Youyang miscellaneous chopping board

An essay from the Tang dynasty in China, written by Duan Chengshi. The first collection consists of 20 volumes, and the second collection of 10 volumes. It was completed around 860. The title comes from a legend that there is a hole hidden in 1000 volumes beneath Xiaoyou Mountain in Hunan. The author, whose father was a prime minister and a bibliophile, worked as a court librarian, and was an avid reader. He used his vast knowledge to record his observations and research on all aspects of the world, from strange and unusual stories to food, clothing, customs, medicine, religion, plants, and animals. Some of the articles are unrealistic, and the first collection's "The Xiaoxian Chapter" contains content that could almost be called fiction, but most of the essays are valuable records that give insight into the social customs of the Tang dynasty.

[Yoshio Imanishi]

"Yoshio Imamura's translation and annotated "Youyo Zazu" (The Youyo Miscellaneous Chops), five volumes (Heibonsha, Toyo Bunko)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、唐代の随筆。段成式(だんせいしき)著。前集20巻、続集10巻。860年ごろ成立。書名は湖南の小酉山の下に、1000巻の書を隠した穴があるという伝説による。宰相で蔵書家であった父をもち、宮中の図書係である校書郎の職について、無類の読書家であった著者が、その該博な知識を駆使して、奇事異談から衣食風習、医学、宗教、動植物に至るまで、世事万端についての見聞、考証を記したもの。なかには非現実的な記事も見受けられ、前集にある「盗侠篇(へん)」などはほとんど小説といえる内容も含むが、多くは唐代の社会風俗を知るための貴重な記録である。

［今西凱夫］

『今村与志雄訳注『酉陽雑俎』全五巻（平凡社・東洋文庫）』

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