Record of Universal Submission as Guests

罗曰聚Jul 2024

4.0

Word count: 43K words
Chapters: 5

Summary

The intellectual heritage of traditional Chinese culture has a long history and is highly original, inventive, and literary. Early forms of thought are highly distinctive, and subjects such as religious theology, classical texts of Chinese medicine, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and the Hundred Schools of Thought, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, and customs and local gazetteers are profoundly rich.

This series, "Essence of Classic Chinese Culture: Original Texts," preserves the appearance of the original books, with the emphasis on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers can cultivate their character and subtly come to appreciate the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

The Xianbin lu (Record of All Guests) was compiled by Luo Yuejiong of the Ming dynasty. It records the customs, products, mountains, rivers, and tribute exchanges of foreign and neighboring countries and regions, and is an important document for understanding Ming-era perceptions of the outside world. This book is included in the series "Essence of Classic Chinese Culture: Original Texts," which preserves the appearance of the original book and gives readers direct access to the source text. Its value lies not in literary polish but in the compilation of geographical observations and exotic knowledge, through which one can observe how scholars of the time understood the outside world and the recording methods used under the tribute system. Readers should approach it with a critical eye, distinguishing firsthand observations from transcribed hearsay, and understand its place as a historical source in the context of Ming foreign transport and communication. It is suitable for slow, detailed reading by readers in historical geography and the history of Sino-foreign exchange.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Historians specializing in the history of Ming foreign exchange and the tribute system
Readers of history and literature interested in ancient geographical observations and accounts of foreign lands
Researchers who need to consult the original texts of Ming-era foreign historical sources

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting a systematic geographical monograph or a modern critical edition
Readers interested only in literary narrative who lack interest in compilations of historical sources

Reading tips

Take notes by regional entry, sorting out the countries and products mentioned in the book
Read alongside Ming tribute records to distinguish firsthand observation from transcribed hearsay
There is no need to read it through; select regional entries according to research or interest

版权信息
《咸宾录》东夷志卷二朝鲜
《咸宾录》东夷志卷二日本
《咸宾录》西夷志卷三天竺
《咸宾录》西夷志卷四默德那

FAQ

What does the Xianbin lu mainly record?

It mainly records foreign and neighboring countries and regions as seen in the Ming dynasty, covering geographical orientation, customs and products, and tribute exchanges. It belongs to the traditional literature of geographical observation. Readers should note that its materials mostly come from compilations and hearsay and must be used in conjunction with other historical sources; it should not be taken directly as an accurate geographical gazetteer.

Is this book suitable as casual reading?

Not really. The entries are dense and information-heavy, lacking continuous narrative, so it is better suited to readers with a clear purpose for consultation or research interest. If you only want to casually learn about stories of foreign lands, you may first read relevant popular works and then return to consult the entries in the original book.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

罗曰聚 Author

Luo Yueju: little is known about his life, official career, or dates of birth and death, and available public information is limited; all that is currently known is that a single work, Xianbin Lu (Records of Guests from Afar), survives under his name. The book belongs to the social sciences and concerns contacts between China and foreign lands and accounts of distant regions, recording local customs, products, and tribute exchanges abroad. It is an important reference for understanding Sino-foreign relations and overseas geographical knowledge in the Ming period. The author writes in a plain style, prizing factual record over elaboration, and arranges materials by category for easy consultation. Given the scarcity of sources, the circumstances of composition, the process of compilation, and the author's circle of acquaintances are difficult to verify, and scholarly study of the book has focused mainly on its documentary value and the provenance of its materials. Overall, Luo Yueju is known for a single notebook-style work that preserves valuable information about foreign lands and holds irreplaceable documentary significance.