Collected Works of Zhang Heng
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Summary
Editor's review
In the editor's view, the book's greatest value lies in its three-dimensional portrait. It breaks down the later stereotype of Zhang Heng as either "scientist" or "man of letters," letting us confront directly, through the original texts, the mind of a polymath who in second-century China reached the height of his age in poetry and rhapsody, astronomy, calendrics, mechanical engineering and even political thought. Reading "Rhapsody on the Two Capitals," one feels the grandeur and the spirit of satirical remonstrance of the great Han rhapsody; studying Ling xian, one glimpses the refinement of contemporary cosmological theory; and "Rhapsody on Returning to the Fields" reveals his yearning for transcendence of the mundane world. This cross-disciplinary collision of thought is precisely the most precious gift the book offers contemporary readers.
For readers who wish to go beyond a general acquaintance and truly reach the sources of classical Chinese culture and scientific thought, this edition of Zhang Heng ji is a reliable and substantial entry point. It reminds us that the pursuit of knowledge knows no boundaries, and that the humanities and the sciences meet at the summit of wisdom.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Researchers and enthusiasts interested in Han-dynasty literature, especially the great rhapsody and the lyric short rhapsody
- Readers hoping to understand the origins of ancient Chinese astronomy and scientific thought
- Students of literature and history concerned with the multiple identities and intellectual structure of the traditional Chinese scholar-official
- Readers seeking inspiration from cross-disciplinary thinking and appreciation of polymathic historical figures
Not a good fit for
- Casual readers expecting extensive vernacular translation or fictionalized retelling
- Young readers interested only in single inventions such as the seismoscope and seeking simple popular science
Reading tips
- Begin with the more literary pieces, such as "Rhapsody on Returning to the Fields" and "Poem of Four Sorrows," to feel Zhang Heng's literary sensibility and the beauty of his language and to build up interest in reading.
- Read "Rhapsody on the Two Capitals" against its historical background to understand the social satire behind its elaborate description and to appreciate the grand narrative function of the Han rhapsody, which "orders the realm and surveys the wilds."
- Read the scientific works such as Ling xian alongside his literary pieces, and reflect on how rational speculation and romantic imagination coexisted harmoniously in one person, for a deeper understanding.
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
- 导读
- 二京赋
- 西京赋
- 东京赋
- 思玄赋
- 归田赋
- 髑髅赋
- 四愁诗并序
- 应间并序
- 七辩
- 请禁绝图谶疏
FAQ
Are the works collected in this book complete, and are the annotations detailed?
Can modern readers understand the scientific writings of Zhang Heng included here?
What is the book's Douban rating?
Comments
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About the author
Zhang Zaiyi is an author about whom limited public information is available. To date, the only confirmed work under this name is The Collected Works of Zhang Heng, commonly classified under Eastern philosophy. According to the available information, his writing centers on documents related to Zhang Heng, the Eastern Han thinker and scientist, and belongs to the kind of editorial and research work that focuses on a historical figure's writings. The title The Collected Works of Zhang Heng suggests an effort to gather and organize Zhang Heng's extant texts so that readers can approach his thought through primary sources. Because the author's biography, nationality, and dates of birth and death are unknown, this introduction does not address his education, positions, or academic career. In terms of subject matter, his work leans toward the compilation of ancient intellectual texts and should appeal to readers interested in Chinese philosophy and the history of science and culture. Overall, Zhang Zaiyi is currently known through a single work, and his contribution lies mainly in assembling and presenting texts related to Zhang Heng; his broader influence and writing style await further disclosure.
Zhang Yuchun is an author about whom limited public information is available. Two works are currently known, and they touch on rather different fields of knowledge. One is The Collected Works of Zhang Heng, which falls within the scope of Eastern philosophy and ancient culture and shows the author's attention to traditional Chinese thought and historical figures. The other is Parameter Estimation in Limited Dependent Variable Models, which belongs to popular science and statistics and reflects an interest in quantitative analysis. The two works span a considerable range, from the compilation of classical texts to modern statistical modeling, suggesting that Zhang Yuchun's writing is not confined to a single field. Because the author's dates of birth and death, nationality, education, and professional background are not clearly recorded, biographical details remain difficult to establish. On the available evidence, Zhang Yuchun's contribution lies mainly in the works themselves: on the one hand, participating in the presentation and organization of traditional texts, and on the other, addressing the specialized problem of parameter estimation in statistics. The writing style tends to be rigorous and practical, aimed at readers with specific needs in the relevant subjects.
Publicly available information about Han Geping is currently very limited, and details of his life, such as his place of origin, birth and death dates, and academic career, have not been clearly recorded. According to the library's holdings, he has one work in circulation, The Collected Works of Zhang Heng, which is classified under Eastern philosophy. Zhang Heng was a renowned scientist and man of letters of the Eastern Han dynasty, and his thought and writings span astronomy, mechanics, literature, and other fields; compiling his collected works requires solid experience in editing classical texts and knowledge of literature and history. That Han Geping has produced a book on this subject suggests that he has devoted effort to the compilation and study of ancient Chinese texts, especially Han dynasty documents. Because relevant materials are scarce, this introduction can only offer a brief account based on the existing work; his writing style and scholarly influence await further disclosure before they can be fully assessed, and readers may learn more through the specific contents of The Collected Works of Zhang Heng.
Liu Renqing is an author about whom limited public information is available. What can be confirmed is that Liu served as one of the reviewers for the series Selected Masterpieces of Chinese Literature and History with Translations and Annotations (National Reading Edition). The series was planned by the National Committee for the Collation and Study of Ancient Books in Higher Education Institutions under the Ministry of Education, edited by Zhang Peiheng and others, and published by Phoenix Publishing House in 2020. Liu reviewed several annotated selections of ancient texts, including The Collected Works of Zhang Heng, The Collected Works of Ruan Ji, The Collected Works of Li He, and The Collected Works of the Three Caos, covering classic writers from the Han-Wei period to the mid-Tang. Judging from the scope of this reviewing work, it is aimed at general readers and emphasizes the representativeness of selected pieces and the accuracy and accessibility of annotations and translations, making works by masters such as Zhang Heng, Ruan Ji, and Li He easier for modern readers to approach. Such annotated selections combine literary appreciation with intellectual interpretation and also touch on themes of Eastern philosophy, giving them a certain representative place among popular editions of ancient texts.
