Book of the Barbarians
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Students and researchers in ethnic history and historical geography using it as a basic source for reference
- Deep readers interested in Yunnan local history and culture and the history of Nanzhao
- Readers who need ancient frontier documentary materials to support writing or course reports
- Readers of history and culture accustomed to consulting original classical texts and willing to read with maps and annotations
Not a good fit for
- General readers expecting a coherent narrative or a travelogue-style reading experience
- Beginners without basic knowledge of ancient place names and ethnic designations who might confuse historical and modern concepts
- Those who only want quick Yunnan travel information or scenic introductions
Reading tips
- Prepare a historical map of the Tang-dynasty southwest and check locations as you read to reduce unfamiliarity with place names
- Read the compiler's preface or introduction first to understand the background of the book and its sources before entering the main text
- Read in batches by geographical or ethnic topic; there is no need to read straight through from beginning to end
- Compare the book's records of products and customs with modern ethnographies, noting correspondences and differences between historical and modern names and realities
Contents
- 版权信息
- 蛮书卷一 云南界内途程第一
- 蛮书卷二 山川江源第二
- 蛮书卷三 六诏第三
- 蛮书卷四 名类第四
- 蛮书卷五 六第五
- 蛮书卷六 云南城镇第六
- 蛮书卷七 云南管内物产第七
- 蛮书卷八 蛮夷风俗第八
- 蛮书卷九 南蛮条敎第九
- 蛮书卷十 南蛮疆界接连诸蕃夷国名第十
FAQ
What does Man Shu mainly record?
Is this book difficult for general readers?
Are the ethnic groups and place names in the book the same as today?
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About the author
Fan Chuo was a figure of the Tang dynasty, yet public sources offer very limited information about his life: his birth and death years, native place, and official career are all difficult to verify. The works attributed to him that survive today mainly concern the history, geography, and customs of the Nanzhao and Yunnan region. The best known is Yunnan Zhi, also called Manshu, and different editions of Manshu, including an unannotated version, are also in circulation; three of his works are collected here. These texts systematically record the mountains, roads, ethnic groups, local products, customs, and political conditions of the southwestern frontier in Tang times. They have a pronounced documentary character, and their style is plain, concise, and free of elaborate description. Such writings have long been regarded as important sources for the study of Tang-era Yunnan and ethnic relations, and they provide relatively early firsthand material for understanding Nanzhao society. They are often mentioned in the categories of historical reading and classic works. Because the author's own life is obscure, readers may treat his works as a window onto Tang perceptions of the frontier.
