The Shoulder Gate

Chen MengleiJun 2024

2.5

Word count: 10K words
Chapters: 8

Summary

Traditional Chinese thought has a long history and is highly original, inventive, and literary. Early intellectual forms are especially distinctive: religious theology, classical Chinese medical texts, ancient military strategy, Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist, and Hundred Schools thought, feng shui and metaphysical studies, the Twenty-Four Histories, and local customs and geography are all vast and profound. 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 character and subtly appreciate the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

This book is one volume in the "Essence of Classical Chinese Culture: Original Texts" series, attributed to Chen Menglei. Its content focuses on presenting original texts of traditional thought and culture, covering a wide range of categories including religious theology, classical Chinese medical texts, ancient military strategy, Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist, and Hundred Schools thought, feng shui and metaphysical studies, the Twenty-Four Histories, and local customs and geography. Its value lies not in offering new interpretations or research conclusions but in preserving the appearance of the original books, allowing readers to encounter directly the literary and intellectual essence left by ancient sages and to appreciate the high originality and inventiveness of traditional culture through reading. For readers who wish to gain a systematic understanding of the genealogy of Chinese classics, develop a feel for classical Chinese, or lay a foundation for literary and historical study, this book can serve as an introductory sourcebook and guided reader. It suits desk browsing and category-based reference, and is also suitable as a standby traditional-culture volume in a home library. Note that the book emphasizes preservation and transmission, with relatively limited annotation and commentary; readers should use it with a mindset of verification and cross-reference rather than expecting popularized explanation.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Introductory readers who wish to gain a systematic understanding of the categories and basic landscape of Chinese classics
Students who need a sourcebook for literature and history courses or traditional culture studies
Self-learners who enjoy browsing original texts and developing a feel for classical Chinese
Readers who need a standby traditional-culture volume for a home library or classroom bookshelf

Not a good fit for

Beginning readers who expect word-for-word vernacular translation and detailed annotation
Advanced researchers who hope for specialized research conclusions or academic textual criticism
Readers who only want light stories and lack patience for classical Chinese originals

Reading tips

First read the table of contents and choose sections of interest by category, such as religion, military strategy, Confucianism, or Daoism
When reading each category of original text, cross-check background with public-domain common knowledge or reference works to avoid isolated understanding
Keep a notebook to record unfamiliar characters, words, and questions, then verify them afterward or discuss them with like-minded readers
It is not advisable to read straight through at once; browse by theme over multiple sessions to build your own framework of Chinese-classics knowledge

版权信息
古今图书集成医部全录卷一百七十肩门
黄帝素问
灵枢经
疮疡全书【金窦汉卿】
医学纲目【明楼英】
肩后疽
方

FAQ

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

It can be browsed as introductory material, but the book emphasizes preserving the original appearance of the texts and has limited annotation and commentary. Readers with no background should first select short, high-interest pieces from the table of contents for trial reading and use reference works to check unfamiliar characters and words; they need not insist on reading from beginning to end.

What main content categories does this book cover?

According to the description, it involves religious theology, classical Chinese medical texts, ancient military strategy, Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist, and Hundred Schools thought, feng shui and metaphysical studies, the Twenty-Four Histories, and local customs and geography. Readers can search by category and use it as a selected reader of original traditional-culture texts.

Does reading this book require other materials?

It is advisable to use them alongside. The book focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional thought and culture while retaining the original appearance of the texts; readers can read it in comparison with public-domain common knowledge, reference works, or reliable annotated editions to help understand the classical Chinese and background, which will make the reading more solid.

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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.