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Shi Yi Ji

“Shi Yi Ji”《拾遺記》 is authored by Wang Jia, a native of Anyang in Longxi during the Jin Dynasty, styled Zinian. It comprises nineteen volumes with two hundred and twenty sections, all featuring fragmented content. During the decline of the Qin Dynasty, when the governmental structure shifted and the five capitals fell, the regions of Heluo became desolate ruins, palaces and houses were overgrown, and literary collections were buried and destroyed. The frost and dew on brambles and thorns do not only lament the past kings; the weeds overgrowing the grains deeply sorrow this era! Hence, the dispersal of regulations and institutions, the burning of educational halls, and the near extinction of imperial records and emperor’s edicts, led to the loss of many works. This book begins with the era of Emperors Yu and Yan, spanning up to the end of the Western Jin, covering the cyclic rise and fall of five elements and fourteen dynasties. Wang Jia compiled these diverse and peculiar tales, focusing on the strange and unusual, recording events in a simple manner, with a love for the extensive and bizarre. The book revises the ancient texts of statutes and integrates varied compilations, including what is not found in the ‘Classic of Mountains and Seas’ and what is no longer preserved from the Xia Dynasty tripods. The language is excessively grandiose, the intent broad and far-reaching, regretfully leading to redundancy. It extensively covers auspicious omens and tales of immortals, marvelously speaking of all things, truly broad and profound!

As the world’s morality declined, literature became somewhat incomplete. The book further eliminates its chaotic and redundant parts, recording the true and beautiful, exploring the hidden secrets, and gathering the scattered and lost, with words neither deceptive nor groundless, and events not falsely concocted. By thoroughly examining past traces, it mirrors the classics and histories; and by verifying the true and the bizarre, it adheres to diagrams and texts. For distant matters of principle, the language is concise and simple; for recent moral deeds, the writing remains ornate. The compilation interweaves various topics, forming coherent chapters. As dynasties and policies change over time, so do the styles and policies adapt. However, texts like the ‘Golden Rope Bird Seals’ and ‘Jade Slip Insect Scripts’ have been transmitted through later ages with many deviations from the original, and even with careful research and transcription, there are still many doubts and errors. Regarding governance and transformation, or auspicious omens, they are arranged according to the era. The domains of lands, mountains, and rivers are often doubted due to their names; the categories of plants, birds, and animals also confuse with their sounds and forms. The distinctions are made according to their descriptions, explanations vary by region, or they adapt and unify their principles, not solely relying on one theory. Now, having gathered these remnants, they are compiled into one work of ten volumes, sequentially recorded herein.”

Emperor Shun/虞舜

2023-10-24 by Weird Tales
Explore Emperor Shun's reign filled with celestial events, mysterious visitors, and the legacy of dragon-keeping in ancient China.
Categories Shi Yi Ji Tags ancient wisdom, Cangwu Mountain, celestial order, Dragon-Keeping Office, Emperor Shun, Filial Piety Nation, Five Stars Shrine, Nanxun dragons, Pengxiao Sparrow, Three Rivers

Emperor Yao/唐尧

2023-10-24 by Weird Tales
Delve into the tranquil reign of Emperor Yao, marked by harmonious nature, the mystical Qinghui bird, and the enigmatic Western Sea raft.
Categories Shi Yi Ji Tags ancient China, Chongming bird, Emperor Yao, Great Yu, jade tablet, Luo River, Qinghui bird, Western Sea raft, Yellow River, Youzhou 2 Comments

Emperor Ku of GaoXin/高辛

2023-10-24 by Weird Tales
Dive into Emperor Ku's reign, exploring exotic gifts, ancient spirits, and the fascinating tale of the Red Jade Jar's discovery.
Categories Shi Yi Ji Tags agate stones, agate urn, Chiyou, Danqiu country, Emperor Ku, GaoXin clan, ghost blood, Red Jade Jar, Yecha Juba spirits, Yellow Emperor 3 Comments

Emperor Zhuanxu/颛顼

2023-10-24 by Weird Tales
Explore Emperor Zhuanxu's mystical world, featuring black dragons, musical innovations, and encounters with the inhabitants of Bodai.
Categories Shi Yi Ji Tags ancient mythology, bells and chimes, black dragon, Bodai nation, Emperor Zhuanxu, feathered clothing, Gaoyang, purple cinnamon trees, ritual and music, Xuanyuan Huangdi

ShaoHao/少昊

2023-10-24 by Weird Tales
Delve into ShaoHao's reign, marked by artistic creation, rafting adventures, and his mother's serene life by the Poor Mulberry River.
Categories Shi Yi Ji Tags ancient China, cassia trees, Huang'e, jade doves, musical instruments, mythical voyages, Poor Mulberry River, rafting adventure, ShaoHao, White Emperor

Xuanyuan Yellow Emperor/轩辕黄帝

2023-10-24 by Weird Tales
Explore the Yellow Emperor's celestial ascent, innovative leadership, and the mythical landscapes of his enlightened reign.
Categories Shi Yi Ji Tags ancient China, ancient inscriptions, celestial ascent, enlightenment, Huan Mountain, immortal realm, moral education, mythical landscapes, Xuanyuan, Yellow Emperor 1 Comment

Yan Emperor ShenNong/炎帝神农

2023-10-24 by Weird Tales
Journey through Yan Emperor's era, witnessing the birth of agriculture, mystical rituals, and the quest for immortality in ancient China.
Categories Shi Yi Ji Tags ancient agriculture, celestial harmony, chinese mythology, Divine Farmer, Divine Husbandman, Flame Emperor, Fu Xi, immortality, Lingzhi mushrooms, nine-grain rice, rituals, Yan Emperor 1 Comment
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