A Study of the Seven States
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Summary
Submitted for review: Qiguo Kao in fourteen juan, compiled by Dong Yue of the Ming dynasty. Yue, courtesy name Yuruo, was a native of Wucheng. Among his works are Yifa and Wuxing Beizhi, which have been separately catalogued. This compilation records the institutions of the seven states of Qin, Qi, Chu, Zhao, Han, Wei, and Yan, divided into fourteen sections: offices, food and money, cities, palaces, state names, rites, music, vessels and robes, miscellaneous notes, mourning regulations, military system, penal law, anomalies, and minor evidence. It draws on various books for mutual corroboration, roughly in the manner of the Huiyao of the two Han dynasties. It takes the Zhanguo Ce and Shiji as its base and supplements omissions with various masters and miscellaneous histories. Its citations
Editor's review
Studies of the Seven States is a specialized study of Warring States institutions compiled by the Ming scholar Dong Yue. Modelled on the institutional compendia (huiyao) of the Two Han dynasties, it divides the institutions of the seven states of Qin, Qi, Chu, Zhao, Han, Wei and Yan into fourteen categories: officials, economy and finance, cities, palaces, state names, rituals, music, vessels and dress, miscellaneous records, mourning regulations, military system, criminal law, anomalies, and miscellaneous evidence. Taking the Intrigues of the Warring States and the Records of the Grand Historian as its base and supplementing gaps with various philosophical and miscellaneous histories, its value lies not in narrative but in the classified compilation of institutional historical materials, offering convenient subject-based access for research on Warring States politics, economy, military affairs and ritual systems, and providing corroboration for reading the relevant chapters of the Intrigues of the Warring States and the Records of the Grand Historian. This modern collated reprint is convenient for consultation. It should be used as a compilation of historical materials rather than a systematic treatise; readers should distinguish Dong Yue's quoted originals from his own comments and verify the editions used. Readers interested in the institutional history of the Warring States, pre-Qin literature and Ming scholarly history will each find something of use.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Professional scholars and graduate students studying Warring States institutional history and pre-Qin literature
- University readers who need subject-based access to Warring States historical materials on officials, economy and military system
- History and literature enthusiasts who wish to consult institutional background while reading the Intrigues of the Warring States and the Records of the Grand Historian
- Book collectors interested in Ming scholarly notes and the huiyao compilation tradition
Not a good fit for
- General readers seeking popular Warring States stories or biographies
- Beginners expecting a systematic account of Warring States history rather than classified historical materials
- Readers lacking a foundation in classical Chinese who are unwilling to verify original sources
Reading tips
- Read the table of contents first to understand the logic of the fourteen categories, then choose categories by research interest; full reading is unnecessary.
- When reading a category, compare it with the corresponding chapters of the Intrigues of the Warring States and the Records of the Grand Historian to verify Dong Yue's sources and original meanings.
- Distinguish quoted originals from the author's comments; for key materials, consult the base editions and the collation notes of modern editions.
- Use it alongside works on Warring States institutional history, treating it as an index of historical materials rather than a source of conclusive conclusions.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 提要
- 七国考卷一
- 秦职官 封君后妃附
- 田齐职官 封君后妃附
- 楚职官 封君附
- 赵职官 封君附
- 魏职官 封君附
- 韩职官 封君附
- 燕职官 封君禄制附
- 七国考卷二
- 秦食货 户籍河渠附
- 田齐食货 河渠附
- 楚食货 河渠附
- 赵食货
- 魏食货 河渠附
- 韩食货
- 燕食货
- 七国考卷三
- 秦都 邑关塞附
- 田齐都邑 关塞附
- 楚都邑 关塞附
- 赵都邑 关塞附
- 魏都邑 关塞附
- 韩都邑 关塞附
- 燕都邑 关塞附
- 七国考卷四
- 秦宫室
- 田齐宫室
- 楚宫室
- 赵宫室
- 魏宫室
- 韩宫室
- 燕宫室
- 七国考卷五
- 楚国名
- 赵国名
- 魏国名
- 韩国名
- 七国考卷六
- 秦羣礼
- 田齐羣礼
- 楚羣礼
- 赵礼
- 魏羣礼
- 韩羣礼
- 燕羣礼
- 七国考卷七
- 秦音乐
- 田齐音乐
- 楚音乐
- 赵音乐
- 魏音乐
- 燕音乐
- 七国考卷八
- 秦噐服
- 田齐噐服
- 楚噐服
- 赵噐服
- 魏噐服
- 韩噐服
- 燕噐服
- 七国考卷九
- 秦杂祀
- 楚杂祀
- 赵杂祀
- 魏祭祀
- 七国考卷十
- 秦丧制
- 田齐丧制
- 楚丧制
- 赵丧制
- 魏丧制
- 七国考卷十一
- 秦兵制
- 田齐兵制
- 楚兵制
- 赵兵制
- 魏兵制
- 韩兵制
- 燕兵制
- 七国考卷十二
- 秦刑法
- 田齐刑法
- 楚刑法
- 赵刑法
- 魏刑法
- 韩刑法
- 燕刑法
- 七国考卷十三
- 秦灾异
- 田齐灾异
- 楚灾异
- 赵灾异
- 魏灾异
- 韩灾异
- 燕灾异
- 七国考卷十四
- 秦琐征
- 田齐琐征
- 楚琐征
- 赵琐征
- 魏琐征
- 韩琐征
- 燕琐征
FAQ
Is Studies of the Seven States a chronological history or an institutional compilation?
It is an institutional compilation, modelled on the huiyao compendia of the Two Han dynasties, dividing historical materials on the institutions of the seven states into fourteen categories rather than narrating by year. It should be used for subject-based reference, not read through as a general history of the Warring States.
What background should I have before reading this book?
It is advisable to be familiar with the basic content of the Intrigues of the Warring States and the Records of the Grand Historian and to have classical Chinese reading ability. A preliminary understanding of concepts such as Warring States officials, economy and military system will make the fourteen categories easier to navigate.
Where does the book's value as historical material mainly lie?
Its value lies in taking the Intrigues of the Warring States and the Records of the Grand Historian as its base, supplementing with various philosophical and miscellaneous histories, and compiling scattered materials into fourteen categories, making it easy to search Warring States institutions by topic and to cross-check against the original works.
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About the author
董说
Author
Dong Shuo was a Ming dynasty novelist. Publicly available information about his life, official career, native place, and dates of birth and death is limited, making a full account difficult at present. Judging from the works held in the library, his writing is closely tied to the Ming tradition of supernatural and mythological fiction. His representative work, A Supplement to Journey to the West, takes characters from Journey to the West and spins them into a new tale, using fantastical narration to express states of mind and the ways of the world, with both imaginative power and satirical meaning; it has drawn considerable attention among later readers of strange tales and supernatural fiction. The library also holds related editions such as Supplements and Sequels to Journey to the West and the Qiguo kao, spanning categories including classical literature, Eastern philosophy, and social culture. His writing thus draws on classic narrative while incorporating personal reflection on history and life, making him an author worth noting in studies of Ming dynasty novel sequels.
