Song Notes

It was in the year of 1100 to 1141 AD that the Northern Song Dynasty was declining and later followed by the Southern Song Dynasty. Concerning the history in that period of time A Continuation of Zi Zhi Tong Jian, a book was compiled by Li Tao, an ancient Chinese official, to inform us. Unfortunately, the records about Huizong,Qinzong were missing in that book. Another book called The History of Song Dynasty which centered on both the Northern Song Dynasty and Southern Song Dynasty is not detailed enough to make the public clearly known and full of mistakes. In order to make the period of history clearly shown, therefore, I am going to conduct an analysis of the history of that period based on the historical facts and collections. I believe it is going to be of great value academically.Based on bibliography, the paper aims to obtain the notes on almost 280 types of historical events that took place between Dynasties by reference to a great quantity of books, followed by in-depth analysis chapter by chapter and comments on the preserved or lost, major versions, authors, categories, features, principal value and deficits. It holds that an overwhelming majority of the notes on historical events concerned were written in the transition period and also a few by the people in mid or late Southern Song Dynasty. The former suffered a heavy loss and severe damage in number while the latter have been kept in a greater number. As for the authorship, middle and higher officials were in the majority while low-level ones made for a large part. The general purposes for writing are to record the valuable facts, distinguish the good from the evil, tell the right from the wrong, keep a mental note, narrate change and development, and show feats and honors. In light of the contents of the notes, they could be classified as politics, diplomacy, anecdotes, analysis and strange or supernatural events. Among them, the former two kinds take up the largest share, followed by analysis and then anecdotes, a clear manifestation of mainstream in narration and textual research, yet less popularity of anecdotes in Song people's notes. In the meanwhile, these notes feature profound contents, strong epochal imprint, and enormous value of historical materials. Besides, they have the inclination of to comment on poems and essays.As it has high historical value, a great number of events in the notes were directly drawn for the reference of historical records, for they could complete history books written in biographical style, and redress the errors in them while they keep a reserve of biographical materials which are hardly seen from the history books. however, it is obvious that there emerge such deficits as dishonest records, even deliberately distorted practice, and erroneous historical facts, for absurd superstition, hyped-up dreamland, efficacious religious scripts, and popular belief in retributive justice have a foot in the records. As a consequence, it is highly suggestive that people should discard the dross and the false, and keep the essence and the true when resorting to these historical materials. In addition, emphasis ought to be laid on textual research and rational utilization.