Records of Things Heard in the Succeeding Era

陈洪谟Jul 2024

3.5

Word count: 23K words
Chapters: 7

Summary

In the fifth month of the eighteenth year of the Hongzhi reign (1505), the Wuzong Emperor ascended the throne, proclaimed a general amnesty, and changed the reign title to Zhengde. It was said that the Zhengde title had precedent in earlier dynasties: Qianzun of Western Xia in the Song era had once used this title. At the time, the Grand Secretaries of the Grand Secretariat were Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, and Xie Qian, and none of them, nor the officials of the Ministry of Rites, had investigated the matter thoroughly.

Editor's review

Jishijiwen is a notebook by the Ming author Chen Hongmo, recording court and provincial observations from the late Hongzhi to the early Zhengde reigns. This edition preserves the original text and offers firsthand material for the study of Ming politics, institutions, and literati mentality. Its records of the Zhengde accession and personnel changes in the Grand Secretariat are detailed enough to supplement the omissions of the official histories. Writing as a contemporary, the author sets down much that he saw and heard himself; the work thus has both documentary value and reveals how mid-Ming scholar-officials observed and discussed the political scene. It is suited to close reading by researchers of Ming history, enthusiasts of traditional notebooks, and readers interested in the history of political institutions. It should be read alongside the History of Ming and the Veritable Records of Ming, with attention to distinguishing observation from commentary and to appreciating the fragmentary and subjective nature of the notebook genre.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Researchers of Ming history who need firsthand notebook sources to supplement the official histories
Enthusiasts of traditional Chinese notebook literature who enjoy short observations and court and provincial anecdotes
Readers of history and culture interested in Ming political institutions and literati mentality
University history students using the work for training in reading Ming historical sources

Not a good fit for

General fiction readers who prefer complete narratives and continuous plots
Beginning readers impatient with the classical-language notebook genre and in need of vernacular translation

Reading tips

Read the table of contents and preface first to understand the background and period covered, then read through the entries in order
Keep the relevant biographies in the History of Ming and the Veritable Records of Ming at hand, marking passages that corroborate or raise doubts
Note the people, offices, and events as you go, building your own index to the source material
After finishing, write short commentaries on several entries to practice distinguishing observation from commentary in the notebook

版权信息
继世纪闻卷一
继世纪闻卷二
继世纪闻卷三
继世纪闻卷四
继世纪闻卷五
继世纪闻卷六

FAQ

Is this book a complete and systematic history of the Ming dynasty?

No. It belongs to the notebook genre, recording the author's observations in entry form; its content is fragmentary and it is not a systematic history. It should be used as source fragments rather than read as a general history.

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

The edition preserves the original text, which is written in fairly advanced classical Chinese, so readers without such a foundation will face some difficulty. It is advisable to acquire basic reading ability in classical Chinese first, or to read with reference works and relevant scholarly studies.

Can the contents be cited directly as reliable history?

They should not be treated directly as settled fact. Notebooks record much firsthand observation but also contain hearsay and the author's commentary; they must be checked against the History of Ming, the Veritable Records of Ming, and other sources, and factual records distinguished from personal opinion before use.

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About the author

陈洪谟 Author

Public information about Chen Hongmo is limited, and his life, native place, and dates of birth and death are not clearly recorded. Judging from the three works included in the collection, he mainly wrote about the political and social conditions of the mid-Ming dynasty. His representative works are Zhishi Yuwen and Jishi Jiwen. Zhishi Yuwen survives in two versions, and there is also Jishi Jiwen; all are classified as historical readings. Works of this kind generally adopt the style of notes and hearsay, recording figures at court and in the countryside, institutions, and social customs in an itemized manner. They combine historical value with readability and are common references for understanding the historical scene of the mid-Ming. Chen Hongmo's writing emphasizes the arrangement of firsthand observations and hearsay, and his plain narrative provides relatively concrete material for later research on Ming political life and social conditions.