Abstract：The manuscript of Youri Pu (《牖日谱》), held by Peking University Library, is incomplete and not a Ming Dynasty Cipu (a genre of works dedicated to the study of tonal patterns in Ci-poetry), as commonly assumed in the academic circles. By comparing the remaining content with widely circulated Late Ming Ci works and referencing the Youri Pu Catalog, we can roughly reconstruct the framework and literary sources of the entire work. This Cipu, based on Xiaoyu Pu (《啸余谱》), incorporates significant achievements in Late Ming Ci scholarship, showcasing distinctive features in the selection of Ci tunes, the interpretation of tune names, the comparison between Ci-poetry and Qu-poetry, as well as the definition of poetic forms and layouts. The author emphasized the stability of tonal and metrical structures in Ci composition, rejecting formal variations such as “filler words”, and advocated for the Ci tone established by Dashengfu. This Cipu reflects the transitional phase in Ci theory between the Ming and Qing Dynasties, with its extensive discussions on Qu theory and several structural aspects influenced by Qupu. As such, Youri Pu stands as a representative example of the interaction between poetic forms during the Late Ming and Early Qing Periods.The author of Youri Pu seems to exhibit a sense of “remnant loyalty”, as the work, while alluding to the author’s life, uses a pseudonym to provide indirect biographical information. Through careful investigation of the events referenced in the text, certain biographical details can be deduced, including the author’s birth and death years, place of origin, scholarly background, career trajectory, family fortune, secular or monastic status, marriage, and social circles. By applying these criteria, several Late Ming and Early Qing literati from the Jiangnan region can be identified. Among them, Shan Xun (单恂) fits into these criteria more closely than any other figures. Further research into Shan Xun’s background reveals numerous overlapping activities with the author of Youri Pu, including some that align precisely with specific years. Based on these findings, it is reasonable to conclude that Shan Xun is the author of Youri Pu, thereby filling in gaps in the work’s historical context and aligning it with the development of Ci theory.Positioning Youri Pu within the context of Cipu compiled at the turn of the Ming and Qing Dynasties provides clearer insight into the motivations behind its compilation, its structural design, the author’s approach to Ci forms, and the naming conventions used. The compilation of Cipu, which first emerged in the Mid-Ming Period, was not initially widely accepted among the core creative group of that time. However, by the Late Ming, scholars from Jiangnan, skilled in composing lyrics, grew confident in the lost melody poetic forms. The compilers and users of Cipu increasingly overlapped, reflecting shared tendencies in adapting old Cipu to express new ideas about Ci theory and creative practice. Some Cipu even show evidences of cross-referencing. The cultural connotations of Ci, such as elegance, antiquity, national identity, and southern roots, became increasingly significant in the transitional period between the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The Jiangnan literati’s cultural imagination of Ci tunes expanded rapidly. Shan Xun’s final compilation of Youri Pu and the naming as “Youri” align with these trends, and the rise of Ci theory in the Qing Dynasty can be reinterpreted from this perspective.
吴雨辰. 《牖日谱词选》文献发覆及作者考辨[J]. 浙江大学学报(人文社会科学版), 2026, 56(3): 92-106.
Wu Yuchen. A Study of the Literature of Youri Pu and Author Identification. JOURNAL OF ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY, 2026, 56(3): 92-106.
2026, Vol. 56 
