Hiccup Section

Chen MengleiJun 2024

1.6

Word count: 19K words
Chapters: 20

Summary

Traditional Chinese thought has a long history and is highly original, inventive and literary. Early thought forms have distinctive features; religious theology, classical Chinese medical texts, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism and the Hundred Schools, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, and customs and local gazetteers are all 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 engage with the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

This book belongs to the "Essence of Classical Chinese Culture: Original Texts" series, presenting classic texts of traditional Chinese culture in a form that preserves the appearance of the original books, covering religious theology, classical Chinese medical texts, ancient military strategy, Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist and Hundred Schools thought, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, and customs and local gazetteers. Its value lies in offering a reading path close to the primary sources, letting readers come into direct contact with the intellectual and literary essence left by ancient sages rather than with heavily rewritten or popularized secondhand paraphrase. For readers who wish to build a framework of knowledge about Chinese learning and experience the originality of traditional thought, this book can serve as introductory and further reading material. It should be read with both openness to understanding and a critical eye, appreciating the texture of the original language while noting the limitations of its era and the content that requires discrimination. It suits slow reading in a quiet setting, with notes to sort out the threads of different schools of thought, or as a family volume of Chinese classics for daily browsing.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers with an initial interest in traditional Chinese culture who wish to engage directly with primary texts
Students and organizers seeking foundational texts for introductory Chinese studies courses or reading groups
Family book collectors who enjoy collecting books on traditional culture and value the appearance of the original texts
Content creators engaged in cultural popularization who need an outline of traditional thought

Not a good fit for

Professional researchers expecting systematic scholarly annotation, vernacular translation and detailed textual criticism
Casual readers who only want quick, story-like and easy access to knowledge about Chinese classics

Reading tips

First read through the table of contents, then choose one or two schools of thought or topics that interest you; there is no need to read from beginning to end.
Keep a notebook and jot down unfamiliar concepts and questions as you go; look them up together after finishing a unit.
Maintain a critical awareness of content such as feng shui and metaphysics, distinguishing cultural-historical value from knowledge that can be directly accepted.
Read alongside a reliable modern annotated edition to help understand rare words and background in the original text.

版权信息
黄帝素问
灵枢经
杂病篇
金匮要略
中藏经
活人书
济生方
明理论
东垣十书
丹溪心法
医学入门
证治要诀
伤寒六书
古今医统
证治准绳
景岳全书
石室秘箓
医案
噫气门

FAQ

Is this book a vernacular translation or the original text?

According to the introduction, this series focuses on preserving the appearance of the original books and aims to preserve and transmit traditional Chinese thought and culture. Reading it therefore brings you closer to the primary text rather than to a fully vernacular rewrite. If you encounter rare words or background obstacles, it is advisable to consult a reliable annotated edition or reference work.

Can I read this book without any background in Chinese studies?

Yes, but expectations need adjusting. The book preserves the appearance of the original texts, so readers with no foundation may face some language barriers. It is advisable to start with topics that interest you and proceed slowly with notes and reference materials, rather than trying to understand everything at once.

The book deals with feng shui and metaphysics. How should I regard this content?

Such content is part of traditional cultural material and has value for understanding cultural and intellectual history, but it should not be directly accepted as scientific conclusion. When reading, pay attention to its historical context and the sources of its ideas, maintain a critical attitude, and distinguish understanding from acceptance.

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About the author

Chen Menglei Author · China · 1651–1741

Chen Menglei (1651–1741), courtesy names Zizhen and Shengzhai, later styled the Old Man of Songhe, was a Qing dynasty scholar from Houguan, Fujian. He passed the imperial examination in the ninth year of the Kangxi reign and was appointed to the Hanlin Academy as a compiler. After 1698, by imperial order, he tutored the third prince, Yinzhii, and took the opportunity to compile a vast classified encyclopedia, the Hui Bian, using the collection of the Xieyi Hall; the Kangxi Emperor later bestowed on it the title Gujin Tushu Jicheng. The library holds more than 410 of his works, mostly sections of the officialdom chapters of that encyclopedia, covering institutions such as the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Imperial Observatory, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Rites, prefectural governors, the Transmission Office, and the Imperial Medical Academy. These works address ancient bureaucratic systems, ritual norms, and administrative practice. His compilations are distinguished by systematic classification and extensive citation, preserving a wealth of source materials for later generations; they are commonly categorized under culture and Eastern philosophy. As public information on his life is limited, this note confines itself to his known scholarly contributions.