Reverence and Caution

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaMay 2020

3.2

Word count: 7K words
Chapters: 7

Summary

Reverent and cautious. "Shi Jing, Daya, Yi": "Reverent and cautious in dignity and demeanor, he is the model for the people." Liu Xie of the Southern Dynasties, Liang, Wenxin Diaolong, Songzan: "Originally, eulogies should be elegant and refined, their wording must be clear and bright; their elaboration resembles fu, yet they do not enter the realm of ostentation; they are reverent and cautious like inscriptions, yet differ from the domain of admonition." Yuan Zhen of the Tang Dynasty, Zhen Gui Fu: "Exhausting all particulars and obtaining the one, therefore transmitted without a second. The meaning lies in reverence and caution, the way lies in bringing peace." Fang Xiaoru of the Ming Dynasty, Preface to Sending Companion Reader Zhu Jun to the Qing Prefecture: "Acting by righteousness brings safety; pursuing profit brings danger. Reverence and caution bring blessings; recklessness brings misfortune."

Editor's review

This book, titled Jing Shen (Reverence and Caution), compiles relevant discussions from classic texts such as the Shi Jing (Classic of Poetry), Wenxin Diaolong (The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons), Zhen Gui Fu, and Fang Xiaoru's writings, presenting the ancient emphasis on reverence and caution in personal conduct and affairs. The materials span poetry, prose, fu, and preface, among other genres; one can see the conduct principle "reverent and cautious in dignity and demeanor, he is the model for the people," the stylistic self-awareness of being "reverent and cautious like inscriptions," and the admonitory tone of "reverence and caution bring blessings; recklessness brings misfortune." The editor does not over-elaborate but uses original documents as threads, allowing readers to feel the weight of "reverence" and "caution" in traditional thought through brief passages and phrases. It is suitable for slow reading in quiet moments and can also serve as supplementary reading for studying classical rhetoric and understanding traditional self-cultivation concepts. When reading, note the different emphases on "reverence and caution" in different texts and appreciate their extension from dignified appearance to attitude in handling affairs.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in traditional self-cultivation concepts
Chinese language learners needing short classical Chinese materials for support
Readers studying literary criticism works such as Wenxin Diaolong
Those who enjoy excerpting classic phrases and savoring them slowly

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting a systematic theoretical monograph or complete annotations
Readers who prefer long narratives and story-driven content
Beginners needing line-by-line comparison with modern vernacular translations

Reading tips

First read through all collected passages, note their sources, then review semantic changes in chronological order.
Choose one or two passages daily, copy them with context, and write down your understanding.
Read alongside relevant chapters of the Shi Jing and Wenxin Diaolong to appreciate genre differences.
When encountering admonitory passages, try making brief notes connecting them to everyday situations.

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
卷十敬慎
正文一
正文二
正文三
正文四
正文五

FAQ

Is this book a complete annotated edition or a compilation of materials?

Based on the given materials, this book gathers passages on "reverence and caution" from the Shi Jing, Wenxin Diaolong, Zhen Gui Fu, and Fang Xiaoru's writings, making it closer to a thematic compilation of materials rather than a complete annotation of a single ancient text. The specific annotation format should be based on the physical book; when reading, it is advisable to first check the table of contents and editorial notes.

Can readers without a classical Chinese foundation understand it?

The quotations in the book are mostly brief passages and phrases, not long, but some sentences come from parallel fu and literary criticism and are semantically condensed. Readers without a classical Chinese foundation can use reference books to look up words and phrases, first grasp the general meaning, then appreciate the usage of "reverence and caution" in different contexts; there is no need to strive to understand everything at once.

What does "reverence and caution" mainly refer to in the book?

The materials show that it refers to respectful caution in appearance and conduct, involves a solemn attitude in writing, and includes the admonition to act righteously and avoid recklessness. Readers can view the materials in the book as examples of different facets rather than a single fixed definition.

Is it suitable for use as a sourcebook for writing materials?

Yes. The classic phrases compiled in the book have clear sources and are suitable for consultation and citation when writing articles on traditional culture, self-cultivation, or classical literary criticism. However, before quoting, one should verify the original text and context to avoid taking things out of context, and should not treat short phrases as complete arguments.

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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.