Entering the State

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaOct 2020

2.5

Word count: 694 words
Chapters: 7

Summary

The Guanzi is a compilation of writings by the Jixia Daoists honoring Guan Zhong, and on this basis represents the Guanzi school of Jixia learning. The Hanshu Yiwenzhi lists it under the Daoist class in the Masters section, the Suishu Jingjizhi under the Legalist class, and the Siku Quanshu under the Legalist class in the Masters section. The work is grand in scale, complex in content, and rich in thought, making it an important classic for the study of ancient Chinese—especially pre-Qin—academic and cultural thought.

Editor's review

The Guanzi has long been considered difficult to read, and this edition, titled Rugu (Entering the State), serves as a convenient gateway to Guanzi studies. Published by Bashu Publishing House with a reliable base text and clear format, it presents the complex process by which the Jixia Daoists honored Guan Zhong and compiled the work, revealing both its Daoist origins and its Legalist tendencies—precisely reflecting the divergent classifications of the Guanzi from the Hanshu Yiwenzhi and Suishu Jingjizhi down to the Siku Quanshu. The book is grand in scale and heterogeneous in content, covering statecraft, finance, military affairs, yin-yang cosmology, and education; it is a classic indispensable to the study of pre-Qin academic and cultural thought. It need not be read straight through; better to read by topic, beginning with core chapters such as "Mu Min," "Xing Shi," and "Quan Xiu," then moving to Daoist discourses such as "Xin Shu," "Bai Xin," and "Nei Ye," to appreciate the inclusive spirit of Jixia learning. The language is archaic and there are many unfamiliar names, institutions, and customs; beginners may consult modern critical editions or cross-reference the "Qi Yu" chapter of the Guoyu for better results. Overall, this is a essential Masters-section classic suited to slow, repeated reading—suitable as a basic text for courses on pre-Qin intellectual history and as a desk reference for browsing and reflection.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Researchers in pre-Qin intellectual history and Masters studies needing documentary materials on the Jixia school
Undergraduates in Chinese, history, and philosophy using it as a reader for courses on Masters-section classics
Enthusiasts of traditional Chinese learning seeking a systematic understanding of the nature and intellectual composition of the Guanzi
Comparative researchers of Legalist and Daoist thought concerned with the academic shifts behind divergent classifications of ancient texts

Not a good fit for

General readers seeking light reading or narrative content—this book is archaic and abstruse
Those seeking only the life and deeds of Guan Zhong—this is a school compilation, not a biography
Beginners without classical Chinese training unwilling to use annotated editions—direct reading poses major obstacles

Reading tips

Read the preface and table of contents first to understand the background and structure, then select key chapters for close reading rather than forcing a cover-to-cover read
Begin with chapters such as "Mu Min," "Quan Xiu," "Xin Shu," and "Nei Ye," proceeding along two threads: statecraft and Daoist discourse
Keep an authoritative critical edition at hand; consult reference works or related scholarship for difficulties involving names, institutions, and customs
After reading, take notes along the two classificatory threads—Daoist and Legalist—to map the internal tensions of Guanzi thought

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
入国第五十四
正文一
正文二
正文三
正文四
正文五

FAQ

Does the Guanzi belong to Daoism or Legalism?

This is precisely what makes the book noteworthy. The Hanshu Yiwenzhi lists it as Daoist, while the Suishu Jingjizhi and Siku Quanshu classify it as Legalist. This divergence reflects the complexity of the Guanzi as a compilation by Jixia scholars: it has Daoist metaphysical colorings while emphasizing law and statecraft. Rather than rushing to assign it to one school, appreciate its inclusive Jixia academic spirit.

Can I read this book without a classical Chinese foundation?

You can try, but you will need annotations. The language is archaic and its names, institutions, and customs are remote from today; read alongside a reliable modern critical edition, or start with selected readings and introductions. If you are entirely unwilling to engage with annotations and reference works, reading it straight through will be difficult and you are likely to give up halfway.

Which chapters are best to read first?

Start with "Mu Min," "Xing Shi," and "Quan Xiu" to grasp its basic approach to governance; then read "Xin Shu," "Bai Xin," and "Nei Ye" to appreciate Jixia Daoist theories of mind and cosmology. Following these two threads in parallel makes it easier to grasp the book's overall character as a synthesis of Daoist and Legalist thought.

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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.