The Night Ferry
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Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- General readers who enjoy traditional cultural knowledge and want to broaden their horizons in a relaxed way
- People with only fragmented time on commutes or before bed who prefer short entries
- Content creators who need entertaining material for writing, planning, or conversation
- History and literature enthusiasts curious about ancient notes and miscellaneous lore
Not a good fit for
- Professional researchers who need rigorous scholarly verification or a systematic body of knowledge
- Readers who prefer long, coherent narratives and are not used to dipping into entries
- Readers who expect a deep, thorough treatment of a single field by theme
Reading tips
- No need to read from cover to cover; pick categories that interest you from the contents and read a few entries at a time.
- Keep a pen or sticky notes handy and mark interesting entries for later use in conversation or writing.
- Treat it as a bedside book and read three to five entries before sleep; you will remember more than by reading continuously.
- When you come across something that conflicts with what you know, note it down and check elsewhere rather than seeking a definitive answer in this book.
About the publisher
Zhejiang Literature and Art Publishing House is a Chinese publisher specializing in literary publishing. Judging from the 808 titles in the database, its publishing areas cover world classics, foreign literature, social novels, folk literature and classic works, as well as modern and contemporary literature and prose. Representative titles include foreign literary translations such as Anna Karenina, The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, In Praise of Shadows and The Complete Tragedies and Comedies of Shakespeare, alongside classic works by Lao She and Lu Xun such as Camel Xiangzi, Teahouse and Wandering. Its authors and translators include Leo Tolstoy, Cao Ying, Lao She, Yukio Mishima, Jun'ichirō Tanizaki and Zhu Shenghao. The press emphasizes the translation and introduction of classic texts and the compilation of native literary works, giving equal weight to Chinese and foreign literature. Owing to limited public information, its specific series and editorial policies are not elaborated here.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 导读 一只光芒万丈的兔子
- 原序
- 卷一 天文部
- 象纬
- 日 月
- 星
- 风 云
- 雨
- 雷 电 虹霓
- 雪 霜
- 露 雾 冰
- 时令
- 春
- 夏
- 秋
- 冬
- 历律
- 卷二 地理部
- 疆域
- 建都
- 地名
- 古迹
- 山川
- 泉石
- 景致
- 卷三 人物部
- 帝王（附：后妃、太子、公主）
- 仪制
- 名臣
- 附：奸佞大臣
- 卷四 考古部
- 姓氏
- 辨疑
- 析类
- 卷五 伦类部
- 君臣
- 父子
- 附：各方称谓
- 夫妇（附：妾）
- 婿
- 兄弟（附：子侄）
- 嫂叔
- 姊妹
- 师徒 先辈
- 朋友
- 奴婢
- 卷六 选举部
- 制科
- 乡试
- 会试
- 殿试
- 门生
- 下第
- 荐举
- 滥爵
- 官制
- 宰相 参政（下丞相一等）
- 尚书 部曹 卿寺
- 宫詹 学士 翰苑
- 谏官
- 御史
- 使臣
- 郡守
- 州县（附：幕、判、丞、簿、尉、吏）
- 学官
- 卷七 政事部
- 经济
- 烛奸
- 识断
- 清廉
- 受职
- 致仕 遗爱
- 降黜 贪鄙
- 卷八 文学部
- 经史
- 书籍
- 博洽
- 勤学
- 著作
- 诗词
- 歌赋
- 书简
- 字学（汇入群书文章）
- 书画
- 不学
- 文具
- 卷九 礼乐部
- 礼制·婚姻一
- 礼制·丧事二
- 礼制·祭祀三
- 律吕
- 乐律
- 卷十 兵刑部
- 军旅
- 刑法
- 卷十一 日用部
- 宫室
- 衣冠
- 衣裳
- 饮食
- 卷十二 宝玩部
- 金玉
- 珍宝
- 玩器
- 卷十三 容貌部
- 形体
- 妇女
- 卷十四 九流部
- 道教
- 佛教
- 医
- 历代名医图赞
- 相
- 葬
- 卜算
- 拆字 杂技
- 卷十五 外国部
- 夷语
- 外译
- 卷十六 植物部
- 草木
- 花卉
- 卷十七 四灵部
- 飞禽
- 走兽
- 鳞介
- 虫豸
- 卷十八 荒唐部
- 鬼神
- 怪异
- 卷十九 物理部
- 物类相感
- 身体
- 衣服
- 饮食
- 器用
- 文房
- 金珠
- 果品
- 菜蔬
- 花木
- 鸟兽
- 虫鱼
- 卷二十 方术部
- 符咒
- 方法
FAQ
Does Night-Sailing Boat need to be read in order from beginning to end?
Can the knowledge in this book be cited directly as accurate material?
Can I read this book without having read other works by Zhang Dai?
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About the author
Zhang Dai (1597–1689), courtesy names Zongzi and Shigong, art name Taozan, was a native of Shanyin in Zhejiang (present-day Shaoxing) and a late Ming to early Qing writer and historian. Born into an official family, he lived in seclusion in the mountains after the fall of the Ming dynasty and continued to write in poverty, producing works such as Reminiscences of Taozan, Seeking the West Lake in Dreams, Night-Boarding Boat, and The Book of Stone Casket. His prose often recalls past daily life, landscapes, and scenes of urban life; its clear, graceful style and deep feeling reveal a sense of dynastic rise and fall in ordinary details, earning him the name “master of the minor essay.” This library holds 32 of his works, spanning prose miscellanies and classic works, commonly classified under prose miscellanies, classic works, and culture, showing his lasting influence on the Chinese prose tradition.
He Sanpo is an author about whom limited public information is available, and his writing spans the two fields of popular science and modern poetry. Two of his works are included in the collection: Night Voyage Boat and Traveling on a Snail. Judging from the titles and categories, his writing ventures into both popularizing scientific knowledge for general readers and creating modern poetry, exploring the space between rational understanding and emotional expression. Because reliable records of his birth and death dates, nationality, educational background, and writing career have not been found, it is currently difficult to sketch his full life, and his interests can only be inferred from the subjects of his works. His popular science writing may focus on conveying scientific ideas in an accessible way, while his poetry may show careful observation and a personal linguistic style. Although the available information is insufficient to assess the influence and standing of his works, the coexistence of two different types of works, Night Voyage Boat and Traveling on a Snail, shows the author's cross-boundary attempts between knowledge dissemination and literary creation, and readers may learn more by examining the texts themselves.
