Zhuāngjiǎn jí 莊簡集
The Solemn-and-Simple Collection by 李光 (撰)
About the work
Zhuāngjiǎn jí 莊簡集 in 18 juǎn (Sìkù reconstruction) preserves the writings of Lǐ Guāng 李光 (1078–1159), the Yuánfú jìnshì and senior early-Southern-Sòng resistance figure. The title takes Lǐ’s posthumous canonisation Zhuāngjiǎn 莊簡 (Solemn-and-Simple). Lǐ also has the separately-catalogued ZhōuYì xiángshuō 周易詳說. Original recension uncertain: Shàoxīng zhènglùn records 40 juǎn; Sòng shǐ Yìwénzhì says qiánhòu jí (front and back) totalling 30 juǎn; Jiāo Hóng’s Guóshǐ jīngjízhì says 26 juǎn; Qián Pǔ and Yè Shèng’s catalogs both record Zhuāngjiǎn jí 8 cè. Sìkù reconstruction from Yǒnglè dàdiǎn: 425 poems, 13 cí, 265 miscellaneous prose pieces — 18 juǎn.
Tiyao
The Sìkù tíyào: Zhuāngjiǎn jí 18 juǎn, by Lǐ Guāng of the Sòng. Guāng has ZhōuYì xiángshuō — already catalogued. The collection-record in Shàoxīng zhènglùn 40 juǎn; in Sòng shǐ Yìwénzhì qiánhòují 30 juǎn; in Jiāo Hóng’s Guóshǐ jīngjízhì 26 juǎn — divergent and not-matching. Qián Pǔ’s Mìgé shūmù and Yè Shèng’s Lùzhútáng shūmù both record Zhuāngjiǎn jí 8 cè — so at the start of Míng still preserved. Afterward scattered-and-lost, the original-catalog’s many-or-few cannot be examined. Now from the Yǒnglè dàdiǎn gathered: total got shī 425 shǒu, cí 13 shǒu, záwén 265 shǒu, arranged into 18 juǎn.
Examining: Wáng Míngqīng’s Huīzhǔ yúhuà says: when Cài Jīng was already defeated, attackers exhausted-no-residual-power; Guāng alone had no impeachment-statement; for it [Lǐ] was demoted; his Xiè biǎo says: “dāng chuítì zhǐ wāngōng zhī shè — rén yǐ wéi kuáng; rán línwēi duō xiàshí zhī rén — chén zé bù gǎn” (“when about-to-shed-tears, stopping the bow’s drawing-shot — others called it madness; yet at-time-of-danger many drop-stones-on-people; this minister then dares-not”). Yet the collection has not this piān.
Further Zhào Shēnzhī’s Yíshǐ records Guāng at Dāněr once composed Dōngpō Liùwú shī; today only have Shí wú ròu, jū wú wū two poems — the other four titles also seeking-checking unobtained. So jiāpiān (best-pieces) of-loss is already-much. But just on what is currently preserved looking — bōlán yìdù (waves-and-billows, idea-and-bearing) also can-be roughly seen.
Examining Guāng’s biography: Guāng met the guóbù (state-step) on dangerous-precipice time — zhōngfèn jīfā (loyal-fervour intensely-issued) — what he established were all yǒu chéngxù (with achieved-thread); further for arguing the héyì (peace) was rejected by the powerful councillor — old-life thrown-into-wilderness — his jiégài (integrity-quality) lǐnrán (chilling) — fitting to be bùkěfàn (not-touchable). Yet his poetry: zhìxié yīnyǎ wǎnlì duō zī (mind-harmonious sound-elegant, tender-fine, much-graced) — generally mostly tuō xìng shēncháng (lodging meaning long-and-deep) — not just Zhāng Hào’s Yúngǔ zájì raised the Shuāngyàn one-poem and Dàozhōng zèng shūmì shǐchén one-poem as qīngjué kě ài (clear-and-perfect, lovable).
As to his submitted zòuyì — like Lùn shǒuyù dàjì, Quàn jūjià qīnzhēng, Jiè yuē fánkē, Cáijiǎn yíngshàn various zházǐ — particularly kǎiqiè zhǐchén (generous-and-pressing, pointing-to-faults), there-is help-to guóshì (state-affairs); discussing Liáng Shīchéng, Yàn Yīng etc. memorials jíè rúfēng (hating-evil like-the-wind) — all can imagine his fēngcǎi (style-and-bearing).
After crossing the mountain-passes [exile to the south] with Hú Quán correspondence-letters very-many; yet all chúnshí hépíng (substantial-and-real, harmonious-and-peaceful), without any yōuyōu láoluò (sad-isolated, drift-and-fall) thoughts; what he kept-and-cultivated again can-be known. Famous-minister’s writings — fortunate to be preserved — although remnant-pieces and surplus-lines firmly should be regarded-as hóngbǎo (great-treasure). Qiánlóng 46 (1781), 9th month, respectfully collated.
Abstract
Zhuāngjiǎn jí preserves the writings of Lǐ Guāng 李光, the cardinal early-Southern-Sòng resistance figure of the Sì xián (Four Worthies) — Lǐ Guāng, Lǐ Gāng 李綱, Hú Quán 胡銓, and Zhào Dǐng KR4d0148. After the southern crossing, Lǐ rose to Cānzhī zhèngshì under Gāozōng but was demoted by Qín Guì 秦檜 to extreme southern exile (Dāněr on Hǎinán Island, 1149) for his persistent opposition to the héyì (peace-faction). His Dōngpō Liùwú shī (Six No-things — modeled on Sū Shì’s earlier Hǎinán exile poems) is the iconic literary trace of his banishment.
The collection includes substantial zòuyì on military preparedness (advocating Gāozōng’s personal-presence-at-the-front), critique of Liáng Shīchéng and other late-Huīzōng eunuchs, and post-southern-crossing memorials defending the resistance position. The Hú Quán correspondence — Lǐ’s exile-correspondence with the parallel-exiled Hú Quán — forms the late-life literary thread.
The Sìkù editors’ philological detective-work on Zhào Shēnzhī’s Yíshǐ (which records Lǐ’s Dōngpō Liùwú shī in six poems but the present collection preserves only two) flags the substantial loss of materials. Lifedates 1078–1159 (per modern scholarship); the catalog gives “d. 1155” — slightly imprecise.
Translations and research
- Sòng-shǐ j. 363 — biography.
- Davis, Richard L. Wind Against the Mountain (Harvard 1996). Background on Southern-Sòng resistance.
- Tao, Jing-shen. Two Sons of Heaven (Tucson 1988).
- No dedicated monographic study of Lǐ Guāng located.
Other points of interest
- Lǐ Guāng is one of the Sì xián (Four Worthies) of the early Southern Sòng — the canonical resistance heroes — alongside Lǐ Gāng, Hú Quán, and Zhào Dǐng. The four together formed the principal moral-political opposition to Qín Guì’s héyì faction.
- The Dōngpō Liùwú shī — Lǐ’s Hǎinán exile poems modelled on Sū Shì’s earlier Hǎinán exile — establishes a literary-genealogical link between the two exiles.