Rectifying the Age

Liu XiangBashu Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

3.8

Word count: 1K words
Chapters: 2

Summary

The Guanzi is a work recording the words and deeds of Guan Zhong, a statesman and thinker of the State of Qi during China's Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BCE), and of the Guan Zhong school. It was probably completed between the Warring States period (475–221 BCE) and the Qin–Han era. When Liu Xiang edited the Guanzi, it comprised 86 chapters; the present text preserves 76, with only the titles of the remaining 10 extant.

Editor's review

This book is an edited edition of the Guanzi, compiled by Liu Xiang and published by Bashu Publishing House in 2024. It shows how a school text attributed to Guan Zhong but actually completed between the Warring States and Qin–Han periods was preserved and read by later generations. For general readers, it is more a window onto pre-Qin political thought and the history of Qi than a leisure book to read straight through. It can be read along two coordinates: as a compilation of the words and deeds of the Guan Zhong school, and as a specimen of intellectual fusion in the Warring States and Qin–Han periods. Its value lies not in offering a set of management techniques to copy directly, but in showing how the ancients repeatedly reasoned through issues of state governance, economic order, and social instruction. The chapters are not uniform in style; some emphasize political argument, while others interweave stories and dialogues, so the reading can feel disjointed—a reminder that this is a text accumulated over a long period. It suits readers willing to slow down and take notes as they read; taken as a piece of the puzzle of pre-Qin intellectual history, it will yield a more solid reward. Those seeking plot or light entertainment may find it dull.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in pre-Qin political thought and the history of Qi
Readers of literature and history who want to understand the composition and school background of the Guanzi
Social science students who need to consult the contents of the Guanzi chapters
Management-oriented readers hoping to draw reflective material from classical governance

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer coherent plots and light entertainment
Beginners with no foundation in classical Chinese who are unwilling to use annotations
Readers expecting a directly applicable modern management manual

Reading tips

Read the table of contents and preface first to understand the arrangement of the extant 76 chapters, then select chapters related to governance and economics for close reading.
Keep a pen and record each chapter's core arguments separately from its examples, so as not to be led astray by scattered material.
When encountering chapters attributed to Guan Zhong, understand them in the context of the Warring States and Qin–Han periods; there is no need to take every line as written by Guan Zhong himself.
If time is limited, read the more political chapters first, then return to the parts mixing stories and dialogues.

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
正世第四十七

FAQ

Was the Guanzi written by Guan Zhong himself?

Usually it is not understood that way. The materials show that the Guanzi records the words and deeds of Guan Zhong and the Guan Zhong school, was probably completed between the Warring States and Qin–Han periods, and comprised 86 chapters when Liu Xiang edited it, of which 76 survive in the present text. It is more a compilation accumulated by a school over a long period, attributed to Guan Zhong but not necessarily from his hand.

Why does the present Guanzi have only 76 chapters?

When Liu Xiang edited the Guanzi, it comprised 86 chapters; the present text preserves 76, with only the titles of the remaining 10 extant. In other words, the main text of 10 chapters has been lost, leaving only chapter names. The present text should not be taken as the complete original, but as a surviving text filtered through transmission.

Can readers without a foundation in classical Chinese read this book?

They can try, but they will need annotations and reference works. This is an edited edition; readers would do best to read the preface and notes on format first, then start with shorter chapters. If they are entirely unwilling to look up characters and words, reading will be difficult; a selected edition with translation and annotation is recommended as a stepping stone.

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About the author

Liu Xiang Author · Chinese (Western Han)

Liu Xiang (77 BCE–6 BCE), courtesy name Zizheng and originally named Gengsheng, was a member of the Western Han imperial clan and a scholar of the classics, a bibliographer, and a literary figure. Publicly available details of his life are limited, and even his birth and death years are disputed, yet his place in the history of Chinese bibliography and literature is clear. Under Emperor Cheng he led the collation of the imperial library and compiled the Bielu, a systematic catalogue and edition of court texts, and later generations honored him as the founder of Chinese bibliography. He edited and compiled the Intrigues of the Warring States and the Songs of Chu, helping to preserve both works, and wrote such books as the Xinxu, Shuoyuan, and Lienü Zhuan, which often use historical anecdotes and the words and deeds of figures to expound political and ethical teachings, combining historical value with literary interest. His editorial and compilation work spans literary appreciation, folk literature, Eastern philosophy, and documentary prose, and has greatly aided later understanding of thought and writing from the pre-Qin through the Han period.