Explanatory Notes on the Classics

陆德明Jul 2024

Rating 4.9

Word count: 35K words
Chapters: 13

Summary

Works on the sounds and meanings of the classics have been many. Scholars of earlier ages produced writings that shine through the texts; their tradition is long, and truly beyond reproach. Yet since the time of the sages, partial preferences have been unavoidable, and substance and ornament, detail and brevity, have differed from one another. From the Han and Wei down to the present, surviving writings may be seen: some follow their own ideas, some transmit old sounds, each master following his own inclination, their productions as varied as faces. Moreover, the sounds of Chu and Xia differ, and the speech of north and south is distinct; right and wrong are believed according to what one has heard, and weight is given according to what one is accustomed to. Later students delve and look up, yet rarely hear the essential points.

Editor's review

The Jingdian Shiwen is Lu Deming's work on the sounds and meanings of the classics, compiled specifically to clarify the pronunciation and interpretation of the words in the classics and their commentaries. The original preface sets out the reason for its compilation: although earlier scholars produced many phonetic annotations, they differed from one another because of differences in era, region, and scholarly lineage; the sounds of Chu and Xia differed, and the speech of north and south was distinct, so later students found it hard to grasp the essential points; hence he gathered, analyzed, and combined them into one compilation. This edition presents the book in its original form; its value lies in giving readers direct access to the format and materials of traditional phonosemantic scholarship and an understanding of how the ancients established correct sounds and interpretations for the classics. Its strength is not as a narrative to be read through, but in its utility and documentary character: when one looks up the old sounds and old meanings of a word in a classic or commentary, one can often see the changes in pronunciation and interpretation since the Han and Wei. It should be read with specific questions in mind and in parallel with the original classics and commentaries; only then can its usefulness be appreciated. For readers studying traditional linguistics, philology, and classical studies, this is a basic reference worth keeping at hand for constant consultation; for general readers, some knowledge of classical Chinese and phonology is needed as a foundation.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers studying or researching traditional linguistics, phonology, and exegesis
Scholars of literature and history who need to consult old sounds and meanings in the classics and commentaries and make textual comparisons
Enthusiasts of traditional Chinese studies with some grounding in classical Chinese who wish to understand the format of traditional phonosemantic scholarship
Readers of ancient texts who keep reference works at hand and are accustomed to consulting them as needed

Not a good fit for

Beginning readers without a foundation in classical Chinese who hope for easy reading
Readers expecting modern vernacular explanations and systematic courses
Readers interested only in story-driven content and not in phonosemantic exegesis

Reading tips

It need not be read through; first become familiar with its format, then consult and compare it as needed according to the words in the classic you are reading.
Read it in parallel with the original classics and related commentaries, noting differences and similarities between old sounds and meanings and earlier scholars' explanations.
Keep a notebook to record what you find, classified by classic or by word, for later verification.
When encountering phonological terms, first consult reference works to clarify basic concepts before going deeper into the entries.

版权信息
经典释文
经典释文序
卷一周易音义
上经泰传第二
上经噬嗑传第三
下经传第四
下经传第五
下经丰传第六
下经丰传第七
系辞下第八
说卦第九
序卦第十

FAQ

Can I read this book without a foundation in phonology?

It will be rather difficult. The book focuses on the collected explanations and analysis of the sounds and meanings of the classics and involves old sounds, fanqie, and exegetical conventions; without a basic knowledge of phonology and exegesis, it is hard to grasp the gist of the entries. It is advisable first to acquire some basic knowledge of ancient Chinese phonology and exegesis, or to use it alongside introductory works, and then gradually go deeper.

Should this book be read through or consulted?

It is better used for consultation. It is essentially a reference work on sounds and meanings, and it is most effective to look up old sounds and meanings by the words in the classics and commentaries. First understand the book's format and arrangement, then consult it as needed alongside the classic you are reading; accumulated over time, this will let you appreciate its value better than reading it through from the beginning.

What does the original preface mean by 'the sounds of Chu and Xia differ, and the speech of north and south is distinct'?

It means that pronunciation differed by region: the sounds of Chu and Xia were different, and the speech of south and north was also distinct. Lu Deming uses this to explain that earlier scholars' phonetic annotations differed because of differences in region and scholarly lineage, so later students found it hard to grasp the essentials; this was also an important reason why he compiled this book to gather and analyze the old sounds.

Related on WeRead

经典释文陆德明《经典释文》陆氏音系王怀中《经典释文》的特殊读音与普通话语音规范陈会兵著《经典释文》音切类目研究万献初礼是郑学：汉唐间经典诠释变迁史论稿（古典与文明）华喆

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

陆德明 Author

Lu Deming's life is sparsely documented in publicly available sources: his dates of birth and death, native place, and nationality are not clearly recorded. What can be confirmed is that he is the author of the Classic Interpretations (Jingdian Shiwen), an important work for the study of classical Chinese scholarship, phonology, and exegesis. The book collects pronunciation glosses and meanings of characters from the Confucian classics and from texts such as the Laozi and Zhuangzi, annotating them in the order of the original text and preserving a large body of pronunciations and explanations dating from the Han and Wei periods onward. The work's character suggests an author devoted to compiling and verifying source materials, careful in method and attentive to the correspondence between sound and meaning. The Classic Interpretations has long been consulted by scholars of classical studies, linguistics, and textual criticism, and is often mentioned among philosophical reading matter. Given the scarcity of historical records, details of his life should not be guessed; readers are best introduced to him through this representative work.