Corrections of Errors

李涪Jul 2024

3.8

Word count: 11K words
Chapters: 52

Summary

Traditional Chinese thought has a long history and is highly original, inventive, and literary. Early forms of thought are distinctive: religious theology, classical texts of Chinese medicine, ancient military strategy, 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 Chinese Classics: Original Texts," preserves the original appearance of the texts and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers can cultivate character and subtly appreciate the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

Kanwu is a scholarly notebook of textual criticism written by Li Fu of the Tang dynasty. It chiefly concerns the correction of administrative institutions, the pronunciation and meaning of characters, and the naming of things, placing it in the tradition of traditional scholarly notes oriented toward evidential research. This edition is included in the series "Essence of Chinese Classics: Original Texts"; it preserves the original appearance of the text without extensive rewriting, allowing readers to encounter directly the ancients' methods of examination and argument and their manner of writing. Its value lies not in systematic theoretical construction but in meticulous scrutiny of individual characters, words, institutions, and names, through which readers can appreciate how Tang scholars cited the classics and corrected popular errors. The entries are short, suitable for reading at leisure or consulting at one's desk, and also for readers interested in ancient exegesis, ritual institutions, and official titles who wish to study specific topics. Note that the original work is loosely organized and lacks a systematic introduction; beginners should first acquaint themselves with the relevant background before proceeding, so as to grasp the measure and interest of its evidential research.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers of history and literature interested in Tang dynasty institutions and the naming of things
Undergraduates and graduate students studying ancient Chinese, exegesis, and evidential research
Readers who enjoy short-entry notebooks and books for casual consultation
Writers and researchers seeking reference material on the correction of ancient character pronunciation and meaning

Not a good fit for

Beginners seeking a systematic general introduction to Chinese learning or a guided primer
General leisure readers who prefer plot-driven or narrative reading
Readers who need modern vernacular annotations and detailed explanatory introductions

Reading tips

First read through the table of contents, select entries relevant to your research or interests, and read them closely; do not feel obliged to read from beginning to end.
When you encounter citations from the classics, consult the relevant original works or reference books and verify the basis of each examination.
Keep a notebook recording the popular errors in characters and words and the institutional names corrected in the book for later reference.
Read alongside similar Tang dynasty notebooks and compare how different authors treat the same names and things.

版权信息
刊误
刊误卷上
二都不并建
礼仪使
开府仪同三司
宰相不合受节察防御团练等使櫜鞬拜礼
副大使
都都统
上事拜厅
压角
曾参不列四科
出土牛
侍中仆射官号
士大夫立私庙不合奏请
九寺皆为棘卿
京尹不合避御史
火
座主当门生拜礼
非验
刊误卷下
封爵
祈雨
发救兵
进献奇零
起居
佳礼
鹅
拜客
拜四
妇谒姑不宜表以绢囊
乐论
释怪
昭穆
洛随
仅甥傍缪厩荐
奉陵
宰相合与百官抗礼
切韵
祭物先
吊者跪
短启短疏
七曜历
厩焚
腊日非节
缮完葺墙
论医
舅姑服
杖周议
祭节拜戟
客卿
参谋

FAQ

Does this book require some grounding in classical Chinese to read?

Yes. Kanwu is in the original Tang dynasty text, preserving the original appearance without vernacular translation. Readers need basic classical Chinese reading ability and should be able to use reference works to understand citations and the logic of examination and argument. Readers with weak classical Chinese should first build up common knowledge of institutions and names before proceeding.

Is the content systematic exposition or scattered entries?

It is a notebook of scattered entries of textual criticism. Each entry is relatively independent, correcting specific problems concerning the pronunciation and meaning of characters, the naming of things, and administrative institutions; there is no theoretical framework running through the book. It is suitable for selective reading according to interest or for consultation, not for a systematic general survey.

Does this edition include annotations or an introduction?

According to the publisher's note, this series focuses on preserving the original appearance of the texts and transmitting traditional thought and culture, and does not emphasize added modern annotations or a long introduction. Readers who need assistance may consult relevant exegetical reference works and Tang historical sources, or read other edited editions alongside it.

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About the author

李涪 Author

Li Fu, whose dates and career are unknown, is known mainly from the surviving text Kan Wu (Correcting Errors), which bears his name as author. Publicly available information about his birthplace, life, and official service is limited, so no reliable biography can be reconstructed. What can be confirmed is that one work by him is held in the collection, Kan Wu, commonly classified under Eastern philosophy. Judging from its title, the book aims to correct errors, and it belongs to the tradition of textual criticism and scholarly verification. It addresses mistakes in classical texts, terminology, institutions, and earlier interpretations, reflecting a cautious and factual approach. Though modest in length, its careful item-by-item arguments have offered reference points for later textual scholarship. Li Fu's style is concise and substantial, organized around specific problems rather than general discussion. With the available evidence, a full portrait of the author remains difficult to draw, and readers should consult the original work to appreciate its value.