Return to the Field Record

"Guitian Lu" is a notebook-style work written by Ouyang Xiu, a famous writer and historian in the Northern Song Dynasty, in his later years. The book consists of two volumes, which record in the form of essays the anecdotes of the court and the public, regulations and systems, social customs and anecdotes of literati in the early Northern Song Dynasty. The content is detailed and vivid, the writing style is concise and lively, and it has both historical value and literary interest. The first volume of this book is a text written by the author. It is divided into chapters to record many anecdotal and trivial events from the reign of Taizu to Renzong, such as conversations between monarchs and ministers, the evolution of the official system, the imperial examination system, cultural life, etc. Among them are many stories with profound meanings such as "The Oil Seller" and "Chen Kangsu's Archery". The second volume contains the lost texts of "Guitian Lu" cited in later generations' books and notes. Although the authenticity is mixed, it still provides valuable clues for studying the history and culture of the Song Dynasty. Ouyang Xiu took the name "Guitian", which means that he recorded what he saw and heard after retiring to seclusion, without embellishment, and strived to be true. The language in the book is plain and natural, and the narrative often contains discussions, reflecting the author's profound historical insights and humanistic care. As one of the representative works of note-taking literature in the Song Dynasty, "Guitian Lu" has important reference value for later generations to understand the politics, culture, and social customs of the Northern Song Dynasty. It is also an important document for studying Ouyang Xiu's personal thoughts and literary style.