Xiyu shuidao ji 西域水道記

Xiyu shuidao ji 西域水道記 is a book on rivers and lakes in Xinjiang compiled by the late Qing-period 清 (1644-1911) geographer Xu Song 徐松 (1781-1848). Xu also wrote the books Xinjiang shilüe 新疆識略, Yili zongshi lüe 伊犁總事略, Xinjiang fu 新疆賦 (a rhapsody), Hanshu Xiyu zhuan buzhu 漢書西域傳補注, and Tang liangjing chengfang kao 唐兩京城坊考.

This book of 5 juan length was finishedin 1821 and first printed in 1833. The most important contribution of this book is a detailed critique of geographical statements about rivers found in ancient sources. He points at errors or distortions in names and places, and makes clear that because of the climate some rivers just drain away. Xu works with a clear set of terms to describe the course of rivers and networks of waters. He explains how a river "leads to" (dao 導), "passes" (guo 過), "unites with" (he 合), "flows from" (cong 從), and "sheds its waters into" (zhu 注) a lake or else. Main currents (jingshui 經水, modern term zhuliu 主流) are "rising" (chu 出), "going through" (jing 逕), "converging" (hui 會), "coming from" (zi 自), and "entering" (ru 入). Confluences (zhishui 枝水, modern term zhilu 支流) are "arising" (fa 發), "passing" (jing 經), and "contributing" (hui 彙).

Figure 1. Lake Balkhash and confluent rivers (parts 2 and 3)

The famous "Water Classic" Shuijingzhu served as a model for the book, which describes river networks as arteria and sidelines. In Xu's concept, drainage basins are determined by lakes as terminal points of eleven river systems. Apart from the waters themselves, Xu provides information on roads, traffic, local products, cities, military garrisons, historic sites, mining sites, and population. Xu could draw from his rich travel experience during his exile in Xinjiang, and did not just rely on written sources, but also on his own view. He gives information on the history of the region, with a special focus on the Yuan 元 (1279-1368) and Qing periods, when Xinjiang was conquered from the east.

The text is enriched by 24 maps showing drainage basins. In case river names are derived from Mongolian, Xu provides a translation into Chinese, or gives information on names in Turki or even Tibetan.

The Xiyu shuidao ji is an oft-printed text, for instance, a collection of Xu's writings, Xu Xingbo zhushu san zhong 徐星伯著書三種, and the series Xiaofanghuzhai yudi congchao 小方壺齋輿地叢鈔, Huangchao fanshu yudi congshu 皇朝藩屬輿地叢書 and Zhongguo bianjiang congshu 中國邊疆叢書. An abbreviated version from 1909 is found in the series Chenfengge congshu 晨風閣叢書.