Elegant Tales of Turning the Tide
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Summary
Traditional Chinese thought and culture have a long history and are highly original, inventive and literary. Early forms of thought have distinctive characteristics: religious theology, classical texts of Chinese medicine, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism and the Hundred Schools of Thought, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, customs and local gazetteers, and other fields are profound and extensive. This "Essence of Classic Chinese Studies: Original Texts" series preserves the appearance of the original books, with emphasis on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers may cultivate their temperament and imperceptibly come to appreciate the classics of Chinese studies.
Editor's review
Elegant Talks on Turning the Tide is included in the "Essence of Classic Chinese Studies: Original Texts" series and is presented in a way that preserves the original appearance of the book, making it suitable as an introductory reading for encountering traditional thought texts. Its value lies not in providing a systematic course of lectures but in letting readers directly face the original expressions of early forms of thought and feel the linguistic texture and conceptual threads of different categories—religious theology, classical texts of Chinese medicine, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism and the Hundred Schools of Thought, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, customs and local gazetteers—within traditional documents. Readers need not aim to understand it all at once; they may treat it as a mirror: cultivating their temperament through the literary essence left by ancient sages and, imperceptibly, understanding why the classics of Chinese studies became a cultural foundation. The book is better suited to slow reading, excerpted reading and comparative reading; it can be kept on the desk for casual browsing and read alongside other original texts in the same series. It should be noted that "preserving the original appearance" means the text may retain old-style expressions and layout, so readers need some patience and should not demand the pace of a modern popular book.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- General readers interested in original classics of traditional culture who wish to encounter old books directly
- Students who need introductory materials for Chinese studies and want to feel the language of traditional thought through excerpts from original texts
- Readers who enjoy slow reading and excerpting and keep classics on the desk for casual browsing
- Teachers or writers engaged in popularizing traditional culture who need original source material
Not a good fit for
- Beginners expecting a systematic course, item-by-item annotation and modern vernacular translation
- Readers who want to acquire knowledge points quickly, mainly to improve exam scores
- Readers who prefer tightly plotted, strongly narrative popular books
Reading tips
- First read the table of contents and chapter titles, and start with a topic you are familiar with; there is no need to read straight through.
- Read a short passage each day and jot down unfamiliar words and sentences that interest you; return to them after accumulating notes.
- Read it alongside other original texts in the same series and note differences in expression across categories.
- Do not insist on fully understanding old-style expressions; grasp the general meaning first, and maintaining reading rhythm is more important.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 第一回 老母慈悲爱怜幼子 新君横暴强夺艳妻
- 第二回 不幸国民呻吟虐政 无辜义士禁锢重牢
- 第三回 途中遇美佞竖行凶 店主失言贞妇遭劫
- 第四回 征外定内奸相奇谋 伏阙陈书忠臣辞职
- 第五回 法王行特权选举僧正 法国用巧计大困英王
- 第六回 奸党奇谋暗杀志士 英雄无计逃遁他乡
- 第七回 壮士抱不平救人母子 美人思义士惹起相思
- 第八回 无理取闹与法开战 有冤难诉沉海无踪
- 第九回 保国救民志士蜂起 横征暴敛贵族联盟
- 第十回 仓皇失措求援法王 两面受敌大困新党
- 第十一回 贵族急公全家惨死 名僧爱才挺身劫狱
- 第十二回 节妇贞诚上感天帝 英雄逅邂相遇深山
- 第十三回 千里奇逢班荆话旧 群英相会救友同心
- 第十四回 政见参商宾勃侯演说 宪章宣布改革党成功
FAQ
Is this book suitable for readers with no foundation in Chinese studies at all?
It can be read, but it should not be treated as a systematic textbook. It preserves the original appearance of the book and contains many old-style expressions; readers with no foundation should first try excerpts from categories that interest them, skip what they do not understand, focus on feeling the language and ideas, and then gradually go deeper.
What should readers note when "preserving the original appearance"?
It means the text may follow old-style layout, wording and punctuation conventions, unlike modern collated editions. Readers need to slow down and accept a certain reading threshold; they should not judge it by the fluency of a popular book and may use reference works or compare it with other texts in the same series.
How is this book different from ordinary introductions to Chinese studies?
Ordinary introductions are mostly organized, annotated and explained by modern editors, whereas this book focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture and retains the original appearance of the book. It offers not ready-made conclusions but an opportunity to encounter the language and conceptual threads of the original classics directly, and it suits readers willing to read slowly.
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About the author
玉瑟斋主人
Author
Yu Sezhai Zhuren is the attributed author of the work Hui Tian Qi Tan (roughly, "Fine Talks on Turning the Tide"). His real name, nationality, dates of birth and death, and biographical background are not clearly recorded, and available public information is limited. According to the existing data, this is his only known work, and in catalog classifications it is often placed under Eastern philosophy. The title suggests a strong discursive and narrative character, perhaps using the image of "turning the tide" to express concern for the affairs of the world and the human heart, while unfolding its contents in the form of "fine talks." Because material on the author's life is scarce, his associations, intellectual lineage, and period of writing are difficult to establish, so readers and researchers can only approach the text itself and appreciate how it conveys ideas through story and discussion. As a work with limited circulation and an obscure author, it appears in relevant cataloging and reading more as a sidelight reflecting modern Eastern philosophical thought and narrative interests.
