Xiyu yiwen 西域遺聞

Xiyu yiwen 西域遺聞 "Hearsay about the western regions" is a geographical treatise written by Chen Kesheng 陳克繩 (jinshi degree 1733). He was sub-prefectural magistrate (tongzhi 同知) of Dartsedo (Ch. Dajianlu 打箭爐, modern Kangding 康定, Sichuan), a border city on the mountain road from Chengdu, Sichuan, to Tibet, and later circuit intendant (daotai 道臺) of Eastern Sichuan.

Based on this experience he wrote this private geography on the eastern fringes of Sichuan. It is divided into 11 short chapters describing Tibet and Eastern Tibet, Buddhism, the political system, customs and habits, local products, the various tribes in and around Tibet, kingdoms of the circuit of Jianchang 建昌 (western Sichuan). The book was written based on personal observations, but also on written sources. It is a very important source for the Chinese perception of Tibetan Buddhism and the local population.