Investigation on some Animals as mentioned by Zhou Qufei in the Lingwai Daida (1178): the perception of exotic Features
Author(s)
Almonte, Victoria
Date Issued
2022
Type
bookPart
Volume
4, 2022
Start Page
11
End Page
26
Abstract
The purpose of this essay is to survey and examine references to two animals as
presented in Zhou Qufei 周去非 (1133-1189)’s geographical work, Lingwai Daida,
岭外代答 (Notes from the Lands beyond the Passes, hereafter LWDD): the huyang 胡
羊, a kind of sheep/goat, and the tianma 天馬, literally “heavenly horse”. I have
compared Zhou’s terminology and descriptions with primary Chinese texts dating
from the Han dynasty to the early years of the seventeenth century. I am most interested
in identifying animal-related vocabulary and imagery, especially in cases
where metaphor and/or symbolism is employed. The LWDD, written by imperial
official Zhou Qufei during the Southern Song, Nan Song 南宋 (1127-1279) dynasty
in 1178, can be associated with the lishi dili 歷史地理 literature, that is to say,
historical geography work.