Correcting the Apocrypha

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

4.0

Word count: 745 words
Chapters: 2

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Summary

"Zheng Wei" is the fourth chapter of The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons.

Editor's review

"Zheng Wei" is the fourth chapter of The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons, devoted specifically to the nature and merits and defects of the wei-shu (apocryphal texts) as a class of documents. In this chapter Liu Xie distinguishes between the classics and the wei texts, pointing out the phenomenon of the wei texts falsely attributing themselves to Confucius and forcing connections with the meaning of the classics, while at the same time acknowledging that some ancient teachings and diction preserved therein may be selected for use. The chapter is not long, yet it is an important link for understanding the stylistic concepts and scholarly stance of the whole work, and it also provides a primary text for understanding the relationship between classical learning and prophecy-apocrypha in the Six Dynasties period. The 2024 Bashu Publishing House edition makes it convenient for readers to concentrate on studying a single chapter, and is suitable as focused thematic reading alongside a complete reading of the work. When reading, one may read it together with the chapters before and after "Zong Jing" and "Zheng Wei" to appreciate Liu Xie's conciliatory attitude of honoring the classics without discarding the wei texts; one may also combine it with collected remnants of Han dynasty wei texts to understand the specific objects of criticism in the text. For readers studying Six Dynasties literary criticism and the history of classical learning, this chapter is an indispensable foundational document.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Ancient literature students studying individual chapters of The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons who need focused thematic reading
Researchers concerned with the relationship between Six Dynasties classical learning and prophecy-apocrypha who wish to read primary documents
Enthusiasts who have read part of The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons and wish to read the fourth chapter

Not a good fit for

Complete beginners with no foundation in classical Chinese who need sentence-by-sentence vernacular translation
Readers expecting a systematic general history of wei texts or a large collection of compiled remnants

Reading tips

Read the "Zong Jing" chapter first, then this chapter, to grasp Liu Xie's logic of proceeding from the classics to the wei texts
Compare the specific statements criticizing wei texts in the chapter and consult surviving fragments of Han dynasty wei texts for verification
After reading, look back at "Xu Zhi" to understand this chapter's position in the structure of the whole work

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
正纬第四

FAQ

To which part of The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons does "Zheng Wei" belong?

"Zheng Wei" is the fourth chapter of The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons and belongs to the "pivot of literature" section at the beginning of the work, alongside "Yuan Dao," "Zheng Sheng," "Zong Jing," and "Bian Sao," discussing the fundamental principles of writing and its documentary basis.

What background knowledge should one have before reading "Zheng Wei"?

It is best first to understand the basic configuration of Han dynasty classical learning and the general nature of prophecy-apocrypha documents, and to have read the "Zong Jing" chapter. If one is completely unfamiliar with wei texts, one may first consult the entry on "wei texts" in a reference dictionary before entering the original text; understanding Liu Xie's objects of criticism will then be smoother.

Does this chapter completely negate the wei texts?

No. Liu Xie mainly criticizes the practice of the wei texts falsely attributing themselves to Confucius and forcing connections with the meaning of the classics, but he also acknowledges that some content therein may be adopted; his attitude is one of discrimination rather than wholesale rejection. Readers should note the statements in the text that distinguish the genuine from the false and make selections.

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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.