Tang da zhaoling ji 唐大詔令集

Tang da zhaoling ji 唐大詔令集 "Collected grand edicts and decrees of the Tang dynasty" is a collection of edicts and decrees from the Tang period 唐 (618-907). It consists of 130 juan and was compiled by Song Minqiu 宋敏求 (1019-1079), courtesy name Cidao 次道, from Zhaozhou 趙州 (today's Zhaoxian 趙縣, Hebei), during the Northern Song period 北宋 (960-1126).

The task to compile an anthology of imperial edicts of the Tang period was already begun by Song Minqiu's father, the historian Song Shou 宋綬 (991-1041), courtesy name Gongchui 公垂. After Song Shou's death his son continued with the compilation.

The edicts cover all topics of actual state politics, from military affairs, economical questions to social affairs. Although the Tang da zhaoling ji is a very important book because it contains material otherwise lost, it is a pity that the edicts are not quoted in the original shape but often abbreviated or brought into a more literal form.

For many centuries only handwritten copies were in circulation. Therefore many writing errors crept in, and juan 23 is lost, and parts of other fascicles are missing (14-24, 87-98). The first printing was produced when it was included in the Siku quanshu 四庫全書 collection, and in the series Shiyuan congshu 適園叢書. In 1959 the Shangwu Yinshuguan Press 商務印書館 published a modern edition which suffers, unfortunately, still of printing errors.