Xiaofanghuzhai yudi congchao 小方壺齋輿地叢鈔

Xiaofanghuzhai yudi congchao 小方壺齋輿地叢鈔 "Collected books on geography from the Xiaofanghu Studio" is a series of collectanea (congshu 叢書) specialising on Qing-period 清 (1644-1911) books on the geography of China and foreign countries.

It consists of three parts, namely the main collection and two supplements (bubian 補編 and zai bubian 再補編). The compiler was Wang Xiqi 王錫祺 (1855-1913), courtesy name Shouxuan 壽萱, style Souran 瘦髯, studio name Xiaofanghuzhai 小方壺齋 "Small Square Jug", from Taiyuan 太原, Shanxi. The once bought the title of expectant gentleman (houbu langzhong 候補郎中) in the Ministry of Justice (xingbu 刑部). Wang once travelled to Japan to learn from the administrative reform of the Meiji era (Meiji ishin 明治维新). Back to China, he wrote some books on geographical, administrative, and diplomatic matters like Fangyu zhushan kao 方輿諸山考, Zhong-E jiaojie ji 中俄交界記 or Xizahng jian xingsheng yi 西藏建行省議. Another series of collectanea compiled by Wang Xixin is Xiaofanghuzhai congshu 小方壺齋叢書.

The first part of his series contains more than 1,200 books arranged in 12 non-physical volumes (zhi 帙 "wrappers"). The first part was under work from 1877 on and was finished in 1891. The second part was published in 1896. It includes 58 books in 12 volumes. The third part was published in 1897 and includes 180 books in 12 volumes.

The series is not only very useful because of the large number of books it included but also for the study of the China intellectuals' interest in foreign countries to know more about them and to learn from them.