Xuě lǚ zhāi bǐ jì 雪履齋筆記
Notes from the “Snow-Shoe” Studio
by 郭翼 (Guō Yì, 1305–1364; zì Xīzhòng 熙仲, hào Dōngguō shēng 東郭生), Yuán literatus of Kūnshān.
About the work
A 1-juàn Yuán bǐjì by 郭翼 (Guō Yì) of Kūnshān. The book takes its title from Guō’s studio-name Xuě lǚ zhāi — alluding to the Dōngguō xiānshēng (Dōngguō the Eastern-Suburb Master) story of the recluse who walked in the snow leaving only one set of footprints. Guō presented strategy-memorials to 張士誠 (Zhāng Shìchéng), the late-Yuán Sūzhōu warlord; they were not adopted; Guō retired to Lóushàng to farm, eventually taking up a xùndǎo (assistant-instructor) post — but quarreled with the times. His friend 盧熊 (Lú Xióng) of Fànyáng wrote his tomb-inscription, dating his death to Zhìzhèng 24 (1364) and granting him the posthumous title Qiānshàn xiānshēng (“the Master Who Migrates to Goodness”). The book records bǐjì-style debate on classical exegesis, refutation of Zhāng Jiǔlíng’s Jīn jiàn lù as forgery, refutation of Cài-shi’s sānrén doctrine, classical-exegetical readings of Shàng shū jiānruò gōng mèi (Zhāng Jiǔchéng’s reading) and Lùn yǔ quǎnmǎ yǒu yǎng (Hé Yàn’s old gloss), and various other bǐjì topics. The book is generally regarded as solid and yǒu shí (having insight), though with occasional guì gǔ zhù (fondness for ancient commentary) leading to over-archaism (the guài lì luàn shén and lì bù tóng kē entries).
Tiyao
We respectfully submit that Xuě lǚ zhāi bǐ jì in one juan was compiled by Guō Yì of the Yuán. Yì’s zì was Xīzhòng, a Kūnshān man; hào Dōngguōshēng; using the Dōngguō xiānshēng (the Eastern-Suburb-Master) anecdote, he named his studio Xuě lǚ (snow-shoe). He once submitted strategy-papers to Zhāng Shìchéng; not used; returning to plough at Lóushànglǎo; got a xùndǎo (assistant-instructor) position; lived in difficulty and died. Fànyáng Lú Xióng inscribed his tomb “Qiānshàn xiānshēng” (the Master Who Migrates-to-Goodness), and also wrote his tomb-record, dating his death to Zhìzhèng 24 (1364); later men’s saying that Yì in the early Hóngwǔ was summoned as xuéguān is mistaken.
This compilation was made in a journey-boat, with miscellaneous-record randomly noted, with no ordered ranking. Yet his arguments often have taking-points. As: solving the Shāng shū “Jiān ruò gōng mèi” (devour the weak, attack the dim) two phrases — takes Zhāng Jiǔchéng’s reading; solving the Lùn yǔ “quǎnmǎ yǒu yǎng” (the dogs-and-horses have caretakers) phrase — takes Hé Yàn’s old note; refuting Zhāng Jiǔlíng’s Jīn jiàn lù (Golden Mirror Record) as forgery; biàn (disputing) Cài-shi’s sānrén (three benevolent men: Wēizǐ, Jīzǐ, Bǐgàn) doctrine — all show shí (insight). His discussion of Xiè Shīzhí’s one entry; the discussion of one poem — also have yì lǐ (right-reason).
Only on Lùn yǔ “guài lì luàn shén” (strange, force, disorder, spirit) one entry, and “lì bù tóng kē” one entry — over-trusting ancient annotation — cannot escape being hào qí (fond of strangeness).
Respectfully revised and submitted, ninth month of the forty-fifth year of Qiánlóng (1780).
Abstract
The Xuě lǚ zhāi bǐ jì is one of the better late-Yuán Sū-zhōu-region bǐjì, distinctive for its conjunction of classical-exegetical seriousness with the late-Yuán literati’s political precarity. Guō Yì had submitted strategy-papers to the late-Yuán warlord 張士誠 (Zhāng Shìchéng), then retired to farm and to a low education-officer post; the book is composed in a boat-journey during this exiled period, jotted casually without sequential order.
The book’s principal contributions:
- Classical exegesis: the readings of Shāng shū jiānruò gōng mèi (following Zhāng Jiǔchéng) and Lùn yǔ quǎnmǎ yǒu yǎng (following Hé Yàn’s old gloss) are well-judged.
- Forgery detection: the Jīn jiàn lù of Zhāng Jiǔlíng is identified as forgery — a substantive Yuán-period attribution-critical contribution.
- Doctrinal critique: the refutation of Cài-shi’s sānrén doctrine — Cài Shěn’s interpretation of the Sòng shū Wēizǐ pian on the three benevolent men of the late Shang.
Weaknesses flagged: the Lùn yǔ guài lì luàn shén over-archaic reading; the lì bù tóng kē entry similar.
Dating. NotBefore 1340 (Guō’s mature period) / notAfter 1364 (his death). The standard text is the SKQS 1-juàn recension.
Translations and research
No complete Western-language translation. The book is cited in modern Chinese-language scholarship on late-Yuán Sū-zhōu literati and on the Yáng Wéi-zhēn 楊維楨 Tiě-yá circle (which Guō moved in).
Links
- Sìkù quánshū zǒngmù tíyào, Zǐbù · Zájiā lèi 3, Xuě lǚ zhāi bǐ jì entry.
- Lú Xióng’s tomb-inscription (preserved in Zhū Guī’s Míng jī lù).