Wǔxī jí 午溪集
The Wǔ-xī (Noon-Stream) Collection by 陳鎰 (撰)
About the work
A 10-juǎn collected works of Chén Yì 陳鎰, zì Bózhū 伯銖. The collection was edited by Kǒng Yáng 孔暘 (Qǔfù; qiánjìnshì) and collated by Liú Jī 劉基 (Qīngtián; qiánjìnshì). Prefaced by 5 persons: Huáng Jìn 黃溍, Zhāng Zhù 張翥, Sūn Yán 孫炎, Kǒng Yáng, and Liú Jī. The Sìkù tíyào preserves a LiúJī editorial-letter recommending Chén cut his “jìnrì yìngchóu zhī zuò” (recent occasional pieces). The discrepancy in juǎn-counts across prefaces (Liú Jī = 1 juǎn; Sūn Yán = 2 juǎn; Kǒng Yáng = 400+ pieces; present recension = 10 juǎn) suggests progressive expansion, perhaps Kǒng Yáng preserving what Liú had wanted cut.
Tiyao
Wǔxī jí, 10 juǎn. By Chén Yì of the Yuán. Yì zì Bózhū, a man of Lìshuǐ. Once held office as Sōngyáng jiàoshòu. Later built a hut on Wǔxī — so the jí takes its name. Juǎn-head shows “qiánjìnshì Qǔfù Kǒng Yáng biānzhuàn — qiánjìnshì Qīngtián Liú Jī jiàozhèng”; has 5 prefaces by Huáng Jìn, Zhāng Zhù, Sūn Yán, Yáng, Jī. Zhù’s preface says Yì xué yú wàijiù Zhōu Héng; Yán’s preface says xué yú Zhù. So his cáidì slightly weak; but words coming out qīngtuō, not losing fēngdiào — root has source. Front also has Jī and Yáng each one hand-letter. Jī’s letter says “tǐzhì jiē jiā — jǐn jìnrì yìngchóu zhī zuò — qù qí yīèr zé chún yǐ”; Yáng’s letter says “piānpiān hélǜ ér zhōnglǚ — zìzì kēng jīn ér qiāngyù.” Now examining the collection: Jī’s words right. Jī’s preface says “Wǔxī jí 1 juǎn”; Yán’s preface says 2 juǎn; Yáng’s preface says 400+ pieces; this version is 10 juǎn — was what Jī wanted to cut, Yáng preserved them? Respectfully collated.
Abstract
The Wǔxī jí preserves a Chǔzhōu (Lìshuǐ) biéjí unusual for being collated by Liú Jī 劉基 (later the founding Ming political theorist) before his own dynastic engagement — i.e., a glimpse of Liú Jī as an editorial reader rather than as the early-Míng statesman of his more famous reception. Liú Jī’s letter to Chén Yì — preserved at the head — recommending cutting yìngchóu zhī zuò (occasional pieces) is the rare survival of late-Yuán editorial correspondence. The 1 juǎn (LiúJī version) → 2 juǎn (SūnYán) → 400+ pieces (KǒngYáng) → 10 juǎn (present) progression suggests Kǒng Yáng prevailed editorially over Liú Jī’s recommendation. Composition window: from earliest preserved compositions (c. 1330) to the late-Yuán war years (c. 1365).
Translations and research
- Yáng Lián. 2003. Yuán-shī shǐ.
- Liú Jī studies: the editorial letter is occasionally noted in Liú Jī monographs.
Links
- WYG SKQS V1215.7, p355.