Record of First Entering Office

吴遵Jun 2024

3.0

Word count: 19K words
Chapters: 10

Summary

Traditional Chinese thought and culture have a long history and are highly original, inventive and literary. Early thought forms have distinctive features; religious theology, classical texts of Chinese medicine, ancient military strategy, Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist and Hundred Schools thought, feng shui and metaphysical learning, the Twenty-Four Histories, customs and local gazetteers, and more are profound and extensive. This "Essence of Classical Chinese Culture: Original Texts" series preserves the appearance of the original books and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers cultivate character and subtly come to appreciate the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

Chu Shi Lu also belongs to the "Essence of Classical Chinese Culture: Original Texts" series; its author is Wu Zun, and the editorial approach remains preserving the appearance of the original book and focusing on preserving and transmitting traditional thought and culture. For readers, the value of this book lies not in offering ready-made modern interpretation but in presenting the traditional text as it is, letting readers enter the ancients' expressions and ideas for themselves. It suits use as one volume in a course of Chinese-classics reading, to be cross-referenced with volumes on religious theology, Confucian and Daoist thought, historical gazetteers and customs, and other themes, so as to appreciate the breadth of traditional culture. As for reading situations, it can be read closely at one's desk or used for shared reading of selected passages in a reading group; if used for teaching, discussion questions can be designed around the ideas and wording in the original text. Note that this book does not provide vernacular translation or detailed annotation; beginning readers should slow down, proceed gradually with reference works and comparison editions, and should not flip through it quickly as light entertainment.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with some experience of classical Chinese who want direct contact with original texts
Readers working through the series in order who need to fill in one volume
Teachers or reading-group organizers who want original passages as discussion material
Readers interested in traditional thought and culture who are willing to read slowly and savor the text

Not a good fit for

Beginners who need sentence-by-sentence vernacular translation to read at all
Readers seeking systematic scholarly introductions and research overviews
Casual readers looking for light storytelling and quick completion

Reading tips

Read the contents and opening first to judge the text's difficulty, then decide whether to read through or select passages.
Keep a notebook; jot down difficult words and questions, and look them up in batches.
Read alternately with other volumes in the series and compare their language styles.
For a reading group, select a passage in advance, have each member interpret it, then discuss.

版权信息
重刻初仕录
崇本篇
立治篇
吏属
户属
礼属
兵属
刑属
工属

FAQ

What is the biggest obstacle for first-time readers?

The main obstacle is the distance between the original wording and expression and that of today, compounded by the absence of vernacular translation and detailed annotation. Prepare a dictionary of classical Chinese, mark difficult characters and sentences first, and digest passage by passage rather than trying to read the whole book at once.

Can this book be used for classroom teaching?

It can be used as selected original-text reading material, especially for discussions built around specific passages. But since it lacks modern annotation and introduction, teachers need to supply background explanation and glosses themselves; it should not be handed to students for self-study without support.

What are the benefits of reading it with other books in the series?

All volumes in the series preserve the appearance of the original books and cover thought, history, gazetteers, customs and other areas. Reading them alternately helps one appreciate the variety of language styles and the breadth of content in traditional texts, and comparison deepens understanding of each individual volume.

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About the author

吴遵 Author

Wu Zun left very few biographical records. Currently, publicly available materials are limited, and his exact native place, dates of birth and death, and official career are difficult to ascertain. As far as the works collected in our database are concerned, it can be confirmed that he is the author of Chu Shi Lu (Records of First Entering Office), which is classified under literary appreciation and serves as the main basis for understanding his writing. Judging from the title and classification, the work probably centers on the observations, mindset, and ways of dealing with the world of those newly entering official life, recording experiences and commenting on people and writings in an essayistic style that combines narrative with appreciation, with language that may be plain and concise. Owing to insufficient historical sources and bibliographical information, the date of composition, transmission, and later influence of the book remain to be further examined. Readers should consult the original text and treat the existing classification and inferences with caution, rather than overstating details of his life.