The Protector and the Tutor

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaNov 2020

4.1

Word count: 3.9K words
Chapters: 3

Summary

The Biographies of the Guardian and the Tutor (Baofu): The Book of Rites of Dai the Elder, "Baofu": "Bao means to protect the body; Fu means to guide virtue and righteousness." Stratagems of the Warring States, "Stratagems of Qin III": "You, sir, above fear the sternness of the Queen Dowager, below are misled by the ways of treacherous ministers, dwell deep within the palace, and never leave the hands of the baofu." Bao and fu were originally palace officials who nurtured and instructed the crown prince. They also referred to weighty ministers who assisted the ruler, such as the Taibao and Taifu. After the Han dynasty they became honorary titles, often added to the ranks of high officials.

Editor's review

Centered on the ancient office and ritual concept of baofu (guardian and tutor), this book gathers relevant records from the Book of Rites of Dai the Elder, Stratagems of the Warring States, and other classics into one volume, with annotations and explanations. Its value lies not in narrative reading but in offering readers an entry point for observing the ancient systems of educating the crown prince and assisting the ruler: from the division of duties—protecting the body and guiding virtue and righteousness—to the evolution by which, after the Han dynasty, the Taibao and Taifu became honorary titles and added ranks, the thread is clear. The quotations are brief and the notes plain, making it suitable as introductory material for understanding traditional ritual and official systems, and it can also be read alongside the original text of the Book of Rites of Dai the Elder. Readers should slow down, note how the same title refers to different things in different eras, and use it as instrumental reference material rather than a monograph with a complete narrative. Readers interested in ancient political culture and educational institutions can find concrete, fine-grained points of knowledge here.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Chinese majors studying ancient ritual and official systems
Readers of history and literature who want to understand the tradition of crown prince education
Writers who need to check the sources of historical material on baofu
Teachers using classical Chinese for extended reading in secondary school

Not a good fit for

Ordinary readers expecting a complete story or plot progression
People with no foundation in classical Chinese who are unwilling to consult annotations

Reading tips

Read the preface or introduction first to understand the book's scope and arrangement, then move on to the main text.
Compare the relevant passages in the Book of Rites of Dai the Elder and Stratagems of the Warring States to understand the context of the baofu concept.
Make a simple table recording changes in the titles and functions of bao and fu across eras for easy review.
Look up unfamiliar official titles in reference works first; do not guess from modern meanings.

About the publisher

Bashu Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.

版权信息
保傅第四十八
正文

FAQ

What kind of official position does "baofu" actually refer to?

According to the book's materials, baofu originally referred to palace officials who nurtured and instructed the crown prince; "bao" focused on protecting the body, and "fu" on teaching virtue and righteousness. Later it referred to weighty ministers who assisted the ruler, such as the Taibao and Taifu; after the Han dynasty they mostly became honorary titles or added ranks for high officials, and their specific functions changed over time.

Is this book suitable for reading straight through from beginning to end?

It is closer to a compilation of materials than a narrative monograph, and reading page by page can be tiring. It is better to read selectively by theme or by source of quotation, alongside the original texts, and to use it as an aid for reference and understanding.

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

The quotations are brief and the notes plain, so a basic grounding in classical Chinese is enough to begin; with no exposure at all, you would need to first become familiar with basic function words and common official titles and consult reference works frequently, or your understanding will suffer.

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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.