Yuejianbian 粤劍編

The Yuejianbian 粤劍編 "Notes [recalling] the sword of Yue" were was written during the late Ming period 明 (1368-1644) by Wang Linheng 王臨亨 (1556-1603), courtesy name Zhizhi 止之, style Zhi'an 止菴, a native of Taicangzhou 太倉州 (today part of Suzhou 蘇州), Jiangsu. In 1588, he passed the provincial juren examination and succeeded in the metropolitan examination in 1589. He was the assigned to observe administrative affairs in the Ministry of Works (gongbu 工部) and was in the same year appointed district magistrate of Xi'an 西安, Zhejiang. In 1592, Wang was transferred to Haiyan 海鹽 district. In 1594, he was promoted to a Secretary in the Ministry of Justice (xingbu zhushi 刑部主事), but took leave due to illness. In 1598, he resumed his former post. In 1599, he was sent to Jiangbei 江北 (the provinces north of the Yangtze) to oversee judicial reviews, and in 1600, he was dispatched to Guangdong to handle judicial relief cases. In 1601, Wang Linheng was promoted to Vice Director (yuanwailang 員外郎) and then to Director (langzhong 郎中) in the Yunnan Division of the Ministry. In 1603, he was transferred to the post of prefect of Hangzhou 杭州.

The book recounts his observations during his mission to Guangdong in 1601. Its title alludes to the story of Lu Jia 陸賈 (d. 170) and the "hundred-gold sword" (baijin jian 百金劍). The work comprises four juan and is divided into eight chapters, structured in an encyclopaedic manner: Ancient sites (Guji 古跡), Famous places (Mingsheng 名勝), Current affairs (Shishi 時事), Local customs (Fengtu 土風), Products (Wuchen 物產), Literature (Yishu 藝術), Native peoples (waiyi 外夷), and Travel (Youlan 遊覽). It holds significant value for the study of the history of Guangdong during the Ming period.

Existing editions include one in the series Xuanlantang congshu 玄覽堂叢書 and another published in 1987 in the series Yuan-Ming shiliao biji congkan 元明史料筆記叢刊.