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Yuquanzi 玉泉子

Dec 10, 2010 © Ulrich Theobald

Yuquanzi 玉泉子 "Master Jade Source" is a collection of stories from the Tang period 唐 (618-907). It it also known under the titles Yuquan biduan 玉泉筆端, Yuquan bilun 玉泉筆論, or Yuquanzi jianwen zhenlu 玉泉子見聞真錄. Who Yuquanzi, the putative author, was, is unknown. The original book was 5 juan "scrolls" long, but there are only fragments preserved now. Other sources speak of 3 juan plus one supplement chapter. The books is said to have been finished in 883.
The stories are mainly taken from the lives of middle and late Tang period officials and historical persons. Some of the stories are also seen in the Yinhualu 因話錄, Shangshu gushi 尚書故實, and Lushi zashuo 盧氏雜說.
There were apparently different versions in circulation, not only of different size, but also of different content. The received version contains 82 stories.
The Yuquanzi is included in the reprint series Baihai 稗海, Siku quanshu 四庫全書, Shuofu 說郛, Leishuo 類說 and Tangren shuohui 唐人說薈. In 1958 the Zhonghua shuju press 中華書局 published a modern edition, in a joint publication with the book Jinhuazi 金華子.

Source:
Li Xueqin 李學勤, Lü Wenyu 呂文鬰 (1996). Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典, Changchun: Jilin daxue chubanshe, vol. 2, p. 2140.