Moji 默記

There were two books with the title Moji 默記 "Records from the silence", one written during the Three Empires period 三國 (220-280) by Zhang Yang 張儼, who was Chamberlain for Dependencies (dahonglu 大鴻臚) in the state of Wu 吳 (222-280), and one written during the Song period 宋 (960-1279) by Wang Zhi 王銍.

Zhang Yan's 張儼 Moji 默記

Of Zhang Yan's book, only fragments survive that were collected by the Qing-period 清 (1644-1911) scholar Ma Guohan 馬國翰 (1794-1857). They are to be found in his series Yuhanshanfang jiyi shu 玉函山房輯佚書.

Wang Zhi's 王銍 Moji 默記

The author of the second book, Wang Zhi, courtesy name Xingzhi 性之, hailed from Ruyin 汝陰 (today's Fuyang 阜陽, Anhui) and therefore styled himself Ruyin Laomin 汝陰老民 "Old Man from Ruyin". Wang Zhi flourished during the reign of Emperor Qinzong 宋欽宗 (r. 1125-1126). In the early Shaoxing reign-period 紹興 (1131-1162), he was appointed junior compiler (bianxiuguan 編修官) in the Bureau of Military Affairs (shumiyuan 樞密院), a position that enabled him to participate in the compilation of the dynastic history Qichao guoshi 七朝國史 "Dynastic history of seven rules" that is unfortunately lost. Among his writings are the poetry critique Si-liu hua 四六話, the Xu qingye lu 續清夜錄, and his collected writings Yunxi ji 雲溪集.

The 3-juan-long Moji is a collection of novellas and short-stories dealing with themes of the Northern Song 北宋 (960-1126) capital Bianjing 汴京 (Kaifeng 開封 in modern Henan province). Most of them are concerned with themes around the imperial court. They can be termed "unofficial" histories because instead of being written in a fictitious style, many of the events mentioned by the author can be traced historically. The most famous stories are Zhou Shizong er 周世宗兒, Xu Xuan 徐鉉, Yizu 藝祖, Shenzong 神宗 and Ouyang Wenzong 歐陽文宗. Wang Zhi's Moji is included in the series Siku quanshu 四庫全書, Xuehai leibian 學海類編, Hanfenlou ji Songren xiaoshuo 涵芬樓輯宋人小說, Baichuan xuehai 百川學海, Gujin shuohai 古今說海, Lidai xiaoshi 歷代小史, Shuofu 說郛, Wuchao xiaoshuo 五朝小說, Zhibuzuzhai congshu 知不足齋叢書 and Shuoku 說庫.