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Shubi 蜀碧

Jun 12, 2019 © Ulrich Theobald

Shubi 蜀碧 "Blood jewels from Sichuan" is a book on the devastation of Sichuan by the troops of Zhang Xianzhong 張獻忠 (1606-1647) and Li Zicheng 李自成 (1606-1645). The short text was written by Peng Zunsi 彭遵泗 (jinshi degree 1737), courtesy name Panquan 磐泉, from Dansuo 丹梭, Sichuan.

In the bibliographical chapter (145-148 Yiwen zhi 藝文志) of the official dynastic history Qingshigao 清史稿, the 4-juan long book is categorized as a "novella" (xiaoshuo 小說), mostly because many statements in the text are not reliable.

Peng criticizes the Chongzhen Emperor 崇禎帝 (Emperor Sizong 明思宗, r. 1627-1644), the last ruler of the Ming dynasty, as selfish and arrogant. Nonetheless, the literary skills of the author are quite high, particularly in the description of scenes at the court and on the battlefield, for instance, Yang Sichang's 楊嗣昌 (1588-1641) heroic fight against Zhang Xianzhong, or the emperor's proclamation of war.

The text is included in the collection Danxi yiji 丹溪遺集 and the series Biji xiaoshuo daguan 筆記小說大觀, Jieyue shanfang huichao 借月山房匯抄, Congshu jicheng chubian 叢書集成初編 and Zhongguo neiluan waihuo lishi congshu 中國內亂外禍歷史叢書.

Sources:
Jiang Ruoshui 江弱水 (2015). "Moshi de lunlixue: Cong Shubi dao Heidong 末世的倫理學:從《蜀碧》到《黑洞》", Shuwu 書屋, 2015 (8).
Li Qiao 李喬 (2003). "Guanyu Shubi 關於《蜀碧》", Lu Xun yanjiu xuekan 魯迅研究月刊, 2003 (7).
Li Xueqin 李學勤, Lü Wenyu 呂文鬰, ed. (1996). Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典 (Changchun: Jilin daxue chubanshe), Vol. 1, 979.
Sui Chengwei 隨成偉 (2008). "Shubi banben shulüe 《蜀碧》版本述略", Henan tushuguan xuekan 河南圖書館學刊, 2008 (12).
Wu Feng 吳楓, ed. (1987). Jianming Zhongguo guji cidian 簡明中國古籍辭典 (Changchun: Jilin wenshi chubanshe), 886.
Wu Feng 吳楓, ed. (1994). Zhonghua gu wenxian da cidian 中華古文獻大辭典, Vol. Wenxue 文學卷 (Changchun: Jilin wenshi chubanshe), 713.
Zheng Yunbo 鄭雲波, ed. (1992). Zhongguo gudai xiaoshuo cidian 中國古代小說辭典 (Nanjing: Nanjing daxue chubanshe), 501.