夢溪筆談, Volume 17-21

A wide-ranging compendium of empirical observations and practical knowledge assembled by a Song dynasty polymath, organized as brief essays and anecdotes. Subjects range from painting and calligraphy theory to architectural and carpentry measurements, mechanical and hydraulic devices, astronomical and calendrical computations, mathematical techniques, medical remedies and cautions, military instruments, and readings of antiquities. Entries combine concrete technical instructions and measurements with aesthetic judgment, historical curiosity, and local lore, aiming to record craft procedures, interpretive criteria, and naturalistic explanations for artists, engineers, physicians, and officials.