Duke Wen

AnonymousThe Commercial Press · ChinaJun 2024

2.6

Word count: 15K words
Chapters: 20

Summary

In the spring of the fourth year, the duke arrived from Jin. In summer, the bride Jiang was welcomed from Qi. The Di invaded Qi. In autumn, the men of Chu extinguished Jiang. The Marquis of Jin attacked Qin. The Marquis of Wei sent Ning Yu on a courtesy visit. In winter, in the eleventh month, on the renyin day, Lady Feng passed away.

Editor's review

This book is a photocopy reproduction of the original Republican-era Commercial Press edition. Its main text consists of annalistic entries from the classic Chunqiu, such as "In the spring of the fourth year, the duke arrived from Jin," "In autumn, the men of Chu extinguished Jiang," and "In winter, in the eleventh month, on the renyin day, Lady Feng passed away," preserving the layout and character forms of the early printed edition. Its value lies not in popular narrative but in providing a textual witness of the classic for collation, comparison, and citation: the entries are terse, with events, persons, and chronology appearing together, making it suitable for observing the recording conventions of interstate visits, alliances and diplomatic missions, campaigns, and the deaths and burials of consorts during the Spring and Autumn period. It should be read as a primary source rather than a storybook; only by reading it alongside the Zuozhuan or related commentaries can one understand the causes and ritual implications behind the classic text. The layout of the photocopied original may also create difficulties in reading, requiring patience with ancient texts. Overall, this is a specialized documentary work for study, reference, and textual comparison, suited to slow reading and careful checking at one's desk.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Students of literature and history studying the Chunqiu classic and its ritual records
Editors of ancient texts who need to check the layout and character forms of the Republican-era edition
Enthusiasts of traditional culture interested in the annalistic conventions of the Spring and Autumn period

Not a good fit for

General readers seeking light historical stories
Beginners lacking Classical Chinese who need vernacular translation and annotation

Reading tips

First read through the entries, marking persons, state names, and chronology, then consult related commentaries to understand the background of events.
Read alongside the corresponding years of the Zuozhuan, comparing the terse records of the classic with the detailed accounts of the commentary.
Note differences in terminology regarding consorts' deaths and burials, diplomatic visits, and campaigns, and appreciate the conventions of annalistic recording.
When the photocopied layout is difficult to read, first transcribe the entries and then collate them, slowing the pace.

About the publisher

The Commercial Press China · Founded in 1897

"Republic-era Commercial Press Original Editions" refers to original books printed by The Commercial Press during the Republican period, not a separate publishing house. Judging from the 300 titles held in the collection, its publishing focus centers on classical poetry and lyrics, literary appreciation, classic works, military texts, prose and miscellaneous writings, and Eastern philosophy. Representative titles include Wang Guowei's Renjian Cihua, Zhong Rong's Shipin, the lyric collections of Xin Qiji and Liu Yong, Sun Wu's The Art of War, and Lü Buwei's Xianshi Lan. Its author resources are mainly classical writers, together with modern scholars such as Li Jingbang and Guo Huaruo, whose collations and annotations are also represented, giving the list a character centered on original texts while attending to annotation and appreciation. Public information on the precise Republican-era catalog and printings is limited; this overview is based only on the titles held in the collection.

版权信息
序
文公元年
文公二年
文公三年
文公四年
文公五年
文公六年
文公七年
文公八年
文公九年
文公十年
文公十一年
文公十二年
文公十三年
文公十四年
文公十五年
文公十六年
文公十七年
文公十八年

FAQ

Is this book a vernacular history for general readers?

No. The main text consists of annalistic entries from the Chunqiu classic in archaic language; it is a documentary source, not a popular narrative. Readers need some ability to read Classical Chinese and should use commentaries to understand the events referred to in the entries.

Can it be understood directly without commentaries?

The literal meaning can be read, but the causes of events and their ritual implications are hard to grasp. It is advisable to read alongside the Zuozhuan or related commentaries, first clarifying persons and state names, then understanding why the classic records things as it does and what it omits.

What should be noted when reading the photocopy of the original Republican-era edition?

The photocopy preserves the original layout and character forms and may contain variant characters, vertical排版, or unclear printing. Readers should transcribe and check entries one by one and compare difficult characters with standard modern editions; it is not suitable for rapid reading.

Is it suitable for textual collation?

It can be used as a reference copy. It preserves the appearance of the original Commercial Press edition from the Republican period, making it convenient to compare differences in character forms and layout; however, collation still requires other editions and modern critical editions, and one book alone is not sufficient for definitive conclusions.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

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.