The Gate of Thirst

Chen MengleiJul 2024

2.5

Word count: 43K words
Chapters: 25

Summary

Chinese traditional culture and thought have a long history and are highly original, inventive, and literary. Early forms of thought have distinctive characteristics; 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 gazetteers are all profound and extensive. This 'Essence of Classical Chinese Culture: Original Texts' series preserves the appearance of the original books and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers cultivate their temperament and quietly come to appreciate the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

Ke Men is included in the 'Essence of Classical Chinese Culture: Original Texts' series; its value lies not in offering a relaxed introductory guide but in letting readers come directly into contact with the original texture of traditional thought texts by preserving the appearance of the original book. The book touches on a wide range of fields, including 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 gazetteers, presenting the originality and complexity of early forms of thought. In reading, one can sense the ancients' ways of thinking and habits of expression across different branches of knowledge, making it suitable as a reference work to browse at one's desk. For readers accustomed to modern vernacular interpretation, the book may feel distant, but those willing to read slowly, compare, and take excerpts may gain a reading experience closer to the source. It is better suited to segmented study in a quiet setting than to being read straight through.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with research interest in original texts of Chinese traditional culture
University students needing to consult passages from ancient thought texts
Lovers of editions that preserve the original appearance without excessive interpretation
Educators and cultural communicators in Chinese studies needing primary materials

Not a good fit for

Beginners who want vernacular translations or relaxed introductory explanations
General readers seeking coherent storytelling or a modern reading pace
Readers lacking patience for classical Chinese expression and scattered categories

Reading tips

First browse the table of contents and choose passages from categories such as religion, military strategy, or Confucianism according to interest.
Keep a notebook and jot down difficult words and inspiring sentences as you go; do not insist on understanding everything at once.
Read alongside other volumes in the same series and note differences in expression across categories.
Read only a small section each time and, afterward, restate its main idea in your own words to check comprehension.

版权信息
渴门
黄帝素问
金匮要略【汉张机】
脉诀【晋王叔和】
千金方【唐孙思邈】
活人书【宋朱肱】
河间六书【金刘完素】
明理论【金，成无己】
活法机要【元张洁古】
儒门事亲【元张从政】
东垣十书【元李杲】
丹溪心法【元朱震亨】
卫生宝鉴【元罗天益】
证治要诀【明戴思恭】
医学纲目【明楼英】
医学入门【明李梴】
医贯【明赵献可】
医门法律【清喻昌】
景岳全书【明张介宾】
石室秘箓【清陈士铎】
方
针灸
导引
医案

FAQ

Is this book suitable for readers with no background to read directly?

Not really. The book preserves the original appearance and involves classical Chinese expression and a wide range of traditional knowledge categories, which can easily overwhelm readers with no background. It is advisable first to have some basic classical Chinese reading ability, or to use reliable annotated editions and reference works to aid understanding.

What are the features of the 'Essence of Classical Chinese Culture: Original Texts' series?

The series focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture, retaining the original appearance of the books without extensive modern rewriting. Readers encounter a relatively original textual form, making it suitable for those who wish to approach the source and study it themselves.

What areas does the book cover?

According to the materials, it covers 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 gazetteers, among a wide range of categories that readers may choose from according to interest.

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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.