Infatuation and Delusion

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

4.0

Word count: 770 words
Chapters: 2

Summary

Deeply addicted or infatuated. From the Ming History, Annals of Emperor Yingzong, Appraisal: “Wang Zhen, wielding power arbitrarily and provoking conflict, brought about the emperor's exile; even after the restoration, [the emperor] still remembered him without cease—how deep was his infatuation!” Qing dynasty, Hou Fangyu, Record of Rebuilding the Yan Lugong Stele Pavilion: “The purity and emptiness of calligraphy and ink differ from infatuation with sensual pleasures and wealth by only a hair's breadth.” Qing dynasty, Yuan Mei, Suiyuan Poetry Talks, juan 9: “A certain young gentleman was so infatuated with the pleasure quarters that he nearly fell ill; his father was about to flog him.”

Editor's review

The term “infatuation” (huoni) means to be deeply addicted, obstinately attached and unable to see one's error. This book takes that classical term as its focus, gathering usages from the Ming History and from Qing writers Hou Fangyu and Yuan Mei, presenting the word as it actually appears in historical appraisal, stele records and poetry talks. Its value lies not in lengthy exposition but in achieving much with little: by placing a few materials side by side, one can see the layers of usage—from condemning a powerful minister's ruin of the state, to describing infatuation with sensual pleasures and wealth, to depicting obsession with the pleasure quarters—and also the ancients' sense of measure in using a single word to praise or blame. As a reading context, it suits a small desk volume on classical Chinese vocabulary and allusions, for casual browsing and reference while reading. Readers may follow the example sentences back to their original contexts, appreciate the subtle differences in meaning as genre and object change, and thereby understand the ancients' habit of embedding praise and blame in word choice when judging people and affairs.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Classical Chinese learners who need to check the old meaning and usage of “huoni”
Readers who like building up allusions and historical materials from individual words
Readers who wish to cite the Ming History or Qing notes in writing or research
Users of short-entry desk reference books that can be consulted at any time

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking systematic exposition or lengthy appreciation
Readers expecting modern novel-style narrative and plot
Professional researchers needing detailed dictionary-style definitions and textual scholarship

Reading tips

First read the general explanation of the word's meaning, then go through the example sentences one by one and try to summarize in your own words what “huoni” refers to in each case.
Compare the Ming History example with the example from Yuan Mei's poetry talks to appreciate the difference in tone between historical appraisal and notebook writing.
When encountering an unfamiliar source, look up the general background of the original book before rereading the example; understanding will be more accurate.
Use the book as an index: excerpt example sentences onto cards for convenient citation in future writing.

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
惑溺第三十五

FAQ

What exactly does “huoni” mean?

“Huoni” means to be deeply addicted, obstinately attached and unable to extricate oneself; it carries a pejorative sense. It can refer to a powerful minister ruining the state without awakening, or to indulgence in sensual pleasures, wealth, or the pleasure quarters. The examples cited in this book—the Ming History's appraisal of Wang Zhen, Hou Fangyu on calligraphy and ink, and Yuan Mei on a young gentleman's obsession—show precisely the different layers of object and tone.

Is this book long? Is it suitable for reading straight through?

According to the materials, this book gathers material around a single term and consists of short entries; it is not meant to be read straight through as a lengthy treatise. It is better for consulting and browsing, or as material for building up classical vocabulary and allusions, with examples chosen according to interest.

What should I watch out for when citing example sentences from the book?

The example sentences come from the Ming History and Qing works; when citing them, one should check the original text and juan number and note version differences. One should also judge meaning from the original context and avoid applying it directly out of context—especially the tone of praise and blame in historical appraisals, which should not be generalized.

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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.