Comprehensive Survey of Classical Texts

胡应麟Jul 2024

4.2

Word count: 31K words
Chapters: 5

Summary

Traditional Chinese thought and culture have a long history and are highly original, inventive and literary. Early intellectual forms have distinctive features. Religious theology, classical texts of Chinese medicine, ancient military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism and the Hundred Schools of Thought, feng shui and metaphysics, the Twenty-Four Histories, and local customs and geography are all broad and profound. This series, "Essence of Chinese Classics: Original Texts," preserves the original appearance of the books and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. Through reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers can cultivate their temperament and subtly appreciate the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

Jingji Huitong is a specialized work by the Ming dynasty scholar Hu Yinglin on bibliography and the gathering and dispersal of books, and it holds a transitional significance in the tradition of classical Chinese philology. This edition belongs to the series "Essence of Chinese Classics: Original Texts." It preserves the original appearance of the book and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional thought and culture, so what readers encounter is a text close to the original classic rather than an overly popularized rewrite. Its value lies not in offering easy stories about Chinese learning, but in presenting the systematic thinking of the ancients on the classification of classics, the transmission of editions, and the gathering and dispersal of book collections. It is suitable as an introductory step toward understanding the approaches of traditional scholarship. When reading, one should combine it with basic bibliographical knowledge, pay attention to the book's sorting out of the survival and loss of classics through the ages, and appreciate the ancients' care in "distinguishing scholarship and examining origins." For today's readers, it can serve both as a supplementary reader in classical philology and as a slow-reading book for cultivating temperament and approaching the literary essence of the sages.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Introductory readers interested in classical bibliography and the transmission of texts
Traditional culture enthusiasts who hope to encounter classics of Chinese learning in their original form
Students in Chinese, history and library science who need a supplementary reader
Quiet readers who enjoy reading old books slowly and value the original text

Not a good fit for

Complete beginners expecting vernacular translation and detailed annotation
Casual readers who only want light, story-based books on Chinese learning
Researchers who need systematic verification in the style of modern academic papers

Reading tips

First read through the table of contents and prefaces to grasp the overall framework of the book's discussion of the gathering and dispersal of classics.
Keep paper and pen nearby to take notes as you read, sorting out the classification and transmission clues of the classics mentioned in the book.
Read it alongside introductory works on bibliography to lower the threshold of understanding.
Read only a small section at a time, and after reading retell the main points in your own words to avoid taking on too much.

版权信息
经籍会通一
经籍会通二
经籍会通三
经籍会通四

FAQ

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

Not very. The book preserves the original appearance of the text and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional thought and culture; it does not provide a vernacular translation or sentence-by-sentence annotation. Readers without a foundation in classical Chinese may struggle with wording and format. It is advisable first to have some ability to read literary Chinese, or to use the book together with reference works and introductory works on bibliography before entering this book.

What background knowledge should I have before reading this book?

It is best first to understand the basic concepts of traditional Chinese bibliography, such as the classification of classics, history, masters and collections, as well as common knowledge about editions, book collecting, and the gathering and dispersal of classics. Knowing that Hu Yinglin was a Ming dynasty scholar and that the book discusses the origins and transmission of classics will also help orient the reading. It is still possible to read without this background, but depth of understanding will be limited.

What is the difference between this book and ordinary popular books on Chinese learning?

Ordinary popular books on Chinese learning are often rewritten, translated or storyized for ease of reading. This book belongs to the series "Essence of Chinese Classics: Original Texts," which emphasizes preserving the original appearance of the book and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. It is closer to the original classic text, has a higher reading threshold, but allows readers better to appreciate the ancients' original expressions and scholarly intent.

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About the author

胡应麟 Author

Hu Yinglin was a learned scholar-author in premodern China. Publicly available sources offer limited information about his life, including the exact years of his birth and death, his native place, and his official career. Judging from the nine works by him held in this collection, his writing spans several fields, including bibliography, historiography, miscellaneous studies of the masters and notes. The Jingji Huitong discusses the gathering and dispersal of books and the origins of their classification, while the Sibu Zhenga examines questions of authenticity and textual transmission in the four traditional divisions of literature, showing that his scholarship placed emphasis on textual criticism and the clear differentiation of sources. The Shaoshi Shanfang Ji is a collection of his poetry and prose, revealing his accomplishments in literary composition. Works such as the Shishu Zhanbi, Jiuliu Xulun, Huayang Boyi, Zhuangyue Weitan and Eryou Zhuivi are largely reading notes and scholarly essays, dealing with historical judgments, the learning of the various schools, and the explanation of names and objects. His writing is generally distinguished by broad erudition, combining evidential research with discussion, and often reveals personal judgment amid detailed analysis. These works retain a certain reference value for later efforts to organize classical texts and study traditional scholarship.