Jul 18, 2010 © Ulrich Theobald
Shuijing 水經 "The river classic" was an ancient Chinese geographical book describing the course of rivers. It had been transmitted as a core component together with its commentary, the Shuijingzhu 水經注 "Commentary to the river classic". The classic had been written by Sang Qin 桑欽 (dates unknown), courtesy name Junzhang 君長, during the Three Empires period 三國 (220-280), the commentary by Li Daoyuan 酈道元 (466 or 472-527), courtesy name Shanzhang 善長, during the Northern Wei period 北魏 (386-534). The original text contained 40 juan of which 5 were lost. In the transmitted version, contents were rearranged in order to regain the original number of 40.
Li Daoyuan hailed from Zhuoxian 涿縣 in the commandery of Fanyang 范陽 (today's Zhuozhou 涿州市, Hebei), and began his career as regional inspector (cishi 刺史) of the province of Jingzhou 荊州. He was dismissed because of an offence and was only ten years later appointed metropolitan magistrate (yin 尹) of Henan 河南 (Luoyang). Having achieved laurels in the suppression of Prince Yuan Faseng's 元法僧 (455-537) rebellion, he was made 御史中尉. In 527 he was recommended to take over the fight against Xiao Baoying 蕭寶夤 (487-530). On the way to Yongzhou 雍州 (modern Shaanxi), he was assassinated.
For his commentary, Li Daoyuan did not only have the necessary geographical experience from his profession when he was inspecting canals, dykes and rivers, but he also studied a lot of old and contemporary books on geography. The original Shuijing only dealt with 137 rivers, and Li Daoyuan added so much information about other rivers that the Shuijingzhu can not dealt with as a commentary but is in fact a book of its own. It is twenty times as large as the old Shuijing and discusses the geographical course and the cultural background of 1,252 rivers and creeks.
The importance of the Shuijingzhu lies in its character as a vast treasury for all types of information on the local economy, society, and geography, not only during the Northern Dynasties period 北朝 (386~581) but through the ages. The rivers are described from their source, with the tributaries, river forks and so on down to their estuary mouth. All this is very important information for the reconstruction of the early Chinese hydrological environment. Li Daoyuan, collecting written sources and writing from his own experience, is very cautious towards his sources. This makes his book even more valuable. One exception is that he was not able to deal with rivers of southern China with the same diligence as that of the north because China was divided at that time into the Southern and Northern dynasties.
During the ages, many errors have crept in, mainly in places where the old Shuijing was confused with Li Daoyuan's part. The Qing-period 清 (1644-1911) scholars Quan Zuwang 全祖望 (1705-1755), Zhao Yiqing 趙一清 (1711-1764) and Dai Zhen 戴震 (1723-1777) tried to amend those errors. In the late 19th century Yang Shoujing 楊守敬 (1839-1915) collected those commentaries in his publication called Shuijingzhu shu 水經注疏.
Quotation 1. Beginning of the Shuijingzhu 水經注
| 河水 |
The (Yellow) River |
| 【經】崑崙墟在西北， |
Classic: The Kunlun Mountain Range 崑崙 is in the northeast, |
| 【注】三成爲崑崙丘。《崑崙說》曰：「崑崙之山三級，下曰樊桐，一名板桐；二曰玄圃，一名閬風；上曰層城，一名天庭，是爲太帝之居。」 |
Commentary: The Kunlun Massif consists of three [geological terraces]. The Kunlunshuo 崑崙說 ("Report of the Kunlun Mountains") says, "Mount Kunlun is made of three terraces, the lower terrace is called Fantong 樊桐 or Bantong 板桐, the middle one Xuanpu 玄圃 or Langfeng 閬風, and the upper terrace, where the Highest Deity (Tai Di 太帝) lives, Cengcheng 層城 or Tianting 天庭 ("Celestial Palace")." |
| 【經】去嵩高五萬里，地之中也。 |
Classic: 50,000 li away from Mount Songshan 嵩山, which is located just in the centre of the world. |
| 【注】《禹本紀》與此同。高誘稱河出崑山，伏流地中萬三千里，禹導而通之，出積石山。按《山海經》，自崑崙至積石千七百四十里，自積石出隴西郡至洛，準《地志》可五千餘里。 |
Commentary: The Yu benji ("Imperial Biography of Emperor Yu", i.e. Wudi benji 五帝本紀 in the Shiji 史記) says the same. Gao You 高誘 says, the Yellow River comes from the Kun(lun) Mountain, it flows down into the middle lands, 13,000 li 里 wide. Yu the Great 大禹 gave the Yellow River its way and made it a bed, so it could leave Mt. Jishi 積石. According to the Shanhaijing ("Classic of Mountains and Seas"), the distance from Mt. Kunlun to Mt. Jishi Mountain is 1,740 li, and from the place wher the river comes from Mt. Jishi in the commandery of Longxi 隴西 down to River Luo 洛水 [in the plain land], more than 5,000 li are measured, according to the geographical books (dizhi 地志). |
| 又按《穆天子傳》，天子自崑山入于宗周，乃里西土之數。自宗周水以西，至于河宗之邦、陽紆之山，三千有四百里，自陽紆西至河首四千里，合七千四百里。 |
Further, the Mu Tianzi zhuan 穆天子傳 ("Story of King Mu"), reports that the Son of Heaven (i.e. King Mu of Zhou 周穆王) came from Mt. Kunlun to the capital Zongzhou 宗周, [after he had?] taken a geographical survey of the western regions. From the waters at Zongzhou to the west, [up] to the region of Hezong 河宗 and the mountains of Yangyu 陽紆, [the distance is] 3,400 li, and from Yangyu westwards to the source ("head") of the river, there are 4,000 li, which makes a total of 7,400 li. |
| 《外國圖》又云：從大晉國正西七萬里，得崑崙之墟，諸仙居之。數說不同。道阻且長，經記緜褫，水陸路殊，徑復不同，淺見末聞，非所詳究，不能不聊述聞見，以誌差違也。 |
The Waiguotu ("Maps of Foreign Countries") says further, from the country of the Great Jin Dynasty (approx. Henan) 70,000 li straight to the west, is Mount Kunlun where all immortals live. It can be seen that all these reports deviate from each other. The way to Mount Kunlun is far and difficult, the reports are confuse and unreliable; there are only few waterways and roads, and even these few are hard to find; only few persons have seen or even heard from these places, and nobody has made further investigations. We have no other choice but write down what others saw and heard and so report only mistakes and contradictions. |
| 【經】其高萬一千里。 |
Classic: It has a height of 11,000 li. |
| 【注】《山海經》稱方八百里，高萬仞。郭景純以爲自上二千五百餘里，《淮南子》稱高萬一千里百一十四步三尺六寸。 |
Commentary: The Shanhaijing says, it is 800-li long and 10,000 ren ("fathoms") high. Guo Jingchun 郭景純 (i.e. Guo Pu 郭璞, commentator on the Shanhaijng) holds that it is more than 2,500-li high, from the very top. The Huainanzi 淮南子 ("Master of Huainan") says, it has a height of 11,000 li 114 bu ("steps") 2 chi ("feet") and 6 cun ("inches"). |
An updated, but much shorter, book on rivers was written by Huang Zongxi 黄宗羲 (1610-1695), with the title Jin shuijing 今水經. Other extensions were Xu shui jing 續水經 (lost) by Lu Yin 陸禋 written during the Tang period 唐 (618-907), and a book with the same title written by Heying 和瑛 (1741-1821).
Sources:
Bao Shanchun 鮑善淳 (2001). "Shuijingzhu luanliu kaoshi 《水經注》“亂流”考釋", Guhanyu yanjiu 古漢語研究, 2001 (9).
Cavanaugh, J. (1986). "Shui-ching chu 水經注", in William H. Nienhauser, ed. The Indiana Companion to Traditional Chinese Literature (Bloomington/Indianapolis: Indiana University Press), 710-712.
Chen Donglin 陳東林 (2005). "Li Daoyuan Shuijingzhu de bianji tili ji tese 酈道元《水經注》的編輯體例及特色", Xuzhou Shifan Daxue xuebao 徐州師範大學學報, 2005 (4).
Chen Qiaoyi 陳橋驛 (1988). "Shuijingzhu jizai de Sanjin heliu 《水經注》記載的三晉河流", Zhongguo lishi dili luncong 中國歷史地理論叢, 1988 (12).
Chen Qiaoyi 陳橋驛 (1988a). Zhongguo gudai de fangyan dilixue: Fangyan yu Shuijingzhu zai fangyan dilixue shang de chengjiu 中國古代的方言地理學——《方言》與《水經注》在方言地理學上的成就", Zhongugo lishi dili luncong 中國歷史地理論叢, 1988 (4).
Chen Qiaoyi 陳橋驛 (1990). "Shuijingzhu de geyao yanyu 《水經注》的歌謠諺語", Zhengzhou Daxue xuebao (Zhexue shehui kexue ban) 鄭州大學學報(哲學社會科學版), 1990 (3).
Chen Qiaoyi 陳橋驛 (2000). "Shuijingzhu banben he jiaokan yanjiu 《水經注》版本和校勘的研究", Hangzhou Shifan Xueyuan xuebao 杭州師範學院學報, 2000 (2).
Dorofeeva-Lichtmann, Vera (2005). "Where is the Yellow River Source? A Controversial Question in Early Chinese Historiography", Oriens Extremus, 45: 68-90.
Fei Sheng 費省 (1984). "Cong Shuijingzhu suo zai heming tantao Beiwei shiqi Weihe shuixi de shuiwen zhuangkuang 從《水經注》所載河名探討北魏時期渭河水系的水文狀況", Shaanxi Shida xuebao (Zhexue shehui kexue ban) 陝西師大學報(哲學社會科學版), 1984 (7).
Gao Jianxin 高建新 (2006). "Lun Shuijingzhu dui Zhongguo shanshui wenxue de dute gongxian 論《水經注》對中國山水文學的獨特貢獻", Neimenggu Shifan Daxue xuebao (Zhexue shehui kexue ban) 内蒙古師範大學學報(哲學社會科學版), 2006 (5).
He Shengdi 賀聖迪 (1996). "Shuijingzhu 水經注", in Zhou Gucheng 周谷城, ed. Zhongguo xueshu mingzhu tiyao 中國學術名著提要, Vol. Keji 科技卷 (Shanghai: Fudan daxue chubanshe), 280.
Hua Linfu 華林甫 (1998). "Lun Li Daoyuan Shuijingzhu de dimingxue gongxian 論酈道元《水經注》的地名學貢獻", Dili yanjiu 地理研究, 1998 (6).
Huang Huanan 黃華南 (2005). "Qianlun Shuijingzhu de wenxue jiazhi 淺論《水經注》的文學價值", Jingji yu shehui fazhan 經濟與社會發展, 2005 (11).
Huang Shengzhang 黃盛璋 (1962). "Guanyu Shuijingzhu Chang'an fujin fuyuan de ruogan wenti 關於《水經注》長安城附近復原的若干問題", Kaogu 考古, 1962 (6).
Huang Xu 黃續 (2017). "Shuijingzhu zhong Handai guanli mudi jizai de shiliao jiazhi 《水經注》中漢代官吏墓地記載的史料價值", Shixue yuekan 史學月刊, 2017 (5).
Husemann, J. Henning (2015). "Shuijing zhu", in Cynthia L. Chennault, et al., eds. Early Medieval Chinese Texts: A Bibliographical Guide (Berkeley: Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley), 311-317.
Hüsemann, Jörg Henning (2017). Das Altertum vergegenwärtigen: Eine Studie zum Shuijing zhu des Li Daoyuan (Leipzig: Leipziger Uni-Verlag).
Jiaoyu da cidian bianzuan weiyuanhui 《教育大辭典》編纂委員會, ed. (1991). Jiaoyu da cidian 教育大辭典, Part 8, Zhongguo gudai jiaoyu shi 中國古代教育史 (Shanghai: Shanghai jiaoyu chubanshe), Vol. 1, 266.
Li Bingzhong 李秉忠, Wei Canjin 衛燦金, Lin Conglong 林從龍, ed. (1990). Jianming wenshi zhishi cidian 簡明文史知識詞典 (Xi'an: Shaanxi renmin chubanshe), 604.
Li Xueqin 李學勤, Lü Wenyu 呂文郁, ed. (1996). Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典 (Changchun: Jilin daxue chubanshe), Vol. 1, 1060.
Li Yaming 李亞明 (1996). "Shuijingzhu 水經注", in Feng Kezheng 馮克正, Fu Qingsheng 傅慶升, ed. Zhuzi baijia da cidian 諸子百家大辭典 (Shenyang: Liaoning renmin chubanshe), 457.
Lin Fei 林非, ed. (1997). Zhongguo sanwen da cidian 中國散文大辭典 (Zhengzhou: Zhongzhou guji chubanshe), 112.
Liu Jingchun 劉景純 (2000). "Shuijingzhu cimiao yanjiu 《水經注》祠廟研究", Zhongguo lishi dili luncong 中國歷史地理論叢, 2000 (12).
Liu Jingchun 劉景純 (2011). "Shuijingzhu liuyu dili de faxian yu zhuanshu 《水經注》流域地理的發現與撰述", Xixia yanjiu 西夏研究, 2011 (5).
Lycas, Alexis (2018). "Le décentrement du regard géographique dans le Shuijing zhu de Li Daoyuan († 527)", Bulletin de l'Ecole française d'Extrême-Orient, 104: 241-266.
Nylan, Michael (2010). "Wandering in the Ruins: the Shuijing zhu Reconsidered", in Alan K.L. Chan, Yuet-Keung Lo, eds. Interpretation and Literature in Early Medieval China (Albany: State University of New York Press), 63-101.
Shi Xuanyuan 施宣圓 et al., ed. (1987). Zhongguo wenhua cidian 中國文化辭典 (Shanghai: Shanghai shehui kexueyuan chubanshe), 325.
Sun Qinshan 孫欽善 (1990). "Shuijingzhu de lishi dili kaozheng chengjiu 《水經注》的歷史地理考證成就", Zhongguo lishi dili luncong 中國歷史地理論叢, 1990 (10).
Tan Jiajian 譚家健 (1992). "Shuijingzhu 水經注", in Zhonggo da baike quanshu 中國大百科全書, Part Zhongguo wenxue 中國文學 (Beijing/Shanghai: Zhongguo da baike quanshu chubanshe), Vol. 2, 758.
Tsiang, Katherine R. (2010). "Antiquarianism and Re-Envisioning Empire in the Late Northern Wei", in Wu Hung, ed. Reinventing the Past: Archaism and Antiquarianism in Chinese Art and Visual Culture (Chicago: Center for the Art of East Asia, University of Chicago/Art Media Resources), 127-154.
Wang Chunlin 王春林, ed. (2001). Keji bianji da cidian 科技編輯大辭典 (Beijing: Di er junyi daxue chubanshe), 324.
Wang Dong 王東 (2015). "Tangdai Li Shan Wenxuan zhuyin Shuijingzhu kao 唐代李善《文選》注引《水經注》考", Zhengzhou Daxue xuebao (Zhexue shehui kexue ban) 鄭州大學學報(哲學社會科學版), 2015 (11).
Wang Meng 王萌 (2008). "Jin shi nian lai Shuijingzhu yanjiu zongshu 近十年来《水經注》研究綜述", Sanxia Daxue xuebao (Renwen shehui kexue ban) 三峽大學學報(人文社會科學版), 2008 (12).
Wang Yuguang 王余光, Xu Yan 徐雁, ed. (1999). Zhongguo dushu da cidian 中國讀書大辭典 (Nanjing: Nanjing daxue chubanshe), 1169.
Wang Yunliang 王允亮 (2010). "Shuijingzhu yu nanfang wenxian yanjiu 《水經注》與南方文獻研究", Zhongguo wenxue yanjiu 中國文學研究, 2010 (7).
Wang Zhaoming 王兆明, Fu Langyun 傅朗云, ed. (1991). Zhonghua gu wenxian da cidian 中華古文獻大辭典, Dili 地理卷 (Changchun: Jilin wenshi chubanshe), 65.
Wu Feng 吳楓, ed. (1987). Jianming Zhongguo guji cidian 簡明中國古籍辭典 (Changchun: Jilin wenshi chubanshe), 165.
Wu Feng 吳楓, ed. (1994). Zhonghua gu wenxian da cidian 中華古文獻大辭典, Vol. Wenxue 文學卷 (Changchun: Jilin wenshi chubanshe), 119.
Wu Xingzhou 吳興洲, Li Xuanyue 李璇玥 (2016). "Shuijingzhu banben yuanliu tanjiu 《水經注》版本源流探究", Lantai shijie 蘭台世界, 2016 (5).
Wuhan Daxue Lishi xi Jianming lishi cidian bianxuezu 武漢大學歷史系《簡明歷史辭典》編寫組, ed. (1983). Jianming lishi cidian 簡明歷史辭典 (Zhengzhou: Henan renmin chubanshe), 952.
Xu Zhongyuan 徐中原 (2008). "Ershi shiji yilai Shuijingzhu yanjiu zongshu 20世紀以來《水經注》研究綜述", Hunan Wenli Xueyuan xuebao (Shehui kexue ban) 湖南文理學院學報(社會科學版), 2008 (9).
Xue Mingyang 薛明揚 (1994). "Shuijingzhu 水經注", in Zhou Gucheng 周谷城, ed. Zhongguo xueshu mingzhu tiyao 中國學術名著提要, Vol. Lishi 歷史卷 (Shanghai: Fudan daxue chubanshe), 689.
Yan Yaozhong 嚴耀中 (2010). "Weishu Dixing zhi he Shuijingzhu zhong de beifang suo ji zhushen 《魏書•地形志》和《水經注》中的北方所祀諸神", Shehui kexue zhanxian 社會科學戰綫, 2010 (9).
Yang Wenheng 楊文衡 (1997). "Shuijingzhu 水經注", in Men Kui 門巋, Zhang Yanjin 張燕瑾, ed. Zhonghua guocui da cidian 中華國粹大辭典 (Xianggang: Guoji wenhua chuban gongsi) 395.
Zhang Pengfei 張鵬飛 (2010). "Shuijingzhu zhushu fangfa kaolun 《水經注》注疏方法考論", Qiusuo 求索, 2010 (7).
Zhang Xiaodong 張曉東 (2007). "Shuijingzhu suo zai caoyun shi yu yunhe shiliao ji wenti kaoshu 《水經注》所載漕運史與運河史資料及問題考述", Chongqing shehui kexue 重慶社會科學, 2007 (6).
Zhang Zeguang 張澤光 (2013). "Beiwei Li Daoyuan yu Shuijingzhu de dilixue chengjiu 北魏酈道元與《水經注》的地理學成就", Lantai shijie 蘭台世界, 2013 (3).
Zhou Yiliang 周一良 (1992). "Shuijingzhu 水經注", in Zhongguo da baike quanshu 中國大百科全書, Zhongguo lishi 中國歷史 (Beijing/Shanghai: Zhongguo da baike quanshu chubanshe), Vol. 2, 954.
Zhou Yue 周躍 (1993). "Shuijingzhu 水經注", in Shi Quanchang 石泉長, ed. Zhonghua baike yaolan 中華百科要覽 (Shenyang: Liaoning renmin chubanshe), 966.
Zhu Gengling 朱更翎 (1986). "Shuijingzhu 水經注", in Zhongguo nongye baike quanshu 中國農業百科全書, Part Shuili 水利卷 (Beijing: Nongye chubanshe), Vol. 2, 624.
Zhu Gengling 朱更翎 (1992). "Shuijingzhu 水經注". Zhongguo da baike quanshu 中國大百科全書, Vol. Shuili 水利 (Beijing/Shanghai: Zhongguo da baike quanshu chubanshe), 334.
