Ziwei zashuo 紫微雜說

Ziwei zashuo 紫微雜說 "Miscellaneous explanations from Purple Subtlety [Studio]", also called Ziwei zaji 紫微雜記 or Donglai Lü ziwei zashuo 東萊呂紫微雜說, is a "brush-notes"-style book (biji 筆記) written during the early Southern Song period by Lü Benzhong 呂本中 (1084-1145), courtesy name Juren 居仁, style

He was a great-grandson of the famous writer and politician Lü Gongzhu 呂公著 (1018-1089). Dismissed from office because of his partisanship with the Yuanyou Faction 元祐黨, he was pardoned in 1136 and granted the title of a jinshi. He was a drafter in the Palace Secretariat (zhongshu sheren 中書舍人), expositor-in-waiting (shijiang 侍講), and provisional auxiliary academician (quan zhixueshi 權直學士) of the Hanlin Academy 翰林院. Lü Benzhong wrote the book Tongmengxun 童蒙訓 and two books on poetry, Ziwei shihua 紫微詩話, and Jiangxi shishe zongpai tu 江西詩社宗派圖. His collected poems are called Donglai Xiansheng shiji 東萊先生詩集.

The book of 1 juan length is organised in a chronological format without adding chapter titles. It engages in discussions on doubts related to the Classics and various historical events, often offering solid and valuable insights. For instance, it argues that the character zhi 致 in the Classics can mean both "to obtain" (qu 取) and "to present" (na 納), whereas earlier scholars only interpreted it as "to the utmost" (zhi ji 至極), which is only one meaning. Lü also suggests that in Liji 禮記 chapter Tangong 檀弓, the phrase Qi gu wang ji zhi sang 齊穀王姬之喪 "news was sent from Qi of the mourning for the king's daughter" should have gu 穀 corrected to gao 告 "to announce"; and the phrase bi shi zhi qi fan ye 使必知其反也 "he must announce his return" should have zhi 知 corrected to ru 如 "to follow". These interpretations align with the principles of classical exegesis.

Moreover, it interprets the "Analects" (Lunyu 論語) phrase si ti bu dong, wu gu bu fen 四體不勤，五穀不分 "the four limbs are unaccustomed to toil; you cannot distinguish the five kinds of grain" as a self-deprecating remark by a scholar wearing a sash. The book's other records are balanced and well-reasoned, accurately reflecting moral principles, which sets it apart from other books of commentary.

The book begins with a discussion on the verse hengmen zhi xia 衡門之下 "beneath the humble gate", lamenting the lack of resolve among contemporary monarchs (shi junzhu wu li zhi zhe 時君主無立志者). This perspective was later adopted by Lü Zuqian 呂祖謙 (1137-1181) in his Lüshi jiashu dushi ji 呂氏家塾讀詩記, demonstrating the profound scholarly heritage passed down through generations.

The text is recorded in the series Zhihai 指海, Siku quanshu 四庫全書, Congshu jicheng chubian 叢書集成初編, Shiwanjuanlou congshu 十萬卷樓叢書 and Shuofu 說郛.