The Five Supports

AnonymousJul 2024

3.0

Word count: 2.1K words
Chapters: 2

Summary

Traditional Chinese thought has a long history and is highly original, inventive and literary. Early forms of thought have distinctive features: religious theology, medical classics, ancient military texts, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism and the Hundred Schools, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, customs and local gazetteers—all are profound and extensive. This series, "Essence of Classic Chinese Culture: Original Texts," preserves the appearance of the original books and focuses on preserving and spreading traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers cultivate character and subtly encounter the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

Wufu is included in the series "Essence of Classic Chinese Culture: Original Texts" and presents an early text of thought in a form that preserves its original appearance. The "five supports" named in the title belong to ancient discourse on governing the state and usually concern the elements that assist governance, such as virtue, righteousness, ritual, law, and authority. The language is terse and archaic and the organization clear, making it suitable introductory material for understanding pre-Qin political ethics and ideas of governance. This edition does not undertake an extensive vernacular rewriting, so readers can come directly into contact with classical Chinese syntax and diction and experience the raw texture of the classic text. There is no need to try to finish it in one sitting; read paragraph by paragraph with annotations, first clarifying the meaning of the words and then grasping the sense of the chapter, and understand its ideas of governance within the social context of the time. For those who want to build experience in reading the primary texts of Chinese learning systematically but prefer to begin with short pieces, this book is short and focused, suitable as slow reading for morning reading or bedtime notes, and convenient for book-club discussion of topics such as "virtue and law" or "ritual and authority."

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in pre-Qin ideas of governance who want to begin with short primary texts
Students with some grounding in classical Chinese who wish to build experience reading the classics
Independent learners who enjoy slow reading and notes and are willing to study paragraph by paragraph with annotations
Book-club members who need a short, thematically focused text that is easy to discuss

Not a good fit for

Complete beginners with no classical Chinese who expect plain-language explanations
Readers hoping for a systematic, comprehensive monograph on theories of governance
General leisure readers who prefer stories and plot

Reading tips

First read through the original text once, marking words and phrases you do not understand, then work through it sentence by sentence with annotations.
After each paragraph, summarize its argument in one or two sentences and note your questions.
Compare each element of the "five supports" with contemporary issues of governance and write brief comments to deepen your understanding.
Read alongside other short pre-Qin texts on governance and compare how concepts are used.

版权信息
五辅

FAQ

Can I read this book without any grounding in classical Chinese?

You can try, but you will need annotations and reference works. It is advisable first to read an edition with translation and annotation as a foundation, then return to this text, which preserves the original appearance, and work through it sentence by sentence without rushing. If a sentence is truly impenetrable, skip it for the moment and grasp the overall argument.

What exactly are the "five supports"?

Different commentators summarize the "five supports" somewhat differently; they usually concern the elements that assist governance, such as virtue, righteousness, ritual, law, and authority. Rely on the original text and annotations in this book: first sort out the items listed in the book, then consult relevant scholarship. Do not simply apply another edition's summary.

Is this book suitable for reading straight through in one sitting?

It is not long, but classical Chinese is dense, and reading it all at once is tiring. Reading slowly in sections is preferable: pause after each section, write down the main points, and continue the next day; understanding will be more solid.

What tools should I prepare for reading this book?

A dictionary of common characters in classical Chinese and a reference edition with translation and annotation are recommended, along with a notebook for recording words and reflections. If you are in a book club, list discussion questions in advance and read with those questions in mind; it is more efficient.

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About the author

Anonymous Author

Anonymous is not a real personal name but a general Chinese designation for authors whose names are unknown, lost, or unsigned. Neither nationality nor dates of birth and death can be verified, and available public information is limited, so the works attributed to this name are the only basis for description. The collection holds 2,078 works under Anonymous, spanning medicine, classics, historical readings, ancient poetry, classical literature, and philosophy. Representative works include The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon: Lingshu, Mencius, The Book of Documents, Nineteen Old Poems, Complete Song Ci, and The Peacock Flies Southeast. Most of these works took shape through long transmission and editing, emerging either from collective folk creation or from authors whose names were lost over time. In ancient China, the Book of Songs, the Great Learning, and many popular storybooks and plays were signed Anonymous because their authors could not be traced. Anonymous works cross the classics, histories, philosophical writings, medical texts, and poetry; their subjects are broad, and their styles vary from archaic simplicity to clear naturalness, making them important and influential sources for understanding ancient Chinese thought, medicine, and literature.