Summer

AnonymousJinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) · ChinaJul 2024

2.4

Word count: 3.3K words
Chapters: 50

Summary

Traditional Chinese cultural thought has a long history and is highly original, inventive and literary. Early thought forms are strikingly distinctive: religious theology, traditional Chinese medical classics, ancient military texts, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism and the Hundred Schools of Thought, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, and local customs and geography are all vast and profound. This series, "Essence of Classic Chinese Studies: Original Texts," preserves the appearance of the original books, with the aim of conserving and spreading traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers can cultivate their temperament and quietly absorb the classics of Chinese studies.

Editor's review

As a title in the "Essence of Classic Chinese Studies: Original Texts" series, Summer was printed by Shanghai Jinzhang Book Bureau and reprinted in 2024, retaining the basic appearance of the original book so readers can experience the layout and wording of early texts. The book touches on many aspects of traditional thought and culture, covering religious theology, traditional Chinese medical classics, ancient military texts, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism and the Hundred Schools of Thought, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, and local customs and geography, presenting the character of a comprehensive compilation of traditional culture. Its value lies not in modern scholarly annotation but in preserving and spreading traditional thought and culture in the form of the original book, letting readers come directly into contact with the literary essence left by ancient sages and, through reading, cultivate their temperament and quietly come to understand the classics of Chinese studies. It suits readers who have some grounding in traditional culture and want to broaden their reading, as well as those interested in the appearance of editions for casual browsing. Read it patiently; when you meet rare characters or expressions, consult reference works, and do not feel you must finish it in one go. Choose sections by interest to better appreciate the cultural threads within.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers with some initial understanding of traditional thought and culture who wish to broaden their reading
Readers who like the appearance of original books and care about the layout and wording of traditional texts
Readers who wish to select readings from various kinds of Chinese studies by interest and cultivate their temperament
Readers who need traditional cultural material for teaching or writing reference

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking modern scholarly annotation and systematic explanation
Readers who prefer literary works with连贯 plots and strong narrative
Beginners who lack patience for rare characters and reading original texts

Reading tips

First browse the table of contents and choose sections by category, such as religion, military texts, Confucianism or Daoism.
Keep a reference work on classical Chinese at hand and look things up as you go; there is no need to puzzle over every character.
Read a short section at a time and then restate its gist in your own words to aid understanding and memory.
Read alongside other titles in the same series and note similarities and differences in layout and content.

About the publisher

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) China · Founded in 1901

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) was a private publishing and distribution house in Shanghai during the late Qing and early Republican periods, issuing traditional works by lithographic printing. Judging from the 1,194 titles in the collection, its publishing focused on classical poetry, Eastern philosophy, historical reading, traditional Chinese medical texts, and canonical works, along with books on literary appreciation. Representative titles include the poetry and prose collections of Du Fu and Ouyang Xiu; historical works such as the Book of Han and Zizhi Tongjian; classical texts such as the Book of Documents and Mencius; and specialized and literary classics such as Treatise on Cold Damage and Li Sao. Its author resources cover major figures across the ages, including Du Fu, Ban Gu, Sima Guang, Zhang Zhongjing, Qu Yuan, Ouyang Xiu, and Tang Shenwei, reflecting the house's characteristic reliance on traditional scholarship and medical literature while serving general readers. Public information on its early history and operational details is limited, so no conjecture is offered here.

版权信息
卷783_10【题安国观】卢尚书
卷783_11【自商山宿隐居（一作灵一诗）】苏广文
卷783_12【夜归华川因寄幕府】苏广文
卷783_13【春日过田明府遇焦山人】苏广文
卷783_14【题升山】任生
卷783_15【投曹文姬诗（文姬，长安中娼女，工翰墨，时号书仙）】任生
卷783_16【绝句】吴公
卷783_17【献卢常侍】曹生
卷783_18【赋新月】缪氏子
卷783_19【悼妓诗】京兆韦氏子
卷七百八十四
卷784_1【长宁公主宅流杯】景龙文馆士
卷784_2【侍宴桃花园咏桃花应制】神龙从臣
卷784_3【玉龙子诗】天宝时人
卷784_4【寄兄】僖宗北省官
卷784_5【题屈原祠】洪州将军
卷784_6【题端正树】贞元文士
卷784_7【寄内诗】河北士人
卷784_8【代妻答诗（一作女郎葛鸦儿作）】河北士人
卷784_9【丙申岁诗】元和举子
卷784_10【刺安南事诗】懿宗朝举子
卷784_11【歌】白衫举子
卷784_12【睹野花思京师旧游】唐末朝士
卷784_13【哥舒歌】西鄙人
卷784_14【答人】太上隐者
卷784_15【向竹吟】黄山隐
卷784_16【歌】婺州山中人
卷784_17【五子之歌】同谷子
卷784_18【献公佐诗】崔公佐客
卷784_19【赠妓茂英】洛中举子
卷784_20【又赠】洛中举子
卷784_21【寄故姬】江陵士子
卷784_22【吟】织锦人
卷784_23【句】织锦人
卷784_24【送南中尉】吏部选人
卷784_25【题紫微观】建业卜者
卷784_26【题邓仙客墓】天峤游人
卷784_27【题故翠微宫】骊山游人
卷784_28【吟】衡州舟子
卷784_29【月夜】华山老人
卷784_30【终南（一作陈季卿诗）】终南山翁
卷784_31【大庆堂赐宴元珰有诗呈吴越王】吴越人
卷784_32【又和】吴越人
卷784_33【再和】吴越人
卷784_34【重和】吴越人
卷784_35【御制春游长句】吴越人
卷七百八十五
卷785_1【明月湖醉后蔷薇花歌】无名氏
卷785_2【春二首】无名氏

FAQ

Is this book suitable for readers with no foundation in Chinese studies at all?

It is not really suitable as a direct introduction for complete beginners. The book preserves the original appearance and lacks modern annotation and explanation, so new readers may stumble over rare characters and ancient expressions. It is better to start with annotated popular works on Chinese studies and then come to this book, which will make its cultural threads easier to appreciate.

Do I need to read the book from beginning to end?

No. The book covers religious theology, traditional Chinese medical classics, ancient military texts, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism and the Hundred Schools of Thought, the Twenty-Four Histories, local customs and geography, and other categories that are relatively independent of one another. Readers can choose sections by interest; reading a short section at a time and restating its gist afterward is more effective than reading straight through.

How does preserving the original appearance affect reading?

Preserving the original appearance means the layout and wording are closer to early texts. Readers can directly experience the look of traditional books, but may also encounter variant characters and old-style punctuation. Read patiently and consult reference works, focusing on the cultural atmosphere of the text rather than seeking word-for-word exact understanding.

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About the author

Anonymous Author

Anonymous is not a real personal name but a general Chinese designation for authors whose names are unknown, lost, or unsigned. Neither nationality nor dates of birth and death can be verified, and available public information is limited, so the works attributed to this name are the only basis for description. The collection holds 2,078 works under Anonymous, spanning medicine, classics, historical readings, ancient poetry, classical literature, and philosophy. Representative works include The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon: Lingshu, Mencius, The Book of Documents, Nineteen Old Poems, Complete Song Ci, and The Peacock Flies Southeast. Most of these works took shape through long transmission and editing, emerging either from collective folk creation or from authors whose names were lost over time. In ancient China, the Book of Songs, the Great Learning, and many popular storybooks and plays were signed Anonymous because their authors could not be traced. Anonymous works cross the classics, histories, philosophical writings, medical texts, and poetry; their subjects are broad, and their styles vary from archaic simplicity to clear naturalness, making them important and influential sources for understanding ancient Chinese thought, medicine, and literature.