Chūliáo jí 初寮集
The Initial-Shop Collection by 王安中 (撰)
About the work
Chūliáo jí 初寮集 in 8 juǎn (Sìkù reconstruction) preserves the writings of Wáng Ānzhōng 王安中 (1075–1134), Huīzōng-court literary servant whose bǎiyùn shī on the Ruìmódiàn banquet was so admired by the emperor that he ordered it written large on the palace screen. The title takes Wáng’s hào Chūliáo 初寮 (“Initial Shop”) — given by Cháo Yuèzhī 晁說之 晁說之 (Wáng’s teacher after Sū Shì) with the exhortation xué dāng shèn chū (“learning must be careful at the start”). The Sòng shǐ records 76 juǎn; Cháo Gōngwǔ’s Dúshūzhì says only 10; Zhào Xībiàn’s fùzhì divides into qiánjí 40 + hòují 10 + nèiwàizhì 26 — totalling about 76, matching the Sòng shǐ. Sìkù reconstruction from Yǒnglè dàdiǎn: 8 juǎn.
Tiyao
The Sìkù tíyào: Chūliáo jí 8 juǎn, by Wáng Ānzhōng of the Sòng. Ānzhōng, zì Lǚdào, of Zhōngshān Qūyáng. Jìnshì successively raised to Shàngshū zuǒchéng; out as Zhī Yānshānfǔ; appointed Dàmíng yǐn. At the start of Jìngkāng settled at Xiàngzhōu. At the start of Shàoxīng restored Zuǒ zhōngdàfū. Sòng shǐ biography preserves details. Ānzhōng with cízǎo (literary-prose) earned distinction, but his conduct was wěimiù (deviant-erroneous).
Chén Zhènsūn’s Shūlù jiětí records that in youth he studied with Sū Shì at Dìngwǔ — not yet completed his studies when Shì left; happened-that Cháo Yuèzhī was Wújí-magistrate — went again as a disciple. Yuèzhī encouraged him with the Wéi xué dāng shèn chū (in learning must be careful from the start) idea — therefore built a hermitage and labelled it Chūliáo — his hearings-discussions and discussions much got from Yuèzhī. Upon late-life prominence, then concealed the Cháo-learning, only calling [Cháo] Chéngzhōu shǐjūn sìzhàng (“Cháo, governor of Chéngzhōu, fourth-elder”) — no longer using “xiānshēng”. Today examining the collection — [Wáng] mostly directly calls Yuèzhī as Cháo Yǐdào — matching what Zhènsūn says — his tiāobáo (light-and-flippant) already gives an outline of his character.
The shǐ says he received recognition from Huīzōng for composing the Ruìyìng biǎo — but examining Cài Tāo’s Tiěwéishān cóngtán — actually through chǎn shì (flattering-service) Liáng Shīchéng got promotion. Yòulǎo Chūnqiū further says he interacted-and-attached to Cài Yōu, brought-into the inner-palace — so bēnjìng wú chǐ (running-after-and-competing without shame) — even more an outstanding-pettiness. The shǐ further says he attached Tóng Guàn and Wáng Fǔ, supported the fù Yān (recover Yānshān) plan, personally requested to go, mismanaged the planning, drew-in defectors-and-fugitives, picking-quarrels with the strong neighbour, calamity-passed-to the zōngshè (imperial sacrificial-altars) — so the wù guó (delusion-of-the-state) crime is even-more deep-and-grave.
Yet his poetry-and-prose is fēngrùn níngzhòng (luxurious-supple, congealed-weighty) — quite-not like his person; his sìliù (parallel-prose) compositions are especially yǎlì (elegant-fine). The shǐ says Huīzōng banqueted at Ruìmódiàn, Ānzhōng composed a bǎiyùn shī recording the affair; the emperor commanded it written-large on the palace-screen, with copy-versions distributed to attendant ministers. Wáng Míngqīng’s Huīzhǔ hòulù records his poetry; Zhōu Huī’s Qīngbō zázhì further supplements the prefaces — all heavily-praising. Zhāng Bāngjī’s Mòzhuāng mànlù further records his lìchūn tiēzǐ, calling him cáihuá qīnglì (talent-and-flowering, clear-and-fine). Although the person did not deserve discussion — but his prose was rich-and-extensive — really not entirely to be erased. Recording it for transmission — also not with-person abolish-words principle.
His collection in the biography 76 juǎn; Cháo Gōngwǔ’s Dúshūzhì only 10; Zhào Xībiàn’s fùzhì says qiánjí 40, hòují 10, nèiwàizhì 26 — matching the shǐ biography target. From Míng onward long lost. Now from the Yǒnglè dàdiǎn picked-and-arranged — still got several-hundred piān of shīwén. Zhōu Bìdà preface says: Ānzhōng’s poem to zēng dàfù (great-grandfather) has the line bù lùn yǔ rǔ xiǎo yī yuè, zhèng zì róng jūn shùbǎi rén (“not-discussing with you smaller by one month, exactly self-allowing you several-hundred persons”); Yáng Wànlǐ’s Chéngzhāi shīhuà praises [Wáng]‘s drafted Yú Shēn shǎozǎi zhì: yǎng wéi qiándài shǒuwén wéi nán; xiàng wǒ shòumín fēi xián bù yì — and his Xiàngzhōu sīxiānglǐ prose: wàn lǐ qiūfén cǎomù niúyáng zhī jiànlǚ; bǎi nián xiāngshè shìjiā fēngyǔ zhī piāoyáo lines — today none seen in the collection. So the lost-and-scattered are still many. Yet one-of-ten gathered — still able to investigate — the broad-outline. Now arranged into 8 juǎn; with Lǐ Bǐng, Zhōu Bìdà, Zhōu Zǐzhī’s three original-prefaces placed at the front — to preserve the old. Qiánlóng 46 (1781), 9th month, respectfully collated.
Abstract
Chūliáo jí preserves the prose of one of the more politically-compromised yet literarily-talented late-Northern-Sòng court figures. Wáng Ānzhōng’s bǎiyùn shī on Huīzōng’s Ruìmódiàn banquet — composed and inscribed on the palace screen — was canonical court-poetry of the Xuānhé period. His political career — through the patronage of the eunuch Liáng Shīchéng, then Cài Yōu, supporting the failed fù Yān (recovery-of-Yān-shān) project — exemplifies the corruption of the Huīzōng court. The Sìkù editors are severe on his character but careful to preserve the literary work.
The biographical detail of Wáng’s discipleship — first under Sū Shì at Dìngwǔ, then completed under Cháo Yuèzhī at Wújí — places him in the secondary Sūmén / Cháomén network. The Chūliáo hermitage-name comes from Cháo’s exhortation. Wáng’s later concealment of his Cháo-discipleship, calling Cháo merely Chéngzhōu shǐjūn sìzhàng without honorific, is preserved as the canonical character-defining detail.
Lifedates 1075–1134 are confirmed by CBDB and Sòng shǐ j. 352.
Translations and research
- Sòng-shǐ j. 352 — biography.
- Ebrey & Bickford, Emperor Huizong and Late Northern Song China (Harvard 2006). Background on Huīzōng-court literary culture.
- Cài Tāo 蔡絛, Tiě-wéi-shān cóng-tán — preserves the eunuch-patronage account.
- No dedicated monographic study of Wáng Ān-zhōng located.
Other points of interest
- The Ruìmódiàn bǎiyùn shī episode — Huīzōng having Wáng’s poem written-large on the palace screen — is canonical late-Northern-Sòng court literary history; the poem is partially preserved here.