Notes of the Jianyan Era

赵鼎Jun 2024

3.3

Word count: 17K words
Chapters: 9

Summary

Traditional Chinese thought and culture have a long history, marked by a high degree of originality, inventiveness and literary quality. Early forms of thought are highly distinctive: religious theology, classical texts of Chinese medicine, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism and the Hundred Schools, feng shui and metaphysical learning, the Twenty-Four Histories, gazetteers of customs and geography—all are vast and profound. This series, Classic Essence of Chinese Culture: Original Texts, preserves the appearance of the original books and focuses on conserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by the sages of antiquity, readers cultivate their character and quietly absorb the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

Jianyan Bilu (Notes of the Jianyan Era) was written by Zhao Ding and belongs to the Song dynasty genre of historical notebooks (biji). It records the political situation and observations of the Jianyan period and has considerable value as historical source material. Included in the series Classic Essence of Chinese Culture: Original Texts, it preserves the original text and aims to transmit traditional thought and culture, making it closer to a primary source than to a modern popular interpretation. Its strength lies in the author's position at the political center in the early Southern Song: his account offers a firsthand perspective for understanding the court, the figures and the political situation of the Jianyan era. Reading it requires some background in Song history and the ability to read classical Chinese, and it is best used as supplementary material for studying Song history, in conjunction with related histories of the Jianyan and Shaoxing periods. Readers expecting an easy story or a systematic general history should adjust their expectations.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers researching or studying the history of the early Southern Song
Enthusiasts interested in Song dynasty notebook sources and political observations
Readers with classical Chinese proficiency willing to consult background materials
History students in need of primary records of the Jianyan court

Not a good fit for

Beginners seeking vernacular popular history stories
Readers unwilling to consult Song-era background materials who want light reading
Readers seeking a systematic general-history framework rather than notebook sources

Reading tips

First understand the Song-Jin situation and court politics of the Jianyan era, then read this book to better grasp the relationships among figures.
While reading, compare with the relevant annals and biographies in Song Shi, noting differences between notebook records and official history.
Excerpt by figure or event to accumulate leads on primary sources in Song political history.

版权信息
卷一
建炎三年巳酉岁
建炎四年庚戌岁
绍兴二年壬子岁
卷二
绍兴六年丙辰岁
卷三
绍兴七年丁巳岁

FAQ

What kind of book is Jianyan Bilu?

It is a Song dynasty historical notebook (biji) written by Zhao Ding, recording observations and political events of the Jianyan era. It preserves the original text and emphasizes primary source material rather than modern vernacular popular writing, making it suitable as supplementary material for studying Song history.

What background knowledge is needed to read this book?

Readers are advised to first understand the basic outline of the fall of the Northern Song, the founding of the Southern Song, and the Song-Jin confrontation during the Jianyan era, and to have some ability to read classical Chinese. Those unfamiliar with Song officialdom and figures may consult relevant chapters of Song Shi or reference works on Song history.

How does this book differ from general works on Song history?

General works on Song history usually narrate within a comprehensive framework, whereas this book consists of Zhao Ding's observations of the Jianyan era, bearing a participant's perspective and the characteristics of notebook writing. It is better suited to supplementing details and comparing sources than to replacing systematic general-history reading.

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About the author

赵鼎 Author

Zhao Ding's official career, dates of birth and death, and native place are not clearly recorded, and publicly available information is limited. Judging from the two works collected here, Bianwu Bilu (Records of Defending Against False Accusations) and Jianyan Bilu (Records of the Jianyan Era), his writing is closely tied to the political memory and the correction of historical records in the early Southern Song: "Jianyan" is the reign title of Emperor Gaozong of Song, while "bianwu" points to the intent of defending those wrongly accused and clearing up misrepresentations. Both works may be classified as notes and historical records that emphasize eyewitness accounts and the examination of right and wrong. His style appears to favor plain recording of events and clear organization, valuing factual records over praise and blame, and bearing a distinct mark of his time. Such works can support research on the politics and figures of the early Southern Song, and are often consulted by later generations for understanding the situation of scholars and the disputes over historical events of that period. Because the relevant materials are limited, details of his life and intellectual background await further investigation.