明中國古籍辭典 (Changchun: Jilin wenshi chubanshe), 478.
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