Changtan 常談

Changtan 常談 "Talks about constant matters" is a "brush-notes"-style book (biji 筆記) written during the Southern Song period 南宋 (1127-1279) by Wu Ji 吳箕, courtesy name Sizhi 嗣之, from Xin'an 新安 (in today's Henan province). He obtained the jinshi degree in 1169 and was assistant magistrate (zhubu 主簿) of Renhe 仁和縣, and educational instructor of Linchuan 臨川 and then magistrate of Tuxian 涂縣. A biography can be found in the local gazetteer Huizhou zhi 徽州志. His book Tingci leigao 聽詞類稿 is lost.

The book Changtan with a length of 1 juan mainly consists of commentaries on historical events, with occasional forays into textual examination. It is organized into numerous entries, with over a hundred extant articles. The Huizhou zhi mentions that Wu Ji, while in Linchuan, had a close friendship with the philosopher Lu Jiuyuan 陸九淵 (1139-1193) and frequently engaged in discussions with him. It is said that Wu Ji was deeply influenced by the teachings of the Jinxi 金溪 School. When comparing this book with Lu Jiuyuan's collected works, one can observe that many of Wu Ji's views align with those of Lu Jiuyuan. For example, in Lu's Jingdetang ji 經德堂記, he discusses how Emperor Gaozu 漢高祖 (r. 206-195 BCE) of the Han dynasty 漢 (206 BCE-220 CE), in his struggle against Xiang Yu 項羽 (233-202 BCE), was supported by the wisdom of the "Three Elders of Xincheng" (Xincheng sanlao 新城三老) Wu Ji similarly emphasizes that the "Old Men of Xincheng" (Xincheng laoren 新城老人) were the ones who understood the grand strategy of the world, and it was because of their counsel that the Han dynasty was able to establish its rule.

While Wu Ji clearly drew from Lu Jiuyuan's ideas, he was not a rigid follower. For example, in his commentary on Ji An 汲黯 (d. 112 BCE), Lu Jiuyuan praises Ji An for his unyielding moral stance and says that although Ji was not formally educated, his actions demonstrated wisdom. In contrast, Wu Ji critiques Ji An, arguing that his direct and unbending approach to advice came not from learning but from natural temperament, and this led him to miss the deeper truths of the Way (Dao 道). Here, Wu Ji and Lu Jiuyuan's views diverge significantly, illustrating that while Wu Ji's scholarship was rooted in Lu Jiuyuan's philosophy, he did not accept everything uncritically. Wu Ji critically engaged with the ideas and made his own contributions to the intellectual landscape. His approach to scholarship is thus valuable and should be regarded as an independent intellectual pursuit in its own right.

The book's name is listed in the book catalogue Suichutang shumu 遂初堂書目 and the bibliographical chapter of the official dynastic history Songshi 宋史. Yet the book was lost thereafter. The compilers of the imperial series Siku quanshu 四庫全書 reconstructed it from the encyclopaedia Yongle dadian 永樂大典 from the early Ming period 明 (1368-1644). Apart from the Siku quanshu, it is also found in the series Hanhai 函海 and Congshu jicheng chubian 叢書集成初編.