Guanzi: Translation and Annotation (2 Volumes)

谢浩范Shanghai Classics Publishing House · ChinaJun 2021

Rating 4.3
Word count
627K words
Chapters
91
ISBN
9787532598182

Tags

Eastern Philosophy Pre-Qin PhilosophyEconomic StrategyHundred SchoolsDaoist PhilosophyPower GameSocial ConductIntellectual EnlightenmentGovernance DoctrineLegalismClassical Translation

Summary

The Guanzi is a renowned masters-text of the mid-to-late Warring States period, traditionally attributed to the celebrated Qi statesman Guan Zhong, though scholars through the ages have established that it was in fact compiled by later hands. In eighty-six chapters it embraces all fields of knowledge, a work of vast scope and capacious spirit that gathers the currents of thought of its age and records in rich detail the social life of the pre-Qin era. Its political thought is chiefly Legalist, its philosophical spirit fundamentally Daoist, and it also accommodates Confucian, Yin-Yang, Military, and other schools, making it an enduring masterpiece in the history of ancient Chinese thought. Guanzi Yizhu is a complete annotated and fully translated edition of the Guanzi. It takes the standard Ming edition of Zhao Yongxian as its base text for punctuation, draws on the collations and explanations of noted scholars through the ages for its notes, and provides a full translation that strives to match the meaning of the original.

Editor's review

Compiled and annotated by Xie Haofan and published by Shanghai Classics Publishing House, Guanzi: A Complete Translation and Annotation (2 vols.) is a reliable edition for studying this important pre-Qin classic. Based on Qing scholar Dai Wang's Guanzi Jiaozheng and drawing on major commentaries from successive dynasties, it offers a modern Chinese translation and concise notes, balancing scholarly rigor with accessibility.

Attributed to Guan Zhong, the famous chancellor of the State of Qi in the Spring and Autumn period, the Guanzi is in fact an anthology compiled over time by scholars of the Jixia Academy from the Warring States period to the Han dynasty. Its encyclopedic contents span politics, economics, military affairs, philosophy, law, agriculture, and many other fields, making it a precious source for the intellectual history and political-economic thought of the pre-Qin era. Ideas such as "when granaries are full, people learn propriety" remain instructive today. Xie Haofan's translation and annotation are solid: the translation strives for accuracy and fluency, while the notes concisely identify key points and difficulties, clearing away the obstacles of classical Chinese for modern readers and making this intellectually diverse masterpiece clear and readable.

The strength of this edition lies in its balance: it is neither an overly simplified popular edition nor an exhaustive work of scholarly textual criticism, but a moderate "bridge" text for humanities enthusiasts with some background, university students and teachers, and researchers of traditional culture. Through this book, readers can not only gain a systematic understanding of the Guanzi's core ideas, such as the "four categories of people in separate occupations" and the "light-heavy" techniques of statecraft, but also glimpse the rich social and economic landscape of the Warring States period. For readers who wish to go beyond commonly read philosophical works such as the Analects and Mencius and expand their understanding of pre-Qin thought, this book is a highly valuable next step.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Not a good fit for

Reading tips

  1. First-time readers may begin with core chapters such as "Shepherd of the People," "Conditions and Circumstances," and "Cultivating Authority" to grasp the basic framework of its political and economic arguments.
  2. Readers should situate the text in the context of the Warring States period to understand how its ideas relate to and differ from Confucianism, Legalism, Daoism, and other schools.
  3. Use the translator's preface and the introductions to individual chapters to understand each chapter's main theme and compositional background, improving reading efficiency.

About the publisher

Shanghai Classics Publishing House China · Founded in 1956

Shanghai Classics Publishing House is a professional publisher centered on the collation of ancient texts and academic research works. Its publishing areas cover historical readings, classical poetry, folk literature, literary appreciation, canonical works, and Eastern philosophy. Its books include Chen Yinke's A Brief Discussion of the Origins of the Sui and Tang Institutions, Xin Qiji's Chronological Annotated Edition of Jiaxuan's Ci (Simplified Edition), Tang Xianzu's The Peony Pavilion, Liu Xie's The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons, as well as New Annotations to Three Hundred Tang Poems (Collector's Edition), Annotated Edition of Han Changli's Collected Works (Simplified Edition, 3 volumes), and Youyang Zazu. Its authors include Chen Yinke, Xin Qiji, Tang Xianzu, Liu Xie, Deng Guangming, Hengtang Tuishi, Han Yu, and Ma Qichang. In terms of publishing characteristics, the house emphasizes collation, annotation, and compilation of ancient texts alongside academic research works, and continues to issue simplified and collector's editions that balance scholarship and accessibility. Public information about the publisher's fuller publishing profile is limited.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 管子译注 上
  3. 版权信息
  4. 前言
  5. 经言
  6. 牧民第一
  7. 形势第二
  8. 权修第三
  9. 立政第四
  10. 乘马第五
  11. 七法第六
  12. 版法第七
  13. 幼官第八
  14. 幼官图第九
  15. 外言
  16. 五辅第十
  17. 宙合第十一
  18. 枢言第十二
  19. 八观第十三
  20. 法禁第十四
  21. 重令第十五
  22. 法法第十六
  23. 兵法第十七
  24. 内言
  25. 大匡第十八
  26. 中匡第十九
  27. 小匡第二十
  28. 霸形第二十二
  29. 霸言第二十三
  30. 问第二十四
  31. 戒第二十六
  32. 短语
  33. 地图第二十七
  34. 参患第二十八
  35. 制分第二十九
  36. 君臣上第三十
  37. 君臣下第三十一
  38. 小称第三十二
  39. 四称第三十三
  40. 侈靡第三十五
  41. 心术上第三十六
  42. 心术下第三十七
  43. 管子译注 下
  44. 版权信息
  45. 白心第三十八
  46. 水地第三十九
  47. 四时第四十
  48. 五行第四十一
  49. 势第四十二
  50. 正第四十三
  51. 九变第四十四
  52. 区言
  53. 任法第四十五
  54. 明法第四十六
  55. 正世第四十七
  56. 治国第四十八
  57. 内业第四十九
  58. 杂篇
  59. 封禅第五十
  60. 小问第五十一
  61. 七臣七主第五十二
  62. 禁藏第五十三
  63. 入国第五十四
  64. 九守第五十五
  65. 桓公问第五十六
  66. 度地第五十七
  67. 地员第五十八
  68. 弟子职第五十九
  69. 管子解
  70. 形势解第六十四
  71. 立政九败解第六十五
  72. 版法解第六十六
  73. 明法解第六十七
  74. 管子轻重
  75. 臣乘马第六十八
  76. 乘马数第六十九
  77. 事语第七十一
  78. 海王第七十二
  79. 国蓄第七十三
  80. 山国轨第七十四
  81. 山权数第七十五
  82. 山至数第七十六
  83. 地数第七十七
  84. 揆度第七十八
  85. 国准第七十九
  86. 轻重甲第八十
  87. 轻重乙第八十一
  88. 轻重丁第八十三
  89. 轻重戊第八十四
  90. 轻重己第八十五
  91. 附录

FAQ

What are the features of this edition of the Guanzi yizhu? This edition uses the academically standard Qing-dynasty Guanzi jiaozheng by Dai Wang as its base text, with full vernacular translation and concise annotation by the translator, Mr. Xie Haofan. Its features are accurate, fluent translation and concise annotation, achieving a good balance between academic standards and ease of reading; it is highly suitable as a core text for both beginners and more advanced study.
What is the book Guanzi mainly about? The Guanzi is a rich pre-Qin classic. Though attributed to Guan Zhong, it is in fact a collection of essays by Jixia scholars of the Warring States period. Its thought centers on governance and broadly covers economics (such as the "light and heavy" theory), politics, law, military affairs, philosophy, ethics, and agricultural production. It embodies the inclusive intellectual character of the Qi state's Jixia Academy and is an important document for studying ancient Chinese—especially Qi—political and economic thought.
Is this book suitable for readers with no grounding in classical Chinese at all? The book provides a full vernacular translation that helps readers understand the meaning. However, the Guanzi itself is profound in thought and technical in its concepts, and parts of it involve specific ancient institutions and terminology. Readers with no classical Chinese background may therefore need more patience; it is advisable to begin with the most famous chapters and make good use of the annotations and chapter introductions, gradually adapting as they go. Readers with some grounding in classical Chinese or a basic acquaintance with pre-Qin history and thought will find the reading experience smoother.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

谢浩范 Author

Xie Haofan is an author about whom little public information is currently available; details such as his birthplace, dates of birth and death, and educational background have not been clearly recorded. Judging from the one work held in the collection, he is engaged in the collation, translation, and annotation of classical Chinese texts, and his representative work is a two-volume translated and annotated edition of the Guanzi. The Guanzi is an important pre-Qin classic covering politics, economics, military affairs, and philosophy; its language is archaic and its chapters are voluminous, and it has long been regarded as difficult to read. A work of translation and annotation requires solid philological training and a strong command of classical Chinese, since the editor must collate the text, distinguish between editions, and render the original into language accessible to modern readers. Xie Haofan's work falls within the popularization and study of Eastern philosophy and offers contemporary readers a convenient way to approach the thought of the Guanzi. Because relevant introductory materials are scarce, his academic career and other achievements remain to be further verified.