周必大 （1126-1206)，字子充，一字洪道， 江西吉州廬陵人。 他是南宋 (1127-1279) 孝宗 （趙眘，1127-1194， 1163-1189在位) 朝著名大臣。 他的家族歷史僅可上溯到北宋（960-1126) 哲宗 （趙煦，1077-1100， 1085-1100在位）時期的曾祖父周衍。 周必大歷仕高宗 （趙構， 1107-1187， 1127-1162在位）、 孝宗、 光宗（趙惇，1147-1200， 1190-1194在位）三朝， 曾兼職國史院、 翰林學士院、 以及經筵與東宮講官等清要之職， 並由此榮登為樞密使及丞相， 計共四十餘年。 周必大閱歷深廣， 他的著述包括大量的制誥詔令、 翰苑雜記、 詩詞題跋、 奏議策問、 經筵講義、 遊記書簡等各類文體。 開禧 （1205-1207) 時期， 嗣子周綸 （1156-?) 將約佔著作三分二的書稿刻印， 餘下的著述由藏書家鄭子敬 （？-1237) 接續刊刻， 總共刻成文稿二百卷、 附錄五卷和年譜一卷的巨集。 全集二百卷共載二十七種著作， 包括公職撰述與私家文稿， 對於研究南宋的朝政、 宋金 （1115-1234) 關係、 君臣關係、 國史編修、 帝王教育、 官僚之間的交往與情誼等諸方面的研究， 周必大的著述都是極其重要的參考資料。 故此， 分析與標舉集中各種著述的內容與特色， 俾便有志研究南宋史的史學工作者對文集有較清楚而確切的認識， 這正是筆者撰寫本文的目的。 南宋的初雕本久佚， 止存抄帙流傳。 南宋以後， 卷帙完整的全集久已鮮聞。 現存的周必大文集， 據筆者所見， 卷數齊備而文字清楚可讀的主要有以下兩個版本: （1) 《文淵閣四庫全書》的《文忠集》鮑士恭家藏本， 筆者簡稱 《庫本》; （2) 道光二十八年 （1848) 瀛塘別墅藏板《廬陵周益國文忠公集》， 筆者簡稱《瀛本》。 為了方便查考， 本文將以《庫本》為主要參考本， 並以《瀛本》的資料為校證與補闕之用。

Zhou Bida 周必大 (1126-1204) was one of the most eminent scholar-officials in the reign of Emperor Xiaozong 孝宗 (1127-1194, r. 1163-1189) of the Southern Song 宋 dynasty (1126-1279). His official career spanned more than forty years, from the last years of the reign of Emperor Gaozong 高宗 (1107-1187, r. 1127-1162) to the early reign of Emperor Guangzong 光宗 (1147-1200, r. 1190-1194). A great part of his long career was with the Hanlin 翰林 Academy and the Historiography Institute. He was at the time also a companion and tutor to the Emperor and the Princes. Later, he worked in the Department of State Affairs and the Bureau of Military Affairs, and was promoted to the post of Grand Councilor in 1187. His long service at the Court afforded him unusual privy to the court affairs and the most intimate knowledge of government policies. He wrote many essays on politics and drafted numerous imperial edicts concerning the royal court and national policies. During the Kaixi 開禧 (1205-1207) period, his son, Zhou Lun 周綸 (1156-?) began editing his writings, and printed about two-thirds of the manuscripts. The remaining one-third were later printed by Zheng Zijing 鄭子敬 (?-1237). The Collected Works as we know it today consists of two hundred volumes, five appendices and a chronology of his life. It is an important work which allows us insights into the court policies of Southern Song, the relationship between the Song and the Jin 金 (1115-1234), and the details in the compilation of the reign history. There are two extant editions of Zhou's Collected Works. They are: 1. Wenzhong Ji 文忠集, the Siku quanshu 四庫全書 edition. 2. Luling Zhou Yiguo Wenzhonggong Ji 盧陵周益國文忠公集, Yingtang Bieshu 瀛塘別墅 edition, published by Ouyang Qi 歐陽綮, the first part in 1848, and the remaining parts in 1851. This essay provides a brief introduction to the contents of the collection and their significance to the study of Song history.