Annotated Selections of Refined Literature
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Summary
Traditional Chinese thought has a long history and is highly original, inventive, and literary. Early intellectual forms are distinctive: religious theology, classical Chinese medical texts, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism and the Hundred Schools, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, and local customs and geography are all profound and extensive. This "Classic Chinese Studies Essence Culture Original Texts" series preserves the original appearance of the books, emphasizing the preservation and transmission of traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers cultivate character and subtly appreciate the classics of Chinese studies.
Editor's review
This edition of Wen Xuan Zhu is a collated edition of Li Shan's commentary on the Wen Xuan from the Tang dynasty, belonging to the "Classic Chinese Studies Essence Culture Original Texts" series. Its core value lies not in providing a popular introduction to a literary anthology, but in presenting the scholarly character of Li Shan's commentary: broad citation of many sources and detailed textual verification. The commentary extensively quotes classics, histories, philosophical works, and belles-lettres as well as earlier commentaries, preserving a large number of lost texts and traditions, and is an important resource for the study of pre-Tang literature, textual scholarship, and exegesis. This publication preserves the original appearance of the book, emphasizing the preservation and transmission of traditional thought and culture; it is suitable for readers with some grounding in classical Chinese to read repeatedly. Readers need not aim to read the whole volume straight through; they may proceed by individual pieces, reading the main text first and then checking the commentary, noting Li Shan's division between explaining events and explaining meaning, and appreciating his citation practices. For readers who want to understand the tradition of Wen Xuan scholarship and train their ability to read ancient texts, this is a reference book that can remain on the desk for a long time; those expecting vernacular translation or easy introduction should pair it with a guidebook.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Students of ancient literature and classical textual scholarship who need to study the Wen Xuan and the conventions of Li Shan's commentary
- Readers of literature and history with classical Chinese reading ability who want to go deeper into pre-Tang literature and exegesis
- Scholarly researchers who need to consult old texts and lost writings cited in Li Shan's commentary
- University libraries and Chinese department reference rooms as a foundational classic of Chinese studies
Not a good fit for
- Beginners with weak classical Chinese who hope to read a vernacular translation
- Casual readers who only want appreciation of famous Wen Xuan pieces and do not care about commentary conventions
- General readers lacking patience for textual collation and scholarly annotation
Reading tips
- Begin with familiar fu and shi pieces in the Wen Xuan, reading the main text and Li Shan's commentary sentence by sentence to appreciate how the commentary cites sources.
- Prepare reference works, paper, and pen; note the books cited and textual variants in the commentary as you go, gradually building knowledge of pre-Tang texts.
- Do not read straight through from beginning to end; study in units by genre or theme, focusing on one type of commentary example at a time.
- When encountering difficult passages, consult other Wen Xuan commentaries for cross-verification, but keep this book's original appearance as the main thread.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 文选注提要
- 序
- 卷一赋甲
- 卷二赋甲
- 卷三赋乙
- 卷四赋乙
- 卷五赋丙
- 卷六赋丙
- 卷七赋丁
- 卷八赋丁
- 卷九赋戊
- 卷十赋戊
- 卷十一赋己
- 卷十二赋己
- 卷十三赋庚
- 卷十四赋庚
- 卷十五赋辛
- 卷十六赋辛
- 卷十七赋壬
- 卷十八赋壬
- 卷十九赋癸
- 卷二十诗甲
- 卷二十一诗乙
- 卷二十二诗乙
- 卷二十三诗丙
- 卷二十四诗丙
- 卷二十五诗丁
- 卷二十六诗丁
- 卷二十七诗戊
- 卷二十八诗戊
- 卷二十九诗己
- 卷三十诗己
- 卷三十一诗庚
- 卷三十二
- 卷三十三骚下
- 卷三十四七上
- 卷三十五七下
- 卷三十六令
- 卷三十七表上
- 卷三十八表下
- 卷三十九上书
- 卷四十弹事、笺、奏记
- 卷四十一书上
- 卷四十二书中
- 卷四十三书下
- 卷四十四檄
- 卷四十五对问、设论、辞、序上
- 卷四十六序下
- 卷四十七颂、赞
- 卷四十八符命
- 卷四十九史论上
- 卷五十史论下、史述赞
- 卷五十一论一
- 卷五十二论二
- 卷五十三论三
- 卷五十四论四
- 卷五十五论五连珠
- 卷五十六箴、铭、诔上
- 卷五十七诔下、哀上
- 卷五十八哀下、碑文上
- 卷五十九碑文下、墓志
- 卷六十行状、吊文、祭文
FAQ
Can I read Wen Xuan Zhu without a foundation in classical Chinese?
It is not very suitable to start with directly. Li Shan's commentary is rich in citations and archaic in wording, requiring some classical Chinese reading ability and textual knowledge. It is advisable first to read a selected Wen Xuan with vernacular annotation, become familiar with the main pieces and basic allusions, and then move on to this book; otherwise the dense commentary can easily make readers lose the thread.
What are the main features of Li Shan's commentary?
Li Shan's commentary is known for its broad citations and precise textual verification, focusing on explaining events and tracing sources. It often cites classics, histories, philosophical works, and earlier commentaries to clarify origins, preserving many fragments of texts lost in later ages. Readers may note his citation conventions and ways of explaining meaning; this is also where the book's scholarly value lies.
Is this book suitable for reading straight through or for reference?
It is better suited to a combination of study and reference. The whole book is long and the commentary dense, so reading it straight through is burdensome. One may read selected pieces by title or genre, reading the main text first and then checking the commentary; when researching specific questions, one may also use the citations in the commentary as leads to consult relevant old texts, without insisting on going from beginning to end.
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About the author
李善
Author
Li Shan: his official career, dates of birth and death, and native place are all undocumented, and publicly available information is limited. Two works are extant under his name, the representative works Wen Xuan and Wen Xuan Zhu, commonly classified as classics and foreign literature. The Wen Xuan Zhu is especially valued: Li Shan annotated the Wen Xuan, citing sources profusely and carefully examining wording while explaining allusions and the names and institutions of things, with a rigorous attitude. The annotations themselves possess independent documentary value and are an important aid for studying the Wen Xuan and pre-Tang literature. His annotative style tends toward evidential scholarship, marked by broad learning and meticulousness rather than empty discussion, and has had a profound influence on later Wen Xuan studies. Because biographical material is scarce, his family background, circle of associates, and official career remain largely unknown; readers seeking to understand him should still infer his scholarly orientation from his annotative methods and handling of texts.
