Old Anecdotes of the Book of Documents

李绰Jun 2024

3.6

Word count: 9.2K words
Chapters: 3

Summary

Shangshu Gushi, in one juan, was compiled by Li Chuo of the Tang dynasty. Chuo's official career is not known in detail. According to the "Tables of the Chancellors' Lineages" in the New History of the Tang, among the Li clan of Zhao Commandery, descendants of the Southern Ancestor, there was one named Chuo, courtesy name Jianmeng, great-grandson of Li Shu, Vice Minister of Personnel. The author calls himself a man of Zhao Commandery; perhaps this is the same person.

Editor's review

Shangshu Gushi is a miscellaneous notebook by Li Chuo of the Tang dynasty. Though only one juan long, it preserves many lost anecdotes, the origins of painting and calligraphy, and textual research on names and objects from the Tang and Five Dynasties, and has long been valued by students of literature and history among comparable Tang notebooks. Its contents are varied: it recounts earlier canonical and institutional matters and also includes the transmission of paintings and calligraphy and anecdotes about figures, which can be cross-checked against the official histories and individual collected works; it thus has dual value for recovering lost texts and for textual collation. This edition preserves the original form of the old book; the language is concise and archaic and the length short, making it a suitable introductory choice for understanding the notebook genre and the texture of historical sources in the Tang. It should be read as a historical notebook rather than a systematic treatise, to be consulted as one goes; when encountering personal names, book titles, or official posts, one may compare the relevant historical biographies. For readers studying the transmission of Tang documents or the authentication and collection of painting and calligraphy, this book is especially useful for supplementing omissions in the official histories; general readers may also use it to glimpse the Tang manner of discussing anecdotes and its charm.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Scholars and graduate students engaged in Tang documentary and literary-historical research
Cultured enthusiasts interested in Tang notebooks and anecdotes
Students of classical Chinese literature who need materials for recovering lost texts and textual collation
General readers who wish to learn about Tang painting, calligraphy, and names of objects through short notebook entries

Not a good fit for

Beginning readers hoping for a systematic historical treatise
Casual readers who prefer vernacular stories and plot-driven interest
Those entirely unfamiliar with classical Chinese who are unwilling to consult reference works

Reading tips

First read through once to understand the book's format, then look up personal names and book titles entry by entry and build your own index.
Read alongside the relevant biographies in the New History of the Tang and Old History of the Tang, noting details that supplement omissions in the official histories.
For entries on painting, calligraphy, and names of objects, consult reference works; do not insist on understanding everything at once—repeated browsing is advisable.
Excerpt anecdotes by theme for easy retrieval in future research or writing.

版权信息
尚书故实提要
尚书故实正文

FAQ

Is Shangshu Gushi a book about the Shangshu?

No. In the title, "Shangshu" refers to the official title of an elder in the author Li Chuo's clan or of a person from whom he heard accounts; "gushi" means old matters and anecdotes. The book is a miscellaneous notebook recording Tang lost anecdotes, painting and calligraphy, and names of objects; it does not annotate the text of the Shangshu.

Can someone without a foundation in classical Chinese read this book?

The original text is short, but it is written in classical Chinese and often involves Tang personal names and official systems. Readers without a classical foundation may first read vernacular introductory works as a basis, then read entry by entry with annotated editions and reference works, or begin with an edition that includes translation and annotation.

Is this book suitable for citation in academic papers?

It can be cited as a historical notebook, but note that it is a miscellaneous record of hearsay and that the authenticity of some entries remains uncertain. Before citing, one should check the relevant historical biographies and catalogues, note the edition, and distinguish between records and hearsay in the book, avoiding arguments based on a single piece of evidence.

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About the author

李绰 Author

Li Chuo was a Tang-dynasty author of notebook-style writings (biji). His life, official career, and dates of birth and death are unknown; available public information is limited, and his exact identity and courtesy name remain difficult to confirm. The one work attributed to him that survives is Shangshu Gushi, a miscellaneous notebook that records court and popular observations, institutional lore, and literary anecdotes. It touches on the words and deeds of Tang figures, the transmission of books, calligraphy, and paintings, and the names and systems of things, usually set down in brief jottings rather than systematic arrangement. The style is plain and restrained, favoring straightforward record over elaborate embellishment, and later scholars have drawn on it for the study of Tang customs and textual lore. It is classified here under Eastern philosophy because the book blends discussion with observation and often touches on conduct and understanding. Because the original is loosely organized, Li Chuo's thought as a whole is hard to outline; readers should regard him as one of the authors of Tang notebook literature and use Shangshu Gushi to glimpse the intellectual interests and recording habits of Tang literati.