References

• 《四庫全書總目提要·卷42 經部·小學類三》

Source: The 'Jiyun' (集韻), a ten-volume Chinese rime dictionary, was traditionally attributed to Ding Du et al. of the Song dynasty under imperial commission. The preface, titled "Yunli" (韻例), notes that in the fourth year of the Jingyou era (1037–1039), scholars such as Zhi Shiguan (太常博士直史館) Song Qi, and Chancellor Zheng Jian petitioned the emperor that the earlier 'Guangyun' (廣韻), compiled by Chen Pengnian and Qiu Yong, relied excessively on older texts and was inadequately balanced in its structure. As a result, an imperial decree ordered Song Qi, Zheng Jian, and others to revise the work alongside scholars like Jia Changchao (國子監直講賈昌朝) and Wang Zhu. The project was overseen by officials including Guozijian Zhixiang Jia Changchao, the Minister of Justice Xingbu Langzhong Ding Du, and Li Shu. However, later sources such as Chao Gongwu's 'Dushuzhi' (讀書志) suggest that the final compilation was completed under Emperor Yingzong's reign by Sima Guang, who claimed in his preface to 'Qieyun Zhizhang Tu' (切韻指掌圖) that the project was augmented during the fourth year of the Zhiping era (1068–1077). This contradicts earlier attributions to Ding Du et al. The 'Jiyun' comprises four volumes on level tones (平聲) and two each for rising, departing, and entering tones, totaling 53,525 characters—27,331 more than the 'Guangyun'. It reorganized rime groupings, shifting from "Upper" and "Lower Level Tones" to "Level Tone One," "Level Tone Two," etc., though this arrangement was later criticized as counterintuitive. The text also merged certain rimes for practical reading, such as combining Chongzhengdian Shushu entries (e.g., merging 'Yin' into 'Wen', and 'Qian' into 'Tian'), though discrepancies remain in how many rime mergers were actually implemented. Critics noted that the work occasionally simplified character annotations by omitting cross-references, potentially obscuring distinctions between homophones with differing meanings. While praised for its systematic structure, the 'Jiyun' was also faulted for including excessive calligraphic variants and redundant entries, blending scholarly rigor with encyclopedic breadth. Despite debates over authorship and editorial decisions, the 'Jiyun' remains a cornerstone of classical Chinese lexicography, frequently studied alongside its predecessor. Its dual role in refining phonetic categories while preserving historical data ensures its enduring value for linguistic research. ==References== * 《四庫全書總目提要·卷42 經部·小學類三》 {{AI-summary}}