The Book of Historian Yi
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Summary
The Shiyi Shu, in one juan, was compiled by Yin Yi, Grand Scribe of Zhou. According to the "Luo Gao" chapter of the Shangshu, the "Yi zhu ce" passage, and the commentaries of Kong Anguo and Cai Chen, all agree: Yi is Shi Yi. Chen Shikai says: in ancient script it was written interchangeably as Yi. Du Yu's commentary on the fifteenth year of Duke Xi in the Zuo Zhuan of the Spring and Autumn Annals states: Shi Yi was the name of the Grand Scribe in the time of King Wu of Zhou. In the fourteenth year of Duke Xiang, the Zhengyi commentary on the Jinyu: King Wen consulted Xin and Yin; Jia Kui takes this to mean Xin Jia and Yin Yi.
Editor's review
Although the Shiyi Shu consists of only one juan, it is an important compilation of documents from the Zhou dynasty historiographic office. This edition takes the old attribution to Yin Yi as its base, consulting the "Yi zhu ce" passage in the "Luo Gao" chapter of the Shangshu, the commentaries of Kong Anguo and Cai Chen, as well as Du Yu's commentary on the Zuo Zhuan of the Spring and Autumn Annals and Kong Yingda's Zhengyi, in order to clarify the ancient graphic interchangeability by which "Shi Yi" is Yin Yi, Grand Scribe in the time of King Wu of Zhou, and to touch upon the old interpretation found in the Jinyu that King Wen consulted Xin and Yin, with Jia Kui taking this as referring to Yin Yi. Its value lies not in its length but in its source and transmission: readers may thereby see how pre-Qin historiographic offices, the zhu ce system, and the citation practices of early texts were annotated layer upon layer by later scholars. The materials in the book mostly consist of interlinear notes in the classics and histories, suitable for thematic comparison rather than casual reading. When reading, one should compare it with the relevant passages in the Shangshu and the Zuo Zhuan, note the divergences among commentators, and appreciate the tension between compilation of lost texts and textual authentication.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Scholars of literature and history researching pre-Qin historiographic institutions and compilation of lost texts
- Students of classical studies needing to verify old commentary materials from the Shangshu and Zuo Zhuan
- Academic readers concerned with early zhu ce, historiographic offices, and ancient graphic interchangeability
- Collectors of compiled editions of Chinese classics who value textual source and transmission
Not a good fit for
- General readers hoping for a complete narrative or literary story
- Beginners lacking a foundation in classics and history or unfamiliar with the conventions of commentary
- Readers seeking popular explanations of Chinese classics or light recreational reading
Reading tips
- First read the editorial notes and sources of compilation to clarify the origin and nature of each piece of material.
- Compare the "Luo Gao" chapter of the Shangshu with the commentary on the fifteenth year of Duke Xi in the Zuo Zhuan, collating the similarities and differences among commentators item by item.
- Keep a notebook to record points of divergence among Du Yu, Kong Anguo, Jia Kui, and others, forming a list of questions.
- It is not advisable to read it all at once; one may study it in stages by classical and historical topic, consulting reference works as needed.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 《史佚书》 序
- 史佚书
FAQ
Is the Shiyi Shu a complete work by Yin Yi himself?
No. This one juan consists mostly of materials compiled and cited by later generations; it is attributed to Yin Yi, Grand Scribe of Zhou, but is in fact a compiled edition of documents related to Shi Yi. Readers should regard it as a collection of compiled lost texts and old commentary materials, not as a structurally complete pre-Qin monograph.
What is the relationship between "Shi Yi" and "Yin Yi"?
According to Chen Shikai, cited in the book, in ancient script the character was written interchangeably as Yi, so Shi Yi is Yin Yi; Du Yu's commentary on the fifteenth year of Duke Xi in the Zuo Zhuan calls Shi Yi the Grand Scribe in the time of King Wu of Zhou. Jia Kui further takes Yin Yi as the referent in the Jinyu passage about King Wen consulting Xin and Yin. Thus the two refer to the same historiographic official, with the appellations differing due to ancient graphic interchangeability and old commentary.
Can someone without a foundation in classical studies read this book?
One can browse it, but comprehension will be difficult. The book consists largely of cited commentary and philological arguments about ancient graphic interchangeability; without a background in classics and history, one easily sees only fragments. It is advisable first to study the relevant chapters of the Shangshu and Zuo Zhuan and the conventions of commentary, then return to this book.
What most deserves attention when reading?
First, whether the sources of compilation are reliable; second, the divergences among commentators on the same Shi Yi materials; third, the relationship between ancient graphic interchangeability and historiographic official titles. Grasping these three points allows one to read a short one-juan book as a case study in the evolution of pre-Qin texts.
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About the author
尹佚
Author
Public information about Yin Yi is limited: his dates of birth and death, nationality, and English name are not clearly recorded, and the only confirmed fact is that a single work, Shiyi Shu (The Book of Shi Yi), survives under his name. In the library's classification the book falls under historical reading, suggesting that its content centers on historical figures, events, or source materials and belongs to narrative and textual scholarship rather than literary creation or theoretical writing. On the strength of this one work alone, it is difficult to sketch Yin Yi's writing as a whole or to judge the specific features of his source selection, use of historical materials, and narrative method. Readers of Shiyi Shu should therefore examine the book's structure and the historical matters it covers, noting which parts compile earlier accounts and which represent the author's own judgments. Overall, Yin Yi remains an author known in bibliographic records through a single historical work, whose value awaits further discovery of materials and textual study.
