Section on Summer Heat

Chen MengleiJul 2024

2.3

Word count: 32K words
Chapters: 3

Summary

Traditional Chinese thought has a long history and is highly original, inventive and literary. Early intellectual forms have distinctive features: religious theology, classical Chinese medical texts, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism and the Hundred Schools of Thought, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, and customs and local gazetteers are all broad and profound. This "Essence of Classical Chinese Culture Original Texts" series preserves the appearance of the original books, with emphasis on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers cultivate character and subtly absorb the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

Shu Men is included in the "Essence of Classical Chinese Culture Original Texts" series and attributed to Chen Menglei. Its value lies not in offering an easy introductory reader, but in giving readers direct access to the original textual form of traditional thought and culture by preserving the appearance of the original book. Judging from the scope listed in the introduction—religious theology, classical Chinese medical texts, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, the Hundred Schools of Thought, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, and customs and local gazetteers—the book is closer to a compilation or arrangement of traditional cultural documents. It suits readers interested in the original classics of Chinese learning who are willing to work through the wording themselves. Its strength is fidelity: it makes few modern adaptations and keeps the ancients' ways of expression, conceptual systems and rhythms of writing on the page, so readers can feel the texture of the traditional text itself. It need not be read in one sitting; it can serve as a desk reference to browse and take notes in, with further reading pursued in chapters that interest you. Readers used to vernacular explanations may find the threshold high, but for that very reason it is better suited to those willing to read slowly and ponder the original text repeatedly. Overall, it is a Chinese classics reader that emphasizes preservation and transmission rather than quick consumption.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with a strong interest in the original classics of Chinese learning who are willing to read classical Chinese directly
Lovers of traditional culture who need a desk reference to consult often
Readers who prefer the original book's appearance and dislike excessive vernacular adaptation
Teachers of traditional culture who need to consult original texts

Not a good fit for

Readers who want to finish a book in one sitting and seek light, story-driven reading
Beginners with no foundation in classical Chinese who need sentence-by-sentence vernacular translation
People who only want a quick overview of Chinese learning and are unwilling to read the original text closely

Reading tips

You need not read straight through; start with the table of contents and pick a category that interests you.
Keep a pen and notebook handy; jot down unfamiliar concepts and look them up later.
Read only a short passage at a time, then restate its gist in your own words to deepen understanding.
Read alongside a reliable annotated edition or reference work to ease comprehension.

版权信息
古今图书集成医部全录卷二百三十一
古今图书集成医部全录卷二百三十二

FAQ

Is this book suitable for readers with no foundation in classical Chinese?

Not very. The book emphasizes preserving the original appearance and does not provide sentence-by-sentence vernacular translation, so readers with weak classical Chinese will struggle. It is advisable to start with annotated, bilingual introductory works on Chinese learning, then return to an original-text compilation like this.

The title is Shu Men—is it about summer or escaping the heat?

Based on the available information, the book belongs to the "Essence of Classical Chinese Culture Original Texts" series, and the introduction covers a wide range of subjects including religious theology, classical Chinese medical texts, military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism and the Hundred Schools, and customs and local gazetteers. It does not state that the title is directly related to summer or escaping the heat. Consult the actual table of contents and main text rather than guessing the subject from the title alone.

Does this book need to be read from beginning to end?

No. It is more of a reference and compilation of traditional culture, suited to browsing and reading by interest. Keep it on your desk, read a short passage at a time, and pursue further reading in sections that interest you; this is more rewarding than forcing yourself to read it straight through.

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About the author

Chen Menglei Author · China · 1651–1741

Chen Menglei (1651–1741), courtesy names Zizhen and Shengzhai, later styled the Old Man of Songhe, was a Qing dynasty scholar from Houguan, Fujian. He passed the imperial examination in the ninth year of the Kangxi reign and was appointed to the Hanlin Academy as a compiler. After 1698, by imperial order, he tutored the third prince, Yinzhii, and took the opportunity to compile a vast classified encyclopedia, the Hui Bian, using the collection of the Xieyi Hall; the Kangxi Emperor later bestowed on it the title Gujin Tushu Jicheng. The library holds more than 410 of his works, mostly sections of the officialdom chapters of that encyclopedia, covering institutions such as the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Imperial Observatory, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Rites, prefectural governors, the Transmission Office, and the Imperial Medical Academy. These works address ancient bureaucratic systems, ritual norms, and administrative practice. His compilations are distinguished by systematic classification and extensive citation, preserving a wealth of source materials for later generations; they are commonly categorized under culture and Eastern philosophy. As public information on his life is limited, this note confines itself to his known scholarly contributions.