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Jiangbiaozhi 江表志

Oct 6, 2013 © Ulrich Theobald

Jiangbiaozhi 江表志 "Tables and Treatises to the history of the south" is a history of the empire of Southern Tang 南唐 (937-975), one of the Ten States 十國 (902-979) that ruled over southern China during the Five Dynasties period 五代 (907-960). The Jiangbiaozhi was compiled by the Song-period 宋 (960-1279) scholar Zheng Wenbao 鄭文寶 (953-1018), courtesy name Zhongxian 仲賢 or Zhongyu 仲玉, who first served the Southern Tang, and, after their conquest by the Song, served as grain transport manager in the northwestern region. Based on this experience he wrote the geography Hexi Longyou tu 河西隴右圖.

During the campaigns against the Western Xia empire 西夏 (1038-1227) of the Tanguts, Zheng Wenbao vehemently argued for the defence of Lingzhou 靈州 (near modern Lingwu 靈武, Ningxia). He was an excellent poet and has also authored the books Nantang jinshi 南唐近事 and Tanyuan 談苑. The 3-juan long Jiangbiaozhi is a narrative history of the Southern Tang. The downfall of the dynasty is attributed to the last ruler's over-confidence in his own leadership skills. The Jiangbiazhi quotes two memorials that are not found anywhere else, namely, Han Xizai Guiguo zhuang 韓熙載歸國狀 and Zhang Bi jiangshu 張佖諫疏.

The Jiangbiaozhi is also included in a draft form in the text Jiangnan yuzai 江南餘載.

Sources:
Bian Xiaoxuan 卞孝萱 (2003). "Jiangbiaozhi 江表志", in Bian Xiaoxuan 卞孝萱, ed. Tangdai wenxue baike cidian 唐代文學百科辭典 (Beijing: Hanyu da cidian chubanshe), 1129.
Li Xueqin 李學勤, Lü Wenyu 呂文鬰, eds. (1996). Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典 (Changchun: Jilin daxue chubanshe), Vol. 1, 1045.
Wu Feng 吳楓, ed. (1987). Jianming Zhongguo guji cidian 簡明中國古籍辭典 (Changchun: Jilin wenshi chubanshe), 357.