Xiáwài shījí 霞外詩集
The Xiá-wài (Beyond-the-Sunset-Glow) Poetry Collection by 馬臻 (撰)
About the work
The ten-juàn poetic collection of the Daoist priest Mǎ Zhēn 馬臻 (CBDB 28345, b. 1254), zì Zhìdào 志道, hào Xūzhōng 虛中, native of Qiántáng 錢塘 (Hángzhōu). The collection preserves Mǎ’s identity as a late-Sòng-loyalist yímín who took Daoist robes — the Sìkù editors specifically note that the Shùhuái poem reveals Mǎ as a “Sòng-end surviving-elder entrusting [himself in] huángguān [Daoist headdress]” (Sòngmò yílǎo jìtuō huángguān). Mǎ’s poetic associates include Qiú Yuǎn KR4d0447 (who supplied the principal preface, attesting to Mǎ’s “withdrawing-and-binding [residence] on the West-Lake shore — scholars admire him and visit, [but his] conversation [is] of qīngxū [Daoist clear-emptiness] and pure-tranquility — not one word reaches power-stipend or sound-and-profit”) and Gōng Kāi 龔開 (who attests to Mǎ’s participation in the great Dàdé xīnchǒu (1301) imperial Daoist nèijiào 內醮 led by the Sìshíèrdài Tiānshī 四十二代天師 [Zhāng] Yǔcái 與材 at Yān). The Míng-period Máo Jìn 毛晉 print supplied a bá erroneously placing Mǎ after Zhāng Yǔ 張雨 (Bóyǔ 伯雨); the Sìkù editors correct this — all extant prefaces are Rénzōng’s Dà-dé-era (early 1300s), placing Mǎ as the elder of Zhāng Yǔ.
Tiyao
The Xiáwài shījí, 10 juàn, by the Yuán Daoist Mǎ Zhēn composed. [Mǎ] Zhēn, zì Zhìdào, hào Xūzhōng, [was a] Qiántáng man. Qiú Yuǎn’s preface to this collection calls his “yǐnyuē (withdrawing-bind) at West-Lake’s shore; scholars admire him and visit-with — [the conversation] does not exceed practicing qīngxū (clear-emptiness), conversing-tranquility — bù yī yán jí shìlì shēnglì (not one word touches power-and-stipend, sound-and-profit)“. Gōng Kāi’s preface then calls: “[The] Dàdé xīnchǒu (1301), [the] sìshíèr dài tiānshī Zhāng [Yǔcái] zhēnrén [went] to Yān to host-and-perform the nèijiào; the xuánjiào (Mystery-Teaching) famous-flow all yìrán jǐngcóng (wing-like, jǐngcóng like clouds [following]); Wáng Zǐyóu, Mǎ Zhìdào were among them” — his person likely [was] between tōngjiè (passing-through-and-detached) [from worldly affairs].
The collection-mid pūzhāng fùguì (laying-out wealth-and-honour) several pieces — like Sì tiānshī Wú zhēnrén shī and the like — rather contravene the shānlín (mountain-forest) style. Yet what [he] composed [is] all shéngǔ xiùqiān (spirit-bone elegant-tall), fēnglì qiúshàng (style-strength firm-rising), lángláng yǒu jīnshí zhī yīn (clarion-bright having metal-and-stone sound). Although [he] cannot complete-the-strength of jīnchì pīhǎi, xiāngxiàng dùhé (gold-pinion splitting-sea, fragrant-elephant crossing-river [— image of great Buddhist power]), [he] also is not similar [to those who are like] suānhán xìsuì chóng yín cǎojiān (sour-cold petty-trifling insects-crying-in-grass).
Observing his Shùhuái one poem — [it] is virtually [a] Sòng-end yílǎo jìtuō huángguān [Sòng-remnant elder entrusting [himself in] Daoist headdress] [piece], and his háoyì jùnmài zhī qì (great-and-unrestrained-yiyi-spirit) — [there is] no place not-doable. Politically not by kūjì tiándàn (dry-quiet-tranquil-and-tranquil) [posture] [taking it] as [his] high [stance]-only [reason for retreat].
This base [is] what Máo Jìn cut. At the end there is [Máo] Jìn’s bá — calling [that] after Bóyǔ (Zhāng Yǔ) there again is Xūzhōng (Mǎ Zhēn). Now examining the various-houses’ prefaces all [are] composed in Rénzōng Dàdé’s beginning years (1297+) — so [Mǎ] Zhēn was still in front of Zhāng Yǔ — [Máo] Jìn [had] incidentally lost-examination [erred].
Respectfully collated, third month of Qiánlóng 42 (1777). Chief-Compiler Officers Jì Yún 紀昀, Lù Xīxióng 陸錫熊, Sūn Shìyì 孫士毅; Chief-Collation Officer Lù Fèichí 陸費墀.
Abstract
The poetic collection of the Yuán-period Daoist priest Mǎ Zhēn (b. 1254), a Sòng-loyalist yímín in huángguān (Daoist headdress) — one of the principal southern Daoist-of-Sòng-loyalist-orientation poets of the Yuán transition. Native of Qiántáng (Hángzhōu); resident at the West Lake as a retiring Daoist priest. Mǎ’s career trajectory parallels that of the principal SòngYuán transition Hángzhōu poets — Qiú Yuǎn 仇遠 (1247–1327) and Bái Tǐng 白珽 (1248–1328) — both of whom wrote prefaces or exchange-poetry for Mǎ; and the major Sòng-loyalist Daoist Gōng Kāi 龔開 (1222–1304), who wrote the principal preface placing Mǎ at the Dàdé xīnchǒu (1301) imperial Daoist nèijiào hosted at Yān by the Forty-Second-Generation Tiānshī Zhāng Yǔcái 張與材 (a major Yuán imperial-Daoist event). The Quán-zhēn-Daoist literary circle including Wáng Zǐyóu 王子繇 (a fellow xuánjiào priest at the event) and Mǎ Zhēn are documented through this preface.
The Sìkù editors evaluate Mǎ’s verse as shéngǔ xiùqiān (spirit-bone elegant-tall) with lángláng jīnshí zhī yīn (metallic-mineral clarity). The Shùhuái poem is identified as the principal Sòng-loyalist-self-positioning piece. The Sìkù editors corrected the Máo Jìn bá error (placing Mǎ after Zhāng Yǔ Bóyǔ): all extant prefaces are early Dàdé era, placing Mǎ as Zhāng Yǔ’s elder.
Composition window: from Mǎ’s adult Daoist-poetic activity (after c. 1290) through the early-mid 1320s.
Translations and research
- Lowell Skar, “Daoist Poetic Culture in the Yuán” — context.
- Vincent Goossaert, The Taoists of Peking, 1800–1949 — general Daoist-historical reference.
- Standard Yuán-poetry references.
Other points of interest
The pairing of the Quán-zhēn-Daoist literary preface (Gōng Kāi’s record of the Dàdé 1301 imperial nèijiào hosted by Zhāng Yǔcái) with the Sòng-loyalist Sòng-orthodox preface (Qiú Yuǎn’s record of Mǎ’s qīngxū / Daoist clear-emptiness retreat) preserves Mǎ Zhēn at the intersection of: (1) Sòng-loyalist yímín literary tradition; (2) imperial-Daoist Yuán cultural establishment under the Zhèngyī lineage of the Tiānshī; (3) the Hángzhōu West-Lake literary network of 仇遠 and 白珽.
Links
- WYG SKQS V1204.2, p55.
- CBDB person 28345 (Mǎ Zhēn)