ChinaKnowledge.de -
An Encyclopaedia on Chinese History and Literature

Shiji zhiyi 史記志疑

Apr 19, 2025 © Ulrich Theobald

Shiji zhiyi 史記志疑 is a book of historical critique on the universal history Shiji 史記. The book of 36 juan length was compiled by Liang Yusheng 梁玉繩 (1744-1792), courtesy name Yaobei 曜北, from Renhe 仁和, Zhejiang. He was a grandson of Grand Academician (daxueshi 大學士) Liang Shizheng 梁詩正 (1697-1763).

The preface of the Shiji zhiyi was written by the scholar Qian Daxin 錢大昕 (1728-1804), who underlines the scholarly excellence of Liang's work on the Shiji. The book is the result of studies on the text of the history book and consists of annotations (an 案). Its structure reflects that of the original text, and consists of notes on questionable or problematic words and expressions in Sima Qian's 司馬遷 (b. 145 or 135 BCE) book. Liang refers to the sources he used to correct wrong or unclear statements in the Shiji and the three traditional commentaries on it. Yet there is also some critique on Liang's book concerning correct statements that he deemed as questionable.

The first print of the text was produced in 1787 by Liang Yusheng himself. It was reprinted in 1887 by the Guangya Shuju 廣雅書局 in the series Shixue congshu 史學叢書. It is also included in the Congshu jicheng chubian 叢書集成初編. A modern edition was published in 1981 by the Zhonghua Shuju 中華書局.

Sources:
Li Xueqin 李學勤, and Lü Wenyu 呂文郁, ed. 1996. Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典, vol. 1, 867. Changchun: Jilin daxue chubanshe.
Wu Feng 吳楓, ed. 1987. Jianming Zhongguo guji cidian 簡明中國古籍辭典, 249. Changchun: Jilin wenxue chubanshe.
Zhang Ziran 張自然. 2007. "Lun Liang Yusheng de Shiji zhiyi 論梁玉繩的《史記志疑》." Nandu xuetan 南都學壇 2007 (4): 36-41.
Zhu Zhixian 朱志先, and Zhang Xia 張霞. 2010. "Shiji zhiyi yu Mingren Hanshi yanjiu tanxi 《史記志疑》與明人漢史研究探析." Wenhua xuekan 文化學刊 2010 (4): 157-160.