"Xianju Lu" is a collection of notes written by Wu Qiuyan (named Zhenbai, Zhufang), a scholar in the Yuan Dynasty. It contains his daily observations and thoughts as well as his experience in ancient Chinese literature, epigraphy, seal studies and other knowledge.
The book is not as tightly structured as a historical narrative, but is composed of scattered entries: he may describe the wind and moonlight in the pine trees during his leisure time, record the meanings of ancient inscriptions, or put forward his own opinions and thoughts on seal carving, sealing and epigraphy. Once, he was sitting quietly in a bamboo house when he suddenly heard the sound of rain entering the house. He calmly wrote down notes about the rhythm between the sound of rain, fallen leaves and bonsai, intertwined with the words to form a quiet picture. There is also a record in which he used an ancient seal as a guide to trace the evolution of seals used in several dynasties and the mutual support of calligraphy styles, showing his academic sensitivity in shuttling between "objects" and "words".
"Xianju Lu" is not only a daily record of Wu Qiu Yan's retreat, but also a collection of essays with a scholar's mind and ideological tentacles. It allows us to see a scholar who wanders outside the secular world, talking to the past and present with a leisurely attitude, and using brushstrokes to connect the secret world of seal stones and words.
