King Wen as Heir Apparent

AnonymousJinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) · ChinaJun 2024

4.0

Word count: 2.9K words
Chapters: 2

Summary

When King Wen was heir, he paid respects to King Ji three times a day. At the first crow of the rooster, having dressed, he would go outside the bedroom door and ask the inner attendant on duty, "Is all well today?" The attendant would reply, "All is well." King Wen would then be glad. At midday he came again, and did likewise. At dusk he came again, and did likewise. If there was any indisposition, the attendant would inform King Wen, and his face would show worry, and he would walk unable to set his feet straight.

Editor's review

"The Heir of King Wen" comes from the Book of Rites. It records the words and deeds of King Wen when he was heir: inquiring after his parents' health three times a day, and his worry for them showing outwardly in his countenance. The writing is concise and clean, yet full of detail, making it a classic passage for understanding pre-Qin ideas of filial piety and the education of heirs. Descriptions such as "at the first crow of the rooster, having dressed" and "he would walk unable to set his feet straight" turn abstract ethics into tangible norms of conduct, possessing both ritual-studies value and narrative interest. This printing allows readers to encounter the original text directly and is suitable as an introductory piece for selected readings from the Book of Rites. When reading, note the layered writing about daily life, the etiquette of inquiring after health, and the outward display of emotion, and consider how it differs from later filial-piety narratives. As a ritual-studies document, it presents a certain threshold of understanding without annotation; it is advisable to use it alongside an annotated translation and not to treat it as a standalone story.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Traditional-culture enthusiasts encountering selected passages of the Book of Rites for the first time
Beginning readers of Chinese classics who need primary materials on filial piety and ritual institutions
Teachers of pre-Qin ritual studies and students of literature and history
General readers who wish to approach pre-Qin ethical ideas through a short text

Not a good fit for

Casual readers who prefer complete narratives or literary stories
Beginners unwilling to read classical Chinese with the aid of annotations
Advanced researchers seeking a systematic theoretical framework of ritual studies

Reading tips

Read the plain text once, then consult an annotated translation to clarify terms such as "inner attendant" and "indisposition."
List the details of the inquiries by morning, noon, and evening, and observe the progression and variation within the repetitive phrasing.
Read alongside other chapters of the Book of Rites on filial affection, comparing the different emphases in ritual writing.

About the publisher

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) China · Founded in 1901

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) was a private publishing and distribution house in Shanghai during the late Qing and early Republican periods, issuing traditional works by lithographic printing. Judging from the 1,194 titles in the collection, its publishing focused on classical poetry, Eastern philosophy, historical reading, traditional Chinese medical texts, and canonical works, along with books on literary appreciation. Representative titles include the poetry and prose collections of Du Fu and Ouyang Xiu; historical works such as the Book of Han and Zizhi Tongjian; classical texts such as the Book of Documents and Mencius; and specialized and literary classics such as Treatise on Cold Damage and Li Sao. Its author resources cover major figures across the ages, including Du Fu, Ban Gu, Sima Guang, Zhang Zhongjing, Qu Yuan, Ouyang Xiu, and Tang Shenwei, reflecting the house's characteristic reliance on traditional scholarship and medical literature while serving general readers. Public information on its early history and operational details is limited, so no conjecture is offered here.

版权信息
文王世子第八

FAQ

Can I read this directly without any annotations?

The original is not long, but terms such as "inner attendant," "attendant on duty," and "indisposition" require some familiarity with ritual studies, and the syntax is ancient and terse. It is advisable to have at least one reliable annotated translation at hand; otherwise one may remain at the literal level and miss the ritual meaning.

How does this differ from later filial-piety stories?

This text focuses on presenting the heir's filial piety through daily acts of inquiring after health; the brushwork is restrained and does not rely on extraordinary plots. Later filial-piety stories tend to emphasize extreme cases that move heaven and earth; the two differ markedly in manner of expression and focus, and reading them together reveals the evolution of ethical narration.

What background should I know before reading this?

An understanding of the nature of the Book of Rites, the status of the heir, and the basic framework of pre-Qin family ethics is sufficient. There is no need to master the entire ritual system beforehand; entering the text with the question "how do daily acts carry ethical meaning" will in fact make the details easier to appreciate.

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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.