Bai Shan Si Zhi Annotation

Wang Yanji (1767-1833), who had some pseudonyms such as Kentang, Huxian, was born as one of the Zhuang nationality in Baishan while his ancestral home was Shangyuan (current Jiangning) in Jiangsu Province. Bai Shan Si Zhi, apart from the frontispiece at the beginning, contains eighteen volumes which are genealogy, construction, territory, landscape, passes and bridges, water conservancy, feudal land tax, temple, custom, products, personages, renowned women with chasteness and righteousness, graves, local soldiers, blessing, warfare, edicts and notes. Besides, there are eight drawings placed prior to the volumes. As the sole record of Tusi in Zhuang district in China, Bai Shan Si Zhi, noting the history, region, farmland conducted by authorities and military, scenery and resources, social economy, local customs and practices etc, becomes one part of valuable resources in studying Tusi system of national minorities. This essay, based on annotating the original version of Bai Shan Si Zhi, researches on the aspects including compare with the schemes of other local chronicles, Tusi system, social custom and historical culture etc to excavate the historical and cultural values of Bai Shan Si Zhi.