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An Encyclopaedia on Chinese History and Literature
Yuan-Ming shi leichao 元明事類鈔 is an encyclopaedic collection of stories from the Yuan 元 (1279-1368) and Ming 明 (1368-1644) periods. It was compiled by Yao Zhiyin 姚之駰 (jinshi degree 1721), courtesy name Lusi 魯斯, from Qiantang 錢塘 (today part of Hangzhou 杭州, Zhejiang), and revised by Gong Canwen 龔驂文 (jinshi degree 1763) and Niu Nianwen 牛稔文 (fl. 1775). Yao's highest office was investigating censor (jiancha yushi 監察御史).
The collection consists of 40 juan. It is divided into 30 different fields of themes, following the typical arrangement of encyclopaedias, beginning with astronomy and geography, then passing on to the political system and governance, going over to human affairs like rituals and ceremonies, clothes, jewelry, tools of daily use, buildings, and ending with plants and animals. Yao mainly quoted from the books Xishiji 西使記, Jingshi dadian 經世大典, Shihui xiaozhuan 詩會小傳, Mingchen yanxing lu 名臣言行錄, Yuanye tingji 元掖庭記, Xijinzhi 析津志 and Chang'an kehua 長安客話.
The focus of the collection is on Yuan-period stories, and it is thus a useful source of information beyond official dynastic histories and official biographies. In spite of two revisions, however, there is still material quoted several times.