An Examination of the Author of the Yanyuan Gazetteer Collected in Taipei Palace Museum

Zhao Xinyu

Abstract:Yanyuan is located at the edge of Qinghai-Tibet plateau and the Tibetan-Yi corridor. It lies in a multi-ethnic area of southwest Sichuan; and borders on the west with Ninglang county of Yunnan province. Although Yanyuan lies in a remote and isolated area, it has a long history. It already appeared in historical literature dating to more than 2000 years ago; and Dingzuo County was established there in the western Han period. Later, successive dynasties established counties there. In the early period of the Qing dynasty, the 珁anjing wei (Yanjing Guard) was set up there. It stayed there until 1728 (the sixth year of Yongzheng period of the Qing dynasty) when, according to the needs of the situation, the Qing court decided to replace 珁anjing wei with 珁anjing xian (Yanjing county). When Yanyuan was formally set up as a county, it was just at the time of the first peak of compiling local gazetteers in the Qing dynasty—many local gazetteers had been compiled during that time all over the country, including various prefectures and counties of Sichuan. Although it was far away from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, Yanyuan also compiled its first local gazetteer in the Qing period during this peak time. This was the 珁anyuan xianzhi (Yanyuan Gazetteer). Actually, this gazetteer was not widely circulated, and it was not even mentioned in sources related to the Qing dynasty. Until the 1980s, when some scholars discussed various local gazetteers in Sichuan, they did not mention this gazetteer. Due to various reasons, no copies of this gazetteer exist in the libraries of the mainland. At present, only the Taipei Palace Museum has a copy. Hence, chances are rare for readers on the mailand to have access to this gazetteer. Based upon available materials, this article aims to give a preliminary discussion regarding the author of this precious and unique text,and propose some introductory ideas to discuss with the readers.

Although this unique copy of 玒anyuan Gazetteer(Qianlong edition) is stored in the Taipei Palace Museum, and it is not easy for readers from the mainland to see it,those scholars in academic circles which research local gazetteer still know of its whereabouts. This is because information about this gazetteer is included in the gazetteer catalogue compiled by mainland scholars. In the last century, two catalogues of gazetteers from western regions have been published successively in the mainland, and they both included information about this unique copy. Although it is not easy for researchers and readers to access this gazetteer, we can still glean basic information from the catalogues. However, after comparing the two catalogues, we find that some information contained in them is totally different, something which confuses the researchers and readers, and is inconvenient. In the “appendix” of the 珃hongguo difangzhi zonglu(A Comprehensive Catalogue of Chinese Local Gazetteers)玔revised and enlarged edition], Zhu Shijia included information about this gazetteer. It states that the “Yanyuan Gazetteer, is not divided into volumes; it was compiled by Yang Lizhong in the sixtieth year of the Qianlong period; it is a manuscript; and it was collected by Palace Museum”. The “Palace Museum” here refers to the original Beijing Palace Museum, but later, this gazetteer was collected in the Taipei Palace Museum. What we should note here is that it clearly states that the gazetteer was compiled in the sixtieth year of Qianlong period, and the compiler of the gazetteer was Yang Lizhong. However, information about this same gazetteer that is included in the 珃hongguo difangzhi lianhe mulu (Union Catalogue of Chinese Local Gazetteers) compiled by the Beijing Observatory differs significantly.

This catalogue states that the “Yanyuan Gazetteer is not divided into volumes; it is an anonymous work from the Qing dynasty; that it is a manuscript from the Qianlong period of the Qing dynasty; and Taiwan”. Here “Taiwan”, means that the collector or the collection unit of this book is in Taiwan. It is apparent that the information of the gazetteer in this catalogue differs from the information included in the former one. Neither the date of compilation, nor the compiler of the gazetteer is included. It only records that the gazetteer was “an anonymous work in the Qing dynasty”. The publication of these two large catalogues of gazetteers has significantly influenced the research in gazetteer circles in the mainland. And the different information regarding the 玒anyuan Gazetter(Qianlong edition) contained in the two catalogues also directly influences researchers as well as readers. Was the compiler of the 玒anyuan Gazetteer Yang Lizhong? If not, who was it? In the research on Sichuan Gazetteers from the Qing dynasty, it is necessary discuss this issue. Hence, the author of this article, through a detailed exploration of the content of 玒anyuan Gazetteer(Qianlong edition), the related records in 玈ichuan Tongqing(Jiaqing edition) and 玒anyuan Gazetteer(Guangxu edition), as well as the regulations and rules for compiling gazetteers during the Qing dynasty, proposes that : 1. The compilation date of the 玒anyuan Gazetteer(Qianlong edition) is the 48th or 49th year of the Qianlong period ; 2. Zeng Zhenghao, the Yanyuan magistrate of the time, was the main compiler of the gazetteer, and the writers were the officials in the county government; and 3.The unique copy collected in Taipei Palace Museum is not a hand -copied one, but a transcribed copy.

Key Words: Yanyuan Gazetteer (Qianlong edition); Taipai Palace Museum; Zeng Zhenghao; gazetteer studiesオ

References:

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Fu Yuyao.珁anyuan xianzhi jiqi jianzhi yange kaoshuo(An Exploration of “Yanyuan Gazetteer” and Its “Administrative History”). In 玬inzu xuebao (Academic Journal of Nationalities). Kunming: Yunnan minzu chubanshe,1983.

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