Suichutang shumu 遂初堂書目

Suichutang shumu 遂初堂書目 "Library catalogue of the Suichu Hall" is a private bibliography written during the Southern Song period 南宋 (1127-1279) by You Mao 尤袤 (1127-1194), courtesy name Yanzhi 延之, style Suichu Jushi 遂初居士, Lexi 樂溪 or Mushi Laoyi Ren 木石老逸民, from Wuxi 無錫, Jiangsu.

You Mao once hold the position of Minister of Rites (libu shangshu 禮部尚書). He was a poet and possessed a large private library in his mansion in Jiulongshan 九龍山 near Wuxi, the Suichu Hall 遂初堂 "Hall of the Fulfilment of the Natural Bent". Emperor Guangzong 宋光宗 (r. 1189-1194) in person wrote the name tablet (bian'e 匾額) of the building.

The bibliography includes more than 3,000 titles arranged in 44 categories which are divided into the four traditional sections of Confucian Classics (jingbu 經部), historiography (shibu 史部), masters and philosophers (zibu 子部), and belles-lettres (jibu 集部).

The catalogue includes numerous contemporary writings, especially histories, and is therefore an important document about Southern Song-period sources. Of special interest are the categories Xiaoshuo 小說 "Novellas", Leishu 類書 "Encyclopaedias" and Yuequ 樂曲 "Songs and arias", three genres flourishing during the the Song period. You Mao also introduced the category of scientific writings (pulu 譜錄).

The section of the Confucian Classics includes 357 books, the historiography section 793 books, the masters and philosophers section 926 books, and the belles-lettres section 779 books.

It is a pity that You Mao did not provide information about the authors of the books and only lists the titles for most of the works. For a few books he also provides information about different editions, like the Sichuan version 川本 and the Yanzhou version 嚴州本 of the history Shiji 史記.

Figure 1. Beginning of the Suichutang shumu 遂初堂書目

The list gives information on editions, like the "Book of Changes" from Hangzhou (or of Master Hang? Hangben Yi 杭本易), the ancient version of the "Book of Documents" from the Directorate of Education (jiu jianben Shangshu 舊監本尚書), Master Jing's version of the Book of Songs (Jingben Maoshi 京本毛詩), a Korean version of the "Documents" (Gaoliben Shangshu 高麗本尚書), or Master Zhu's newly arranged "Changes" (Zhushi xinding Yi 朱氏新定易), etc. Siku quanshu 四庫全書 edition.

Of the Suichutang bibliography itself, more than ten different editions are available. Because the catalogue does not include a lot information on the authors and the juan-size of the books, it might not have been very widespread. It is, moreover, not possible to give a concrete date of the first print.

The Suichutang shumu it is included in the series Siku quanshu 四庫全書, Shuofu 說郛, Haishanxianguan congshu 海山仙館叢書 and Xianzhe yishu 先哲遺書.