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Gujin tongxingming lu 古今同姓名錄

Jul 18, 2010 © Ulrich Theobald

Gujin tongxingming lu 古今同姓名錄 "Persons with identical names in ancient and modern times" is a list of persons with an identical name appearing in ancient literature, altogether 382 names and 1,307 persons. It was compiled by Xiao Yi 蕭繹, Emperor Yuan 梁元帝 (r. 552-554) of the Liang dynasty 梁元帝 (r. 552-554). Xiao Yi is well known as a writer and has also compiled the books Xiaodezhuan 孝德傳 and Zhongchenzhuan 忠臣傳, which are collections of biographies, as well as commentaries on the history book Hanshu 漢書, the Laozi 老子 and the Zhouyi 周易 "Classic of Changes".

The book Gujing tongxingming lu was during the Tang period 唐 (618-907) expanded by Lu Shanjing 陸善經 (fl. 728) and supplemented by Ye Sen 葉森 during the Yuan period 元 (1279-1368). The 2-juan-long (probably only 1 juan) book was finished in 552. Lu's enlargement had a length of 3 juan. In spite of several changes, the core text seems to be preserved unchanged. The parts revised by Lu Shanjing and Ye Sen are indicated as such in the transmitted version.

Quotation 1. Examples from the Gujin tongxingming lu 古今同姓名錄
三伯夷:一舜典作秩宗,一顓頊師,一孤竹君之子。 Three persons called Bo Yi: First, Chamberlain of Ceremonials mentioned in the Shundian (chapter of the Shangshu); second, and instructor of Emperor Zhuan Xu; third, a son of the Lord of the state of Guzhu [during the Shang period].
二唐叔:一虞之季世,一周武王用其名。 Two persons called Tang Shu: one living in the last phase of Emperor Yu's reign (i.e., Shun 舜); second, an appellation used for King Wu of Zhou.
二羿:一堯時射十日者,一有窮之君。 Two persons called Yi: First, archer who shot down ten suns during the age of Emperor Yao; second, the Lord of Youqiong [during the Xia period].

The Gujin tongxingming lu is recorded in the encyclopaedia Yongle dadian 永樂大典.

During the Ming 明 (1368-1644) and Qing 清 (1644-1911) periods, several supplements were written: Tongxingming lu 同姓名錄 by Yu Yinyou 余寅又, enlarged by 1 fascicle by Zhou Yingbin 周應賓 (1556-1626) and later by 8 juan by Wang Jiancan 王建燦.

In the series Hanhai 函海, the Gujin tongxingming lu consists of 3 fascicles. This version, thought to be the core original part, included 382 names of 1,307 persons. The Gujin tongxingming lu is also included in the series Siku quanshu 四庫全書 and was reprinted in 1937 in the series Guoxue jiben congshu 國學基本叢書.

Sources:
Li Xueqin 李學勤, Lü Wenyu 呂文鬰, eds.g (1996). Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典 (Changchun: Jilin daxue chubanshe), Vol. 2, 2033.
Pan Yinsheng 潘寅生, Guo Jiankui 郭建魁, ed. (1993). Zhonghua shehui kexue gongjushu cidian 中華社會科學工具書辭典(Lanzhou: Gansu renmin chubanshe), 579.
Zhao Hankun 趙含坤 (2005). Zhongguo leishu 中國類書 (Shijiazhuang: Hebei renmin chubanshe), 16.