Jottings on Thick Face and Black Heart

Li ZongwuSep 2024

3.7

Word count: 53K words
Chapters: 4

Summary

Thick Black Essays is a collection of prose by Mr. Li Zongwu, in three parts: 1. "Thick Black Essays"; 2. "The Autobiography of the Thick Black Patriarch"; 3. "The Philosophy of Fearing One's Wife," gathered into a single volume for careful reading. For readers who enjoy Li Zongwu's writing, these pieces are all essential.

Editor's review

Thick Black Essays gathers three scattered groups of Li Zongwu's writings into one volume: essays, autobiography, and "The Philosophy of Fearing One's Wife." Compared with the sharp edge of the main text of Thick Black Theory, this collection reads more like a profile in oblique: the essays reveal his taste for wide reading and argument, the autobiography shows how the author narrated his life and the origins of his thought, and "The Philosophy of Fearing One's Wife" uses a playful style to discuss family and power relations, an important supplement for understanding Li Zongwu's irony. For readers who have read Thick Black Theory and want to know more about the man, this book fills in the everyday face and writing context behind the "Patriarch" image; for those encountering Li Zongwu for the first time, it suits extended reading after an introduction. Read it as prose and intellectual history, note the critical thrust behind the banter, and do not take its teasing as maxims for conduct to be copied wholesale.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who have read Thick Black Theory and want to know more about Li Zongwu and his writing
Readers who enjoy Republican-era essays and intellectual commentary
Readers interested in modern Chinese intellectuals' autobiographies and family issues
Researchers who need a sidelong understanding of the background of Thick Black Theory

Not a good fit for

Readers hoping to systematically study management or methods of conduct
Readers who prefer rigorous academic monographs and do not accept a playful style
Readers new to Li Zongwu who have not yet read the main text of Thick Black Theory

Reading tips

Read the autobiography first to understand the author's life and the origins of his thought, then return to the essays for easier comprehension.
Read "The Philosophy of Fearing One's Wife" as ironic text, noting the observations on family power behind its banter.
After each piece, note down points that echo the main text of Thick Black Theory to form comparative notes.

一、厚黑随笔1
一、厚黑随笔2
二、厚黑教主自传
三、怕老婆的哲学

FAQ

Can I read this essay collection directly without having read Thick Black Theory?

You can, but the gain will be reduced. Many discussions and autobiographical passages extend from the basic propositions of Thick Black Theory; understanding its core ideas first makes it easier to grasp the author's intent and the measure of his irony when reading the essays and autobiography.

Is "The Philosophy of Fearing One's Wife" a serious proposal for conduct?

This part discusses family relations and power in a playful style; it is an ironic discussion of the kind Li Zongwu often used and should not be taken as literal maxims for conduct. Read it as a teasing observation of power structures inside and outside the family.

What is the relationship between this book and Thick Black Theory?

It is a compilation of Li Zongwu's prose and autobiographical writings, including Thick Black Essays, the autobiography, and "The Philosophy of Fearing One's Wife." It is supplementary material beyond the main text of Thick Black Theory, useful for understanding the author himself and his writing background.

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About the author

Li Zongwu Author · Chinese · 1879–1943

Li Zongwu (1879–1943), originally named Shiquan and later renamed Shikai, with the courtesy name Zongru, was a modern Chinese thinker and educator from Ziliujing in Fushun, Sichuan (present-day Zigong). He worked in education for many years, serving as a middle school principal and a provincial school inspector. In 1912 he became known for his essay "The Philosophy of Thick Black," and styled himself the "Thick Black Patriarch." He later wrote works including "Talks on Thick Black," "Trends in Chinese Scholarship," and "A Discussion of Social Problems." His writing is sharp and humorous, often using historical figures and social phenomena to analyze human nature, with a plain and satirical style. The collection contains 23 of his works, including complete, collected, and illustrated editions of The Philosophy of Thick Black, as well as essays and academic commentary, mostly on social culture, Eastern philosophy, and applied psychology, and they have circulated widely as popular reading.