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Xielüe 蟹略

Mar 3, 2022 © Ulrich Theobald

Xielüe 蟹略 is a book on crabs written during the Southern Song period 南宋 (1127-1279) by Gao Sisun 高似孫 (1158-1231), courtesy name Xugu 續古, style Shuliao 疎寮, from Yin 鄞 close to present-day Ningbo 寧波, Zhejiang. Gao also wrote the book catalogues Zilüe 子略 and Shilüe 史略 and the local gazetteer Yanlu 剡錄.

The book of 4 juan of length was written as a supplement to Fu Hong's 傅肱 (fl. 1059) famous book Xiepu 蟹譜.

The first fascicle quotes from various literary sources concerning the names and designations of crabs (Xieyuan 蟹原), their appearance, habits, taste, and medical use (Xiexiang 蟹象). Part 2 focuses on statements on places where crabs can be harvested (Xiexiang 蟹鄉), tools to collect or to breed crabs (Xieju 蟹具), species of crabs (Xiepin 蟹品), and the use of crabs for divinatory purposes (Xiezhan 蟹占). Section 3 talks about crabs as "tribute presents" (Xiegong 蟹貢), food (Xiezhuan 蟹饌), and animals "related" to crabs (Xiedie 蟹牒). The last part consists of poems and rhapsodies mentioning or describing crabs (Xieya 蟹雅, Xiezhi 蟹志, Xiefu 蟹賦, Xieyong 蟹詠).

The Xielüe is included in the series Baichuan xuehai 百川學海 and Siku quanshu 四庫全書.

Sources:
Li Xueqin 李學勤, Lü Wenyu 呂文郁, eds. (1996). Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典 (Changchun: Jilin daxue chuabanshe), Vol. 2, 1867.
Tao Wentai 陶文臺 (1995). "Xielüe 蟹略", in Zhongguo pengren baike quanshu 中國烹飪百科全書 (Beijing/Shanghai: Zhongguo da baike quanshu chubanshe), 650.