Jesting at Flaws

钱希言Nanhai Publication Company · ChinaSep 2023

3.4

Word count: 31K words
Chapters: 7

Summary

Xixia, in three juan, was written by Qian Xiyan of the Ming dynasty. Qian Xiyan, a native of Changshu, courtesy name Jianqi, was widely read and fond of learning, but proud of his talents and headstrong, so that people contended to avoid him; he died in poverty. The work consists entirely of textual research. Its title, Xixia (Playful Flaws), is taken from Liu Xie's phrase “Yin Min played with its deep flaws.” Some of its investigations are biased or arbitrary, and the Siku Quanshu Tiyao remarks that he “was rather given to priding himself on wide knowledge, while what he said was vague and unverified.”

Editor's review

Xixia is a three-juan collection of textual notes by the Ming-dynasty Changshu scholar Qian Xiyan. The title is taken from Liu Xie's phrase “Yin Min played with its deep flaws” and signals its aim of examining difficulties and errors in classical texts. Written as reading notes, the book ranges across the classics, history, names and objects, and philology, displaying the breadth of a Ming scholar's learning. Qian Xiyan was widely read and fond of learning, yet proud and headstrong, and this temperament runs through his writing: he often states his views directly and refuses to be bound by earlier authorities. Readers should note that some of the investigations are indeed biased or conjectural; the Siku Quanshu Tiyao criticizes him for “rather priding himself on wide knowledge, while what he said was vague and unverified.” Read with a critical eye, then, and do not take everything on trust. This new edition makes a relatively neglected work of Ming textual scholarship accessible to modern readers. It will suit those interested in Ming scholarly notes and textual criticism, and may serve as a sample of late-Ming literati scholarship. Readers may wish to check it against reliable reference works and corroborating sources, enjoying its pleasures of inquiry while remaining alert to its errors.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers in literature and history interested in Ming scholarly notes and the textual-research tradition
Scholars of philology and exegesis seeking to understand Ming methods of textual criticism
General readers who enjoy casual, essay-style short textual notes
University and library readers who collect or organize ancient note-style works

Not a good fit for

Beginners seeking systematic, rigorously verified conclusions
Readers who prefer plot-driven or light entertainment reading
Readers without a foundation in classical Chinese who need vernacular translation and annotation

Reading tips

Begin with the preface, postscript, and table of contents to grasp the rough division of the three juan, then selectively read entries of interest.
When encountering a specific conclusion, consult relevant reference works or original texts to cultivate independent critical habits.
Read alongside the relevant remarks in the Siku Quanshu Zongmu to appreciate earlier judgments of its merits and flaws.
Do not rush; read three to five entries at a time and keep reading notes recording your questions and differing views.

About the publisher

Nanhai Publication Company China · Founded in 1988

Nanhai Publication Company is a comprehensive publisher known for its literature and arts titles, covering fields such as classical poetry, martial arts fiction, and folk literature. Judging from the more than 1,600 books in the database, the company has released classical poetic works including the Nineteen Old Poems and the Nine Songs, as well as multiple volumes of Huanzhulouzhu's series The Swordsmen of Mount Shu, along with related writings by authors such as Guan Hanqing, Qu Yuan, Zuo Si, and Wang Zhihuan. Its publishing character lies in balancing the organization of classic texts with the dissemination of popular literature, placing poetry anthologies alongside long martial arts novels and presenting a relatively diverse literary profile. Public information is limited, and further details about its editorial practices and series planning remain to be supplemented.

版权信息
戏瑕
序
卷一（1）
卷一（2）
卷二
卷三

FAQ

What does the title Xixia mean?

According to the book's own explanation, Xixia is taken from Liu Xie's phrase “Yin Min played with its deep flaws,” meaning roughly a playful examination of difficulties and flaws in classical texts. Here “play” is not wordplay but a self-deprecating way of signaling inquiry and discussion.

Are all the investigations in the book reliable?

Not entirely. The Siku Quanshu Tiyao already noted that Qian Xiyan “rather prided himself on wide knowledge, while what he said was vague and unverified,” and some entries are indeed biased or conjectural. Read it as one Ming scholar's view, remain cautious about specific conclusions, and check the original sources where necessary.

Can readers without a foundation in classical Chinese read it?

This is a classical Chinese notebook work dealing with a great many texts, names, and objects, and readers without a foundation in classical Chinese will find it difficult. It is advisable to acquire some classical Chinese reading ability first, or to use reference works and annotated editions as aids, before turning to this book.

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About the author

钱希言 Author

Qian Xiyan is an author whose biographical details in Chinese ancient texts are quite limited: his courtesy name, native place, dates of birth and death, and official career are all unknown, and currently available public information offers no way to establish them with certainty. Judging from extant catalog records, two works are attributed to his name, the representative one being Xixia. This book is classified under Eastern philosophy and, to judge from its title and its traditional cataloguing, is roughly a collection of reading notes and textual commentary, dealing largely with the analysis and discussion of classical and historical texts, names, objects, and allusions. Its style is concise, showing the traditional scholar's habit of recording observations and verifying matters as they arise. Because clues to the author's life are scarce, present knowledge of the man and his work still depends mainly on the works themselves and on catalog records. Qian Xiyan's name has been preserved precisely through the later copying, printing, and collecting of such note-and-commentary works. Researchers should view them within the tradition of Ming and Qing scholarly notes, valuing their textual scholarship while remaining aware of their historical limitations.