《明季南北略》的写作原因和史料价值

The Writing Reason and History Material Value of the Brief Sketch of the South and North Part of Ming Dynasty

明清鼎革之际,社会动荡乱离,《明季南北略》即是记录这一历史时期的作品。作者计六奇心系明朝,试图以此书来总结明朝由乱而亡的历史教训,寄托自己炽烈的民族感情,并希望以此书留名于世。书中保留了明清之际丰富的史料,特别是关于农民起义和抗清斗争的史料,有许多是不见于他书的珍贵记载;同时,书中许多记载是作者亲身的经历和见闻,更加真实可信,为其他史料所不及;计六奇一生湮没无闻,书中有关的写作经历,也是了解作者生平的第一手资料。

The Brief Sketches of the South and North Parts of the Ming Dynasty is a book by Ji Liu-qi recording the transitional period from the Ming to the Qing which is in the time of great disturbance. The author, with a patriotic love for the Ming , writes the book to draw a historical lesson from the Ming which has been overthrown because of its chaos and disturbance. He wants to show his blazing love for his country in the book and wishes that the book could be preserved forever in the world. There are a lot of historical materials of that period in the book especially the materials about the peasant uprising and fighting against the Qing Dynasty, many of which are not mentioned in other books. In the book, there are also some records about the author's personal experiences, which are what the other historical materials lack of. Ji Liu-qi is neglected all his life and so his writing experience expressed in the book is the first hand materials to help the reader to know his life.