Record of Trustworthy Traditions from the Kaiyuan and Tianbao Eras
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Summary
What kind of person am I? I have time and again unworthily held the post of a court gentleman, and my thoughts turn to the ancient records and standards, by which I strive to cultivate myself. I privately hold that among the stories of our dynasty, none flourished more than in the eras of Kaiyuan and Tianbao. I have devoted myself to the bamboo slips and volumes, peering at the imperial enterprise as through a tube, and when I compare what I have heard, there are perhaps gaps. The splendor of those peaceful times must not be allowed to fall into oblivion. Therefore, in the leisure left from my petty duties, I have searched out what has been lost and scattered, and recorded it so that it may be transmitted as trustworthy, entitling it Kai Tian Chuan Xin Ji. As for the fault of a small measure like a dou and a shao not matching the great tripod of Zhou—how could that be far from the case? Let those who are fond of such matters observe my intentions and pardon my folly; such is my heart.
Editor's review
Kai Tian Chuan Xin Ji is a notebook-style work compiled by Zheng Qi of the Tang dynasty. The author states that, moved by the fact that the stories of the dynasty were most abundant in the Kaiyuan and Tianbao eras, he gathered lost reports in his spare time from official duties, recorded them, and named the book with the sense of "transmitting what is trustworthy." The book is modest in length, yet it preserves anecdotes about various figures and observations from court and countryside during the transition from the High Tang to the Mid-Tang, bearing the fragmentary quality and sense of firsthand experience characteristic of notebook literature. This edition belongs to the "Essence of Classic Chinese Culture: Original Texts" series, which emphasizes preserving the original appearance of the book; it is suitable as a supplementary reader for understanding Tang notebook writing and the narratives of Kaiyuan and Tianbao. Its pleasure in reading lies in seeing human affairs within short chapters; readers need not seek systematic conclusions but may savor it as fragments of historical material. It should be noted that the contents are reports recorded by ancients, and readers should maintain a critical awareness rather than taking them directly as solid historical fact.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in Tang dynasty notebook fiction and anecdotes from court and countryside
- Readers of literature and history who wish to glimpse the atmosphere of the Kaiyuan and Tianbao periods through fragmentary historical materials
- Learners who already have basic classical Chinese reading ability and are willing to make excerpts of short passages
- Beginners in research who need leads to Tang dynasty notebook literature
Not a good fit for
- Readers expecting a systematic general history or complete historical conclusions
- Complete beginners who rely entirely on vernacular translation and do not wish to engage with classical Chinese
- Those who use the reports in the book directly as solid historical fact
Reading tips
- Read entry by entry, jotting notes as you go, noting the figures and approximate background of each item to accumulate leads on Tang personnel and events.
- Read it alongside similar Tang notebooks such as Ming Huang Za Lu, comparing different accounts of the same report.
- Before reading, learn the basic historical events of Kaiyuan and Tianbao so as to judge the relationships among the figures involved in the entries.
- Mark entries that are obviously colored by rumor separately and compare them with official histories for analysis.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 开天传信记
FAQ
Is this book an official history or a notebook?
It belongs to notebook literature, compiled by Zheng Qi of the Tang dynasty from gathered reports; it is not an officially compiled official history. The book preserves anecdotes about various figures and observations from court and countryside during the Kaiyuan and Tianbao periods, with a fragmentary and rumor-colored quality. It should be read as supplementary historical material and compared and analyzed alongside official histories, rather than directly regarded as solid historical fact.
Does the title "Chuan Xin" mean that all the contents are trustworthy?
"Transmitting what is trustworthy" is the author's own statement, expressing his intention in gathering what was lost and scattered and hoping to preserve credible reports; it does not mean that every record has undergone rigorous verification. Notebook literature often mixes in rumors, and readers still need to maintain a critical awareness; for entries involving specific figures and events, they may refer to official histories or other Tang documents for comparison.
The book is not long; how should one arrange one's reading?
It is suitable to read entry by entry in spare moments, without insisting on finishing it in one sitting. After reading a few entries, one may make brief notes, marking the figures, events, and doubtful points. For deeper study, one may focus on specific figures or events of the Kaiyuan and Tianbao periods, gather the relevant entries together, and then read them alongside historical works to form one's own leads.
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About the author
郑綮
Author
Zheng Qi is an author whose life, dates of birth and death, and native place can no longer be reliably established, and available public information is limited. Extant bibliographic records list two works under his name, the representative one being Kai Tian Chuan Xin Ji (A Record of Trustworthy Tales from the Kaiyuan and Tianbao Eras). This book belongs to the category of miscellaneous notes and anecdotes, dealing largely with court and popular reports, rumors, and curious incidents from the Kaiyuan and Tianbao periods of the Tang dynasty. Its style is concise, blending anecdotal lore with historical material. In traditional cataloging, Zheng Qi's works are often placed among classic works and philosophical readings, suggesting that his accounts were valued not merely as casual talk but for what they reveal about social customs and intellectual attitudes. Because records are scarce, a full picture of his writing and life remains unavailable, and study relies mainly on the texts themselves.
