Collecting Memories of a Fading Glory: A Translation of Li Deyu’s (787–850) Ci Liushi Jiuwen

Abstract

Anecdotes about historical figures proliferated after the An Lushan Rebellion (755–763). The loss of official accounts during this devastating war afforded the post-rebellion generation an opportunity to fix and reshape the collective memory of the recent past. Li Deyu, a highly influential Tang statesman and writer, was one of those who had direct access to rare materials through family ties and broader social connections and was, therefore, able to ride an early tide in his generation’s re-writing of recent history. Li’s Ci Liushi jiuwen (Sequenced old stories from the Lius) is a collection of stories concerning Emperor Xuanzong’s reign. These accounts were first presented to the throne in 834. They were later incorporated into official histories after the fall of the Tang dynasty, thus further becoming fertile soil for the growth of even more anecdotes. As such, an introduction and annotated translation of Li Deyu’s Ci Liushi jiuwen is offered here.