Guiji zhi 會稽志

(Jiatai) Guiji zhi (嘉泰)會稽志 "Gazetteer of Guiji (from the Jiatai reign)" is a local gazetteer of Shaoxing 紹興, Zhejiang, compiled by the Southern Song-period 南宋 (1127-1279) scholars Shen Zuobin 沈作賓 (dates unknown), courtesy name Binwang 賓王, from Gui'an 歸安, and Shi Su 施宿 (1164-1222), courtesy name Wuzi 武子, from Changxing 長興.

The 20-juan long book was finished in 1201, right at the beginning of the Jiatai reign-period 嘉泰 (1201-1204). It is divided into 117 chapters, covering the administrative history of the state of Yue 越, the commandery (jun 郡) of Guiji 會稽, the prefecture (zhou 州) of Yuezhou 越州 and than the prefecture (fu 府) of Shaoxing 紹興府 through the ages, customs and habits, the highest state officials, examination candidates, military garrisons, tax system, palaces and monasteries, landscape and eminent persons. The part on the garrisons is very detailed and provides excellent material for the study of the Song period armies.

Another interesting part is that on hydraulic works which is a valuable source on dams and dykes, sluices and the irrigation and drainage system in Song China. The region is connected with Yu the Great 大禹 who tamed the floods of China, and is the home of his alleged tomb. The biographies of eminent persons like the rebel Fang La 方臘 (c. 1076-1121) or scholars like Yan Guang 嚴光 (39 BCE-41 CE), Wang Chong 王充 (27-97 CE), Xie Xuan 謝玄 (343-388) and Wang Xizhi 王羲之 (303-361) are very detailed and provide more information that the official dynastic histories do. Wang Xizhi' calligraphy Lantingxu 蘭亭序 is described as an important cultural relic.

The original print from the Jiatai reign-period is lost, but a facsimile from 1510 has survived. The Guijizhi was reprinted in 1808 and is included in the series Zhongguo fangzhi congshu 中國方志叢書, as well as in the imperial series Siku quanshu 四庫全書.

An updated gazetteer with the title (Baoqing Guiji xuzhi (寶慶)會稽續志, written during the Baoqing reign-period (1225-1227), was compiled by Zhang Hao 張淏 (jinshi degree 1157?), courtesy name Qingyuan 清源，, from Kaifeng. The original print is lost. The oldest available print was published in 1510. It was reproduced several times.