Mencius, with Commentary
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Summary
Editor's review
The book's distinctive value lies in its format of "commentary within commentary." Readers can approach Mencius's era through Zhao Qi's annotations and experience a Han-dynasty classicist's interpretive perspective, while modern annotation clarifies how concepts evolved and helps prevent misreading. For core propositions such as "the goodness of human nature," "benevolent governance," and "nurturing qi," the layered annotations reveal how their philosophical content deepened over time. Compared with the common vernacular translations or reflective interpretations on the market, this book emphasizes textual rigor and the tracing of scholarly lineages; its information density is high and its annotation meticulous. It offers no fast-food conclusions but guides readers, word by word, to take part in a dialogue of ideas spanning two thousand years. For serious readers, this solid experience of "slow reading" is precisely the necessary path into the inner halls of classical wisdom.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers of literature and history devoted to close reading of the original *Mencius*, who wish to study it in depth by combining ancient commentary with modern interpretation
- Students and researchers in university departments of Chinese, history, and philosophy who need a reliable annotated edition of a classical text for reference
- Readers interested in the history of ancient Chinese thought and classical scholarship who wish to understand the differences between Han-dynasty learning and Neo-Confucian interpretation from the Song dynasty onward
- Lovers of traditional scholarship who favor textual criticism and exegesis and appreciate the value of annotation itself as a record of scholarly history
Not a good fit for
- Readers seeking only a vernacular translation of *Mencius* or a story-like, inspirational popular interpretation
- Beginners who want quick conclusions and lack the patience or foundation for classical Chinese and scholarly annotation
Reading tips
- It is advisable first to read through the modern introduction and the overview of *Mencius* to establish a basic framework before entering the main text.
- While reading, first read a passage of Mencius's original text and try to understand it independently, then consult Zhao Qi's ancient commentary, and finally refer to the modern annotation, thereby appreciating the layers of commentary.
- Pay special attention to the collation notes after each chapter and the views of scholars through the ages cited in the annotations; this helps in understanding the interpretive history of key concepts.
About the publisher
Phoenix Books, Ltd. specializes in collating and publishing Chinese classics in literature, history, and philosophy, along with related academic works. Its publishing areas cover ancient poetry, classical literature, folk literature, literary appreciation, medicine, and Eastern philosophy, forming distinctive sectors in classical text collation, historical documents, and academic research. Its catalogue includes poetry collections such as The Collected Works of Su Shi, Li Bai, Xin Qiji, and Wang Wei; classical drama and fiction such as Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio and The Injustice to Dou E; and scholarly editions such as the Collated Edition of Zhouhou Beiji Fang (2 volumes) and An Introduction to the Study of Chinese Texts Abroad (Revised Edition). Its author resources include scholars such as An Pingqiu, Zhang Peiheng, Ma Zhanggen, Zeng Zaozhuang, Yu Xianhao, and Yang Zhong, as well as classic writers such as Pu Songling and Guan Hanqing.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 十三經古注序
- 十三經古注凡例
- 整理前言
- 整理凡例
- 孟子題辭
- 孟子卷第一 趙氏注
- 梁惠王章句上
- 孟子卷第二 趙氏注
- 梁惠王章句下 凡十六章
- 孟子卷第三 趙氏注
- 公孫丑章句上
- 孟子卷第四 趙氏注
- 公孫丑章句下 凡十四章
- 孟子卷第五 趙氏注
- 滕文公章句上
- 孟子卷第六 趙氏注
- 滕文公章句下 凡十章
- 孟子卷第七 趙氏注
- 離婁章句上
- 孟子卷第八 趙氏注
- 離婁章句下 凡三十三章
- 孟子卷第九 趙氏注
- 萬章章句上
- 孟子卷第十 趙氏注
- 萬章章句下 凡九章
- 孟子卷第十一 趙氏注
- 告子章句上
- 孟子卷第十二 趙氏注
- 告子章句下 凡十六章
- 孟子卷第十三 趙氏注
- 盡心章句上
- 孟子卷第十四 趙氏注
- 盡心章句下 凡三十八章
- 孟子篇叙
- 附録一 孟子版本提要及研究序跋選録
- 附録二 孟子重要注本及研究著作選目
FAQ
What are the characteristics of Zhao Qi's commentary compared with other commentaries on *Mencius*, such as Zhu Xi's *Collected Commentaries on Mencius*?
What aspects does the modern collation and annotation of this book mainly cover?
For readers with only a general foundation in classical Chinese, is this book difficult to read?
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About the author
Zhao Qi is an author whose courtesy name, birthplace, and dates are not clearly recorded; available public information about him is limited. Judging from the works that have come down under his name, he devoted sustained effort to organizing and interpreting the Mengzi. This collection includes two related titles, Annotations on the Mengzi and Annotations and Subcommentary on the Mengzi, commonly classified under philosophy and Eastern philosophy. Both center on the text of the Mengzi, chiefly explaining and clarifying its meaning while also developing its ethical arguments. They display the careful style of traditional exegetical writing: evidence is cited, organization is clear, and attention is given to glossing individual terms and to tracing the structure of chapters. In the broader textual history through which the Mengzi moved from a work of the masters to a classic, such commentaries served to bridge the original text and later readers, and Zhao Qi's annotations remain a useful reference for studying the Mengzi. Beyond these works, no reliably verifiable details of his life are available; readers may approach his scholarly orientation and interpretive features through the annotations themselves.
Xie Binghong is an author about whom very little public information is available. The only confirmed detail is a single work, Zhu Mengzi (Annotations on Mencius), which is classified as a philosophical reading. This suggests that Xie's writing concerns classical Chinese philosophy, and specifically the Confucian text Mencius, through annotation or interpretation. No record exists in our database regarding Xie's life, identity, nationality, or dates of birth and death, and reliable supplementary material is lacking in public sources, so it would be inappropriate to speculate about education, profession, or academic background. Judging from the subject matter, the work appears to be a classic annotation intended for general readers, focusing on clarifying the text and aiding understanding rather than constructing a grand theoretical system. Such works are typically plain in language and clear in structure, suitable for readers taking a first look at Mencius's thought. Since only this one work is held in our database, it is difficult to assess Xie's overall style or influence; readers may treat the book as an introductory reference for studying Mencius.
Wang E is an author about whom little public information is available. His work centers on ritual studies and classical Chinese texts. The library holds nine of his works, including the two-volume Collected Commentaries on Zheng's Annotations to the Book of Rites, Studies on Editions of the Book of Rites, and Writing as Ritual: Studies in Ritual Documents, which show sustained attention to the editions of the Book of Rites, the collation of Zheng's annotations, and ritual scholarship. His Annotations to Mencius engages with classical commentary. He has also edited or contributed to the Research on Ancient Documents series and written Splendid Flowers: Interviews from the Xueli Hall, a work combining scholarship with essayistic prose. Grounded in textual research, his writings are often classified under philosophy, Eastern philosophy, and classical works, and are suited to readers interested in ritual studies, classical scholarship, and ancient documents.
Public information about Su Peng is limited. What can be confirmed at present is that two works appear under this name in the Chinese book database: Annotations on Mencius and Records of the Grand Historian (Accessible Reading of Chinese Classics for Young Readers), usually classified under philosophical readings and Eastern philosophy. These two titles indicate that Su Peng's editorial work centers on traditional Chinese classics: one concerns the annotation and interpretation of a Confucian text, the other is a popularization of classical learning aimed at young readers. The former requires a careful understanding and organization of the original Mencius, while the latter calls for turning a monumental historical work like the Records of the Grand Historian into a form accessible to beginners, balancing accuracy with readability. Taken together, the two show respect for the original texts as well as an awareness of reaching general readers. As biographical details are not available in public sources, no speculation is offered here; the note is confined to the subjects and editorial characteristics of the works.
