The Record of Example

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaJul 2024

3.8

Word count: 3.3K words
Chapters: 6

Summary

Biaoji (The Record of Manifestation) is a chapter title in the Book of Rites (Liji). Zheng Xuan held that "Biaoji is so named because it records how the virtue of the noble man is manifested in his outward bearing." The Book of Rites was compiled by Dai Sheng of the Western Han from ritual writings of the Han and pre-Qin periods, in 49 chapters.

Editor's review

Biaoji is one chapter of the Book of Rites. Zheng Xuan captures its thrust with the phrase "it records how the virtue of the noble man is manifested in his outward bearing," and its subject is how inner virtue shows itself in speech, conduct, and demeanor. The 2024 Bashu Shushe edition extracts this chapter as a standalone volume, making it easier for readers to concentrate on its ethical thought rather than wander through all forty-nine chapters without a thread to follow. Much of the text records sayings of Confucius and touches on the cultivation of the noble man, the proper measure of speech and action, and how to conduct oneself with others; the language is concise and aphoristic, suited to slow, careful reading. For readers concerned with pre-Qin Confucian ritual learning and the ideal of the noble man, this is a text that reveals much through small details: it does not merely discuss outward ceremonial propriety but asks how virtue and bearing connect. Reading it requires some grounding in classical Chinese and the patience to trace the internal layers of the chapter, but precisely because it is concentrated, it serves well as a point of entry into the Book of Rites.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Learners interested in pre-Qin Confucian ritual learning and the cultivation of the noble man
Readers with some grounding in classical Chinese who want to closely read a single chapter of the Book of Rites
Hobbyists who need aphoristic material for writing or for reflecting on traditional culture
Students in university humanities courses studying ritual texts

Not a good fit for

Complete beginners in classical Chinese who need word-by-word modern translation
General readers expecting narrative storytelling or light reading

Reading tips

Read through once to grasp the general idea, then excerpt sentences on the noble man's speech and conduct section by section for notes.
Compare the table of contents of other related chapters in the Book of Rites to understand Biaoji's place in the whole.
Old commentaries such as Zheng Xuan's can be skipped at first and revisited once the text is familiar.
After each section, summarize in your own words what it says about the relation between virtue and bearing.

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
正文一
正文二
正文三
正文四
正文五

FAQ

What is Biaoji mainly about?

According to Zheng Xuan, this chapter records how the virtue of the noble man is manifested in his outward bearing. It centers on the cultivation of the noble man, speech and demeanor, and how to conduct oneself with others. Much of it records sayings of Confucius and has an aphoristic, discursive character; it is one of the more ethically oriented chapters of the Book of Rites.

Can this chapter be understood on its own?

Yes, but you need a basic sense of what the Book of Rites as a whole is. The chapter is concentrated and works well as a point of entry for close reading; to go deeper into the ritual system, you should still consult other chapters.

Do I need to read the whole Book of Rites first?

Not necessarily. You can start with this chapter to build interest and then expand by topic to other chapters. Readers with no knowledge of the ritual-learning background should first read a brief introduction to avoid taking passages out of context.

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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.