Officials, Part One

孙膑Bashu Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

4.1

Word count: 936 words
Chapters: 2

Summary

The title of this chapter comes from the line “Establishing offices requires suitability to one’s person” at its beginning, hence “Offices” is used as the chapter title. The fragmentary bamboo-slip text appended after the chapter all duplicates this chapter, showing that two versions originally existed. The “One” in “Offices One” probably refers to the first of the two versions. The appended fragments are suspected to be “Offices Two”; because they are too badly damaged, they are tentatively appended to the end of “Offices One.” As the text of this chapter is difficult and obscure, the order of the slip text is hard to determine. In the transcription, some slips are preceded by a symbol indicating that their current sequence is not necessarily correct.

Editor's review

“Offices One” is a highly challenging text in the compilation of excavated manuscripts. The chapter title is taken from the opening line “Establishing offices requires suitability to one’s person,” after which the compilers named it, and they also appended the fragmentary slip text that duplicates this chapter, preserving the complete appearance of the original material for readers. Places in the book where the order of the slip text is in doubt are marked with symbols, reflecting a cautious editorial approach. The text of this chapter is difficult, and the slip order is hard to determine; reading it requires some grounding in paleography and bamboo-slip and silk-manuscript studies. For scholars studying pre-Qin officialdom thought, military literature, or excavated bamboo and silk manuscripts, this book provides primary material for analysis; ordinary readers curious about the process of manuscript compilation can also appreciate the complexity of textual restoration. The 2024 Bashu Publishing House edition is convenient for comparison with related research on excavated manuscripts.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Professional scholars engaged in bamboo-slip and silk-manuscript studies and paleography
Academic researchers studying pre-Qin officialdom and military thought
Graduate students in literature and history interested in methods of compiling excavated manuscripts
Editors of classical texts who need to consult the original transcription of “Offices One”

Not a good fit for

General readers lacking a foundation in classical Chinese and bamboo-slip and silk-manuscript studies
Ordinary enthusiasts seeking accessible explanations or story-like narratives
Beginning readers aiming to quickly grasp the full picture of pre-Qin officialdom

Reading tips

First read the editorial notes and general principles to understand the meaning of the doubt-marking symbols for slip order
Compare with related research on excavated manuscripts and read the transcription slip by slip
Read the duplicated fragments appended after the chapter against the main text to understand the basis for choices in textual restoration
Consult paleographic reference works for difficult words and characters; do not force a straight reading

About the publisher

Bashu Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.

版权信息
官一

FAQ

What does the “One” in the chapter title “Offices One” mean?

According to the editorial notes, “One” probably refers to the first of the two versions of the same chapter. The fragmentary slips appended after the chapter duplicate the text of this chapter and are suspected to be “Offices Two”; because they are too damaged, they are appended after the chapter, which provides clues for understanding the textual transmission of this chapter.

What do the symbols before some slips in the transcription indicate?

The symbols indicate that the current order of these slips is not necessarily correct. Because the text of this chapter is difficult and obscure, the order of the slip text is hard to determine, and the compilers use symbols to remind readers to remain cautious about this part of the slip order.

Can I read this book without a foundation in bamboo-slip and silk-manuscript studies?

You can browse it, but it is quite difficult. The book focuses on the transcription and compilation of the text; the language is difficult and the slip order is in doubt, so readers lacking a foundation in paleography and bamboo-slip and silk-manuscript studies may easily be blocked. It is advisable first to acquire relevant background knowledge or read it alongside more accessible works.

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About the author

孙膑 Author

Sun Bin is a renowned military strategist in ancient China. Publicly available information about the details of his life is limited, and neither his dates of birth and death nor his nationality are clearly recorded. Three of his works are collected here, including Guan Yi, Chen Ji Wen Lei, and Sun Bin's Art of War from the Complete Library of the Four Treasuries. These texts are mostly related to military strategy and military thought, yet they are commonly classified under social fiction and Eastern philosophy, which shows that in later transmission his writings combined intellectual depth with narrative qualities. Sun Bin's writing is concise and practical, making good use of questions and answers and case examples to expound the art of war, emphasizing assessing the situation and defeating the enemy by adapting to circumstances. His ideas have influenced later military theory and philosophical thinking. Owing to limited historical sources, his life cannot be described in detail, and readers should appreciate his intellectual concerns through the surviving chapters.