Shui Jing Zhu: Commentary on the Waterways Classic (Excerpts)

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Shui Jing Zhu: Commentary on the Waterways Classic (Excerpts) is written by Daoyuan Li and published by . It's available with International Standard Book Number or ISBN identification 1967277281 (ISBN 10) and 9781967277285 (ISBN 13).

Shui Jing Zhu, a monumental work of Chinese geography and literature, was compiled in the early 6th century during the Northern Wei Dynasty by Li Daoyuan. It is an extensive commentary and expansion on an older, simpler text called Shui Jing (The Water Classic), which listed about 137 Chinese rivers. Li Daoyuan's commentary exploded this list, documenting over 1,250 waterways. It is considered a foundational text of historical geography in China and is also renowned for its beautiful prose, making it a classic of Chinese literature. There are three primary challenges for translating Commentary on the Waterways Classic (Excerpts).This translation covers volumes 1 of book 1 to volueme 12 of book 2 of the Complete Annotation and Translation Series of Chinese Classics: Commentary on the Water Classic, encompassing geographical accounts of over ten river systems, including the Yellow River, Fen River, and Ji River. First of all, the courses of ancient waterways often diverge significantly from modern place names, necessitating repeated cross-referencing with the Historical Atlas of China and historical geographical records across dynasties. Secondly, the prose, blending parallel and non-parallel structures characteristic of the Northern Wei period, proved especially demanding. Vivid four-character landscape descriptions required preserving both rhythmic beauty and geographical precision. Thirdly, Li Daoyuan extensively quoted over 400 ancient texts. Encountering fragments from lost works such as the Bamboo Annals and Huainanzi necessitated tracing their origins for accurate annotation. The translation team pursued traces of the Northern Wei landscape. This dedication stands as both a tribute to China's geographical classics and a conscious commitment by young scholars to preserve this unique legacy.