Zhúyǐn jīshì jí 竹隱畸士集
The Bamboo-Reclusion Eccentric’s Collection by 趙鼎臣 (撰)
About the work
Zhúyǐn jīshì jí 竹隱畸士集 in 20 juǎn (Sìkù reconstruction) preserves the writings of Zhào Dǐngchén 趙鼎臣 (fl. Yuányòu–Xuānhé), Wèichéng Yuányòu jìnshì and Shàoshèng hóngcí kē graduate. The title takes two of Zhào’s hào together: Zhúyǐn (Bamboo-Reclusion) and Jīshì (Eccentric). Originally 40 juǎn per Sòng shǐ Yìwénzhì. Chén Zhènsūn records Zhào’s grandson Zhào Gānglì cutting it at Fùzhōu in 120 juǎn but only finishing 40 before transferring out. The Hòucūn shīhuà’s reference to Zhúyǐn jí in 11 juǎn probably refers only to his poetry. The Sìkù editors reconstructed 20 juǎn from the Yǒnglè dàdiǎn (then Yǒngkāng dàdiǎn; here Yǒnglè dàdiǎn).
Tiyao
The Sìkù tíyào: Zhúyǐn jīshì jí in 20 juǎn, by Zhào Dǐngchén of the Sòng. Dǐngchén, zì Chéngzhī, of Wèichéng, self-styled Wěixī wēng. Yuányòu jìnshì; in Shàoshèng mid-period passed the hóngcí kē; in Xuānhé mid-period as Yòuwéndiàn xiūzhuàn Zhī Dèngzhōu; summoned as Tàifǔ qīng. The collection appearing in Sòng shǐ Yìwénzhì — 40 juǎn. Chén Zhènsūn’s Shūlù jiětí says: his grandson Gānglì cut at Fùzhōu — original běn 120 juǎn — cut to 40 juǎn and was transferred out and stopped — so at the time the printed edition was already not the complete běn. Liú Kèzhuāng’s Hòucūn shīhuà further says Zhúyǐn jí 11 juǎn — mostly his old works — late-life poems missing — the zǎoběn (jujube-block, i.e., printed) — what the recorded juǎn counts and items differ from greatly — suspecting Kèzhuāng’s quoted “11 juǎn” specifically refers to his poetry only.
Dǐngchén — Sòng shǐ has no biography — his family-record cannot be examined. Only the collection has the Jiǎojìn qí fù Yuányòu mò suǒ shàng Héyì zòuzhuàng one piece. Now examining Sòng shǐ Héqúzhì: in Yuányòu Shàoshèng the shuǐguān recommended huíHé (return-the-Yellow-River); only the zhuǎnyùnshǐ Zhào Biàn alone disagreed — strongly maintaining the běiliú (northern-flow) argument — submitted memorial several times — words all qièzhí (incisive-direct) — matches Dǐngchén’s memorial — so Dǐngchén is precisely Biàn’s son — has yuānyuán of his own. Afterward in Dàmíng and Zhēndìng came-and-went; with Sū Shì, Wáng Ānshí and others on excellent-friendly terms; mutually offered-and-replied. Hence what he composed has ménjìng (mode-and-method); able to reach-after the ancient persons. Liú Kèzhuāng praises his poetry: “cáiqì piāoyì, jìwèn jīngbó, jǐngjù qiǎoduì, dài tiānzào dìshè, lüè bùjǐ rén hóushé, fèi rén xīnmù” (talent-spirit drifting-wonderful; learning-and-memory exquisite-broad; sharp-lines and skillful-pairings as if heaven-made earth-set; barely bothering people’s throat-tongue, expending people’s mind-and-eye) — his lifting-up reaching here. Today the lines Kèzhuāng selected are mostly missing the complete pieces — yet from the surviving poems examining — gōngqiǎo liúlì (skilled-clever, fluent-exquisite) — his talent really not easily reached — Kèzhuāng’s words really not over-praise. As to his miscellaneous prose — kèyì yánliàn gǔyǎ kěguān (sharply-purposed studied-refined, ancient-elegant worth-seeing) — also not what jiǎnlòu (sparse-and-coarse) could match.
Regrettably the original collection long lost transmission. Now from the Yǒngkāng [Yǒnglè] dàdiǎn searched and gathered — composing into 20 juǎn — all forms complete — wèirán kěguān (luxuriantly worth-seeing) — though not yet able to qí guǐ (level-track) SūHuáng — compared to Táng Gēng KR4d0130, Cháo Bǔzhī 晁補之 and others — not even cān zhī yǒu jìn (only adjuncts kept-back). Qiánlóng 46 (1781), 9th month, respectfully collated.
Abstract
Zhúyǐn jīshì jí is a substantial reconstructed biéjí of a late-Northern-Sòng poet whose career and corpus would otherwise be largely invisible. The Sìkù editors’ identification — through the Héyì (river-administration) memorial preserved in the collection — that Zhào Dǐngchén is the son of Zhào Biàn (the běiliú advocate of the river debate) — is a small but valuable piece of biographical detective-work. The Sòng shǐ Héqúzhì corroborates the genealogy.
The Liú Kèzhuāng critical assessment — extravagant praise for Zhào’s poetic skill (as if heaven-made, earth-set) — places Zhào in the high tier of late-Northern-Sòng poetic technicians, alongside (or just below) SūHuáng. Modern scholarship has not generally upheld this estimate, but the collection’s recovery makes the poet available for re-evaluation.
The Yuányòu jìnshì–Shàoshèng hóngcí–Xuānhé career arc places Zhào in the same generation as Liú Yǎn KR4d0107 and other hóngcí graduates. Composition bracket: 1093–1119.
Translations and research
- Sòng-shǐ Hé-qú-zhì — preserves Zhào Biàn’s river-administration memorials, key for genealogy.
- Liú Kè-zhuāng 劉克莊, Hòu-cūn shī-huà — Southern-Sòng critical assessment.
- No dedicated monographic study of Zhào Dǐng-chén located.
Other points of interest
- The Yuányòu / Shàoshèng huíHé (return-the-Yellow-River) debate — in which Zhào Biàn alone advocated the běiliú (northern-flow) position later vindicated by the river’s actual behaviour — is one of the canonical Northern-Sòng water-management controversies; the present biéjí preserves the family’s documentary witness through the son.