东京梦华录

《东京梦华录》，凡十卷，作者为孟元老，是一本描写北宋宣和年间东京汴梁城（现河南省开封市）的社会生活旧事之著作。“梦华”一词出自“梦游华胥之国，其乐无涯”。此书完成于南宋年间，时局不安。作者追忆旧时北宋繁华景象，仿佛一梦。

图书内容

孟元老于史无载，清代学者常茂徕以为孟元老可能是孟揆。《东京梦华录》记载北宋徽宗年间汴梁城的景观，包括当时的城郭河流、大内诸司、街巷店肆、民风俗尚、市井游观、岁时物货。如饮食起居中，酒店“必有厅院，廊庑掩映，排列小阁子，吊窗花竹，各垂帘幕，命妓歌笑，各得稳便”，开封城有“夜市”、“早市”和“鬼市”。居民消费数量十分巨大，据《东京梦华录》卷二“朱雀门外街巷”条说：“唯民间所宰猪，须从此入京，每日至晚，每群万数”。

汴京是当时北宋的政治经济中心，《东京梦华录》描述当时奢侈之社会风气：“举目则青楼画阁，绣户珠帘。雕车竞驻于天街，宝马争驰于御路，金翠耀目，罗绮飘香；新声巧笑于柳陌花衢，按管调弦于茶坊酒肆。八荒争凑，万国咸通。集四海之珍奇，皆归市易；会寰区之异味，悉在庖厨。”

图书目录

《东京梦华录》，凡十卷。

卷一：东都外城、旧京城、河道、大内、内诸司、外诸司卷二：御街、宣德楼前省府宫宇、朱雀门外街巷、州桥夜市、东角楼街巷、潘楼东街巷、酒楼、饮食果子卷三：马行街北诸医铺、大内西右掖门外街巷、大内前州桥东街巷、相国寺内万姓交易、寺东门街巷、上清宫、马行街铺席、般载杂卖、都市钱陌、雇觅人力、防火、天晓诸人入市、诸色杂卖卷四：军头司、皇太子纳妃、公主出降、皇后出乘舆、杂赁、修整杂货及斋僧请道、筵会假赁、会仙酒楼、食店、肉行、饼店、鱼行

Dongjing Meng Hua Lu (simplified Chinese: 东京梦华录; traditional Chinese: 東京夢華錄; pinyin: Dōngjīng Mèng Huà Lù; lit. 'Dreams of Splendor of the Eastern Capital') or The Eastern Capital: A Dream of Splendor, is a memoir written by Meng Yuanlao (Chinese: 孟元老) (c. 1090-1150). In 1126, Meng was made a refugee from Kaifeng (Dongjing; "Eastern Capital"), the thriving capital of the Northern Song dynasty after Jin dynasty conquered northern China and forced the withdrawal of the Song court to the temporary capital, Hangzhou, in the south, then known as Lin'an. Meng's book is a detailed and nostalgic description of the old capital's urban life, seasonal products, and festivals, as well as foods, customs, and traditions. In later dynasties, the book was much imitated and taken as an authoritative picture of affluent Chinese culture.

Nothing else is known of the author, evidently a minor government official, except that he lived in Bianjing (汴京) (now called Kaifeng, in Henan province) between the ages of 13 and 27 before escaping to the south. His book was first printed in 1187, but the Preface is dated 1147, a number of years after the capital was moved, indicating that Meng started a draft at this point. The work was published in 10 volumes (juan) and traditional bibliographers classified it as travel writing. It is often cited under the abbreviated name, Meng Hua lu.

The meaning of the title

The literal meaning of the title is Dongjing (Eastern Capital, that is, Kaifeng), meng (dream), Hua (the ancient land of perfection) lu (record).

The allusion is to the Yellow Emperor's dream of the land of Hua Xu, "a sphere of perfect joy and harmony," where people knew no fear, selfishness, avarice, or pain. When he awoke, the Yellow Emperor came to the realization that the Way could not be achieved through the passions. By using the term, Meng Yuanlao in ironic contrast implies that he himself awoke to a world of "perfect shambles." The historian Wu Pei-yi adds that the Chinese word meng and the English word "dream" have quite different overtones: "In modern English usage dreams are often projected into the future: they stand for hopes or wishes. In China dreams are frequently used as figures for the past." Other uses of the word meng in Chinese literature include the 18th century novel, Honglou Meng (Dream of the Red Chamber) and the 13th century essay, Mengliang lu (Dreaming Over a Bowl of Millet), which is modeled on Menghua lu.

The Dream of Hua

Meng's Preface (dated 1147) tells the reader of the old capital:

Peace stretched on day after day; people were many and all things were in abundance. Youths with trailing locks practiced naught but drumming and dancing, the aged with white speckled [hair] recognized neither shield nor spear. Season and festival followed one upon the other, each with its own sights to enjoy. Lamplit nights there were and moonlit eves, periods of snow and times of blossoming, beseeching skills and climbing heights, training reservoirs and gardens to roam in. Raise the eyes and there were green bowers and painted chambers, embroidered gates and pearly shades. Decorated chariots vied to park in the Heavenly Avenue and bejeweled horses competed to spur through the Imperial Street. Gold and kingfisher dazzled the eye, silky cloth and silken gauze let float their perfumes. ... New sounds and sly giggles were found in the willowy lanes and flowered paths, pipes were fingered and strings were harmonized in the tea districts and wine wards. (Translation by Steven W. West)

The preface boasts: "The treasures and curiosities from around the world are gathered here, all are sold on the market. The exquisite scents from all over the world were to be found here." Meng must have been well placed and had enough money to take advantage of the city's pleasures. He also describes imperial rituals, although he may have heard of them second hand.