Treatises of the Supervisor and Guardian of the Cinnamon Sea: The Natural World and Material Culture of 12th Century South China

Fan Chengda (1126-1193) was a high-ranking Chinese government official in Guangxi, an experienced traveler, a keen observer, and a gifted writer. His observations on a wide range of subjects are always interesting and revealing, and constitute an important contribution to the literature on Song dynasty China's frontier peoples. Originally written in direct, unadorned, and allusion-free classical Chinese prose, the complete and annotated English translation of Treatises of the Supervisor and Guardian of the Cinnamon Sea (Guihai yuheng zhi) captures its charm and significance.

James M. Hargett is professor of Chinese at the State University of New York, Albany. He is the author of Stairway to Heaven: A Journey to the Summit of Mount Emei and translator of Riding the River Home: A Complete and Annotated Translation of Fan Chengda's (1126-1193) Boat Trip to Wu (Wuchuan lu).