Records of Returning to the Fields

Ouyang XiuZhonghua Book Company · ChinaJul 2024

4.6

Word count: 28K words
Chapters: 6

Summary

Traditional Chinese culture has a long intellectual history, marked by remarkable originality, inventiveness, and literary quality. Early forms of thought are highly distinctive: religious theology, classical texts of traditional Chinese medicine, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and the Hundred Schools of Thought, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, and local customs and geography—all are profound and far-reaching. This series, "Essence of Chinese Classics: Original Texts," preserves the appearance of the original books and focuses on preserving and disseminating traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers can cultivate their temperament and subtly appreciate the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

_Gui Tian Lu_ (Records of Returning to the Fields) is a collection of notebook-style sketches written by Ouyang Xiu in his later years after he retired to Yingzhou. It mostly records anecdotes from court and countryside, the words and deeds of renowned officials, institutional regulations, and literati wit. The style is plain and restrained yet elegant, making it vivid material for understanding early Northern Song politics and literati life, as well as an excellent choice for appreciating Ouyang Xiu's historical writing and literary sensibility. The Zhonghua Book Company edition preserves the original appearance of the book and belongs to the popular readership editions of traditional cultural classics, suitable for approaching Song dynasty notebooks in a relaxed manner. The entries are short, so the book can be dipped into at random without needing to be read in one sitting; if readers read it alongside Ouyang Xiu's biography and Northern Song historical sources, they will better perceive the spirit of the times and the author's insight behind the notes. For readers who enjoy Song dynasty history and literature, notebook literature, and literati culture, this is a readable and engaging little book.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in Song dynasty history and literati life
Literature lovers who enjoy notebook-style sketches and prefer relaxed reading
Chinese literature students who need to understand Northern Song institutions and anecdotes about famous figures
Beginning readers who wish to encounter classics of Chinese learning through short pieces

Not a good fit for

Specialist researchers expecting systematic discussion of political institutional history
Readers who prefer long, continuous narratives and have little patience for fragmented entries

Reading tips

Dip into it entry by entry rather than forcing yourself to read it straight through
Keep a short biographical dictionary or chronology of Northern Song figures on hand to check names as you go
Select entries recording the words and deeds of famous officials for close reading and appreciate Ouyang Xiu's style
Jot down interesting anecdotes after reading and share them with friends to deepen your impression

About the publisher

Zhonghua Book Company China · Founded in 1912

Zhonghua Book Company is a publisher known for collating ancient texts and academic publishing, with its output centered on Eastern philosophy, culture, classic works, art, and historical reading. Its library contains 532 titles, including Chen Shou's Records of the Three Kingdoms, Guo Qingfan's Collected Commentaries on Zhuangzi, the four-volume Chinese Literature: Four Great Classical Novels, and the two-volume Table of Seal and Clerical Script Forms from Qin, Han, Wei, and Jin. These titles span historical classics, commentaries on the philosophers, classical novels, and philological reference works. Representative authors include Chen Shou, Guo Qingfan, Wu Cheng'en, Shi Nai'an, Cao Xueqin, Luo Guanzhong, Xu Wenwu, and the Hanyu Dazidian character-form group, reflecting a focus on primary sources and scholarly editors. Its publishing character lies in combining authoritative editions and annotated texts with both accessible classics and specialized research. Public information on its fuller catalog is limited; this note describes only the directions evident in the library's holdings.

版权信息
自序
校勘记
归田录卷一
归田录卷二
佚文

FAQ

What does _Gui Tian Lu_ mainly record?

It is a notebook written by Ouyang Xiu in his later years. It mostly records anecdotes from court and countryside, the words and deeds of renowned officials, institutional regulations, and literati wit. The entries are short and combine historical value with literary interest, offering glimpses of early Northern Song literati life and political culture.

Can I read it without a background in Song dynasty history?

Yes. The entries stand independently and the language is plain, so the threshold for reading individual pieces is not high. To read more thoroughly, keep biographical and chronological reference materials on the Northern Song on hand and look up unfamiliar names and official titles as needed.

Is this book suitable for reading straight through or for selective reading?

It is better suited to selective and casual reading. Notebook entries do not form a strict system, so readers can choose pieces about the words and deeds of famous officials or institutional anecdotes for close reading, or read a few entries each day and accumulate understanding over time.

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About the author

Ouyang Xiu Author · Chinese · 1007–1072

Ouyang Xiu (1007–1072), courtesy name Yongshu, styled Zuiweng and later Liuyi Jushi, was a native of Yongfeng in Jizhou (present-day Ji'an, Jiangxi). A statesman, man of letters and historian of the Northern Song dynasty, he was one of the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song and a leader of the Northern Song movement to reform poetry and prose. He held that writing should illuminate the Way and serve practical ends, and his plain, natural style deeply influenced later prose. In historiography he was chief editor of the New Book of Tang and sole author of the New History of the Five Dynasties. He rose to Vice Privy Councillor and Assistant Administrator and received the posthumous title Wenzhong. The collection holds 30 of his works, including complete collections, poetry and prose anthologies, the notebook Guitian Lu and historical writings.