Record of Obstruction and Peace

刘定之Tibet People's Publishing House · ChinaJul 2024

3.6

Word count: 9.5K words
Chapters: 2

Summary

Liu Dingzhi's Yijing Tushi is already recorded. Earlier, when Emperor Yingzong was taken north, Esen asked to send a messenger, and Emperor Jingzong refused. Dingzhi submitted a memorial citing precedents to request it, and the emperor referred the matter to a court conference, but in the end no envoy was sent. In the first year of the Tianshun era, Dingzhi was transferred from right shuzi to tongzhengshi, then served successively as Hanlin academician and entered the Wenyan Pavilion on duty—it was for this memorial that he received such favor. What this book records is precisely the matter of Emperor Yingzong's being taken north. The author states that he consulted Yang Shan's Fengshi Lu and the Yuan Bin Zhuan as recounted by Qian Bo. He says the month of the campaign was the month governed by the Pi hexagram, and the year of the emperor's return corresponded to the first year of the Jingtai era. First Pi, then Tai—though this concerns the fortunes of the age, it also bears on the numbers of Heaven. The record ends with Emperor Yingzong's initial return and does not narrate the later restoration of the Dingchou year, which is why the author frames it this way. His statement that he served as an official historian refers to the time when he was transferred to right shuzi. Other books citing this work sometimes attribute it to the Grand Secretary Liu Dingzhi, which is based on the office he held at the end of his career.

Editor's review

Pi Tai Lu was compiled by Liu Dingzhi of the Ming dynasty and records the period from the Tumu Incident, when Emperor Yingzong was captured by Esen, through the negotiations for sending envoys to the emperor's initial return. The author states that he consulted Yang Shan's Fengshi Lu and the Yuan Bin Zhuan as recounted by Qian Bo, showing a certain awareness of historical sources. The title takes the two hexagrams Pi and Tai: the month of the campaign is treated as governed by Pi, and the year of the return is aligned with the Jingtai era, using the logic of the Changes to explain the relationship between the fortunes of the age and the numbers of Heaven—reflecting the Ming scholar-official habit of interpreting history through the classics. The book ends with Emperor Yingzong's initial return and does not cover the later restoration; this chronological limit is itself noteworthy. For readers studying mid-Ming political history, diplomatic negotiations, and Yijing thought, this book is a useful source text. When reading, pay attention to the author's stance as an official historian and his narrative choices; it should not be taken as a complete and objective record of the whole episode of Emperor Yingzong's being taken north.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Historians studying Ming history, especially the Tumu Incident and Emperor Yingzong's being taken north
Scholars interested in the relationship between Yijing learning and political thought in the Ming
Students of literature and history who need to consult the original text of Ming historical notes
Readers with an antiquarian interest in Ming envoy negotiations and the emperor's return

Not a good fit for

General history enthusiasts hoping for a complete account of Emperor Yingzong's restoration
Readers impatient with classical Chinese historical sources and hexagram terminology who want only narrative
Beginners expecting a modern vernacular translation with annotations and a detailed introduction

Reading tips

First grasp the basic facts of the Tumu Incident and Emperor Yingzong's being taken north, then read this book to avoid confusion over the figures involved
Mark the passages citing the Fengshi Lu and Yuan Bin Zhuan as you read, distinguishing reported material from the author's own account
Understand the title's intent in light of the basic meanings of the Pi and Tai hexagrams, and note the author's method of explaining historical fortunes through Yijing logic
Bear in mind that the record ends with Emperor Yingzong's initial return; do not treat it as a complete account of the restoration

About the publisher

Tibet People's Publishing House China · Founded in 1971

Tibet People's Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher known for collating Tibetan and Chinese ancient texts and publishing traditional culture. Judging from the books in its catalogue, its publishing focuses on medicine, Eastern philosophy, classics, and ancient poetry. It offers traditional Chinese medical and health-preserving works such as the Compendium of Materia Medica, Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold, and Principles of Correct Diet, as well as canonical and philosophical texts including the Book of Changes, Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals, Annotated Edition of the Erya, and Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals, along with historical and geographical works such as The Overall Survey of the Ocean's Shores. Its authors include figures such as Li Shizhen, Sun Simiao, King Wen of Zhou, Zuo Qiuming, Guo Pu, Dong Zhongshu, Hu Sihui, and Ma Huan. The house emphasizes the collation and republication of ancient texts, balancing scholarship and accessibility, and has developed its own strengths in transmitting Tibetan and Chinese cultural classics. Public information is limited, so other publishing details are omitted here.

版权信息
否泰錄（明）劉定之撰

FAQ

What period of history does Pi Tai Lu mainly record?

According to the information, the book records the matter of Emperor Yingzong's being taken north, from Esen's request to send a messenger and Emperor Jingzong's refusal to Emperor Yingzong's initial return, without narrating the later restoration of the Dingchou year. Readers should note this chronological limit and not expect the book to contain the full restoration process.

What do "Pi" and "Tai" in the title mean?

"Pi" and "Tai" are two hexagrams from the Yijing. The author treats the month of the campaign as the month governed by Pi and the year of the return as corresponding to the Jingtai era, using the hexagrams to explain the shift in the age's fortunes from Pi to Tai. This reflects the author's intention to interpret the course of history through Yijing logic.

Is everything in the book the author's firsthand experience?

According to the information, the author states that he consulted Yang Shan's Fengshi Lu and the Yuan Bin Zhuan as recounted by Qian Bo, indicating that part of the content is reported and integrated from others' accounts rather than all firsthand experience. Readers should distinguish the sources of the material when citing it.

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About the author

刘定之 Author

L"u Dingzhi's birthplace, dates of birth and death, and other biographical details are not well documented in publicly available sources and remain difficult to verify. Three of his works are held in the collection, the representative one being Pi Tai Lu (also written Fou Tai Lu). In terms of common classification, his works fall under folk literature, classic works, and Eastern philosophy, suggesting that their content deals largely with the rise and fall of human fortunes, the gains and losses of the world, and reflections on the philosophy of life. The title Pi Tai Lu derives from the Pi and Tai hexagrams of the Book of Changes, and the work typically uses the workings of heaven to discuss how misfortune and blessing give rise to one another and how prosperity and decline follow in turn. Its style leans toward argument and reflection, combining the plainness of folk narrative with the speculative flavor of philosophical prose. Because relevant materials are scarce, the details of his life and the full scope of his writing still await further study, and readers may begin with the texts themselves to appreciate his intent of observing worldly affairs through the ideas of Pi and Tai.