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An Encyclopaedia on Chinese History and Literature
Zishi jinghua 子史精華 "Pure blossoms of the masters and the historians" is an encyclopaedia compiled on imperial order during the Qing period 清 (1644-1911) by Wu Shiyu 吳士玉 (1665-1733), Wu Xiang 吳襄, Zhang Tingyu 張廷玉 (1672-1755), Jiang Tingxi 蔣廷錫 (1669-1732), Zhang Zhao 張照 (1691-1745), and others. The compilation took place between 1721 and 1727.
The traditional literary categories of the histories and the so-called "masters" are the widest and richest. For this reason, the Kangxi Emperor 康熙帝 (r. 1662-1722) ordered to select the most essential paragraphs among the writings of the two categories to provide a helpful handbook giving a convenient overview of these types of literature, famous statements and idioms, and often-read stories. The 160-juan-long book is divided into 30 encyclopaedic categories, with 260 sub-chapters. The quoted paragraphs are to be found as explanations of keywords, to which remarks are added for a better understanding. The Zishi jinghua has, despite its strengths, been criticised for the inconvenience and inadequate arrangement of the keywords.
| 【祈羊】《管子》：「山高而不傾，則——至矣。」注：山不傾，興雨之祥。故烹羊以祭。」 | The Guanzi says: "If a mountain rises high and never crumbles, sacrificial sheep will be presented to it." Commentary: "A mountain that does not crumble is a sign of impending rain, so a sheep is cooked for sacrifice." |
| 【不童而用贍】《管子》：「山—————。澤不弊而養足。」注：山無草木曰童[=㠉]。」 | The Guanzi says: "Since the mountains had not been stripped of their trees, people had plenty [of wood] to meet their needs. Since the marshes had not been drained, people had plenty [of fish] for nourishment. " Commentary: tong refers to a barren mountain without vegetation." |
| 【見榮】《管子》：「上有丹砂者，下有黄金。上有慈[=磁]石者，下有銅金。上有陵石者，下有鉛錫赤銅。上有赭者，下有鐡。此山之——者也。」 | The Guanzi says: "If cinnabar lies near the surface, gold may be found below. If magnetite lies near the surface, copper may be found below. If lingshi (feldspar?) lies near the surface, lead, tin, and red copper may be found below. If hematite lies near the surface, iron may be found below. These are the ways mountains reveal their riches." |
| 【木脩】《文子》：「川廣者，魚大。山高者，——.」 | The Wenzi says: "When the river is wide, its fish are big; when the mountain is high, its trees are tall." |
Guanzi translations according to Rickett 1998-2001. Wenzi translation according to Cleary 1991. |
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There is a print by the Wuying Hall 武英殿 from 1727, a print from 1892, a print by the Shanghai Tongwen Press 上海同文 from 1884, and one by the Shanghai Jicheng Tushu Press 上海集成圖書公司 from 1851. In 1991, the Beijing Guji Press 北京古籍出版社 published a reprint. The Zishi jinghua is included in the series Siku quanshu 四庫全書.
| 1-5 | 天 | Heaven |
| 6-12 | 地 | The earth |
| 13-20 | 帝王 | Emperors and rulers |
| 21-23 | 皇親 | The imperial relatives |
| 24-27 | 歲時 | The seasons |
| 28-36 | 禮儀 | Ritual and etiquette |
| 37-44 | 設官 | State offices |
| 45-64 | 政術 | Government |
| 65-71 | 文學 | Civilian activities |
| 72-76 | 武功 | War |
| 77-80 | 邊塞 | Border affairs |
| 81-86 | 倫常 | Human relationship |
| 87-96 | 品行 | Comportment according to social status |
| 97-104 | 人事 | Human activities |
| 105-106 | 樂部 | Music |
| 107-110 | 釋道 | Buddhism and Daoism |
| 111-115 | 靈異 | Spirits and strange phenomena |
| 116-119 | 方術 | Magic |
| 120-122 | 巧藝 | Skills and arts |
| 123-124 | 形色 | Comportment |
| 125-132 | 言語 | Language |
| 133-134 | 婦女 | Women |
| 135-142 | 動植 | Animals and plants |
| 143-144 | 儀飾 | Ritual tools |
| 145-146 | 服飾 | Adornments |
| 147-148 | 居處 | Buildings and living |
| 149-150 | 產業 | Production |
| 151-152 | 食饌 | Eating |
| 153-154 | 珍寶 | Jewels |
| 155-160 | 器物 | Tools and implements |