Notes on Righteousness

AnonymousJinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) · ChinaJun 2024

2.6

Word count: 2.1K words
Chapters: 2

Summary

The Kongcongzi (The Kong Family Masters' Anthology) consists of three juan and twenty-one chapters and was traditionally attributed to Kong Fu. It mainly records the sayings and deeds of Confucius and of Si, Shang, Gao, Shun, and Yu (that is, Kong Fu), and at the end it appends fu poems by Kong Zang and the two sections Shang and Xia of the Shu, giving it the alternative title Liancong. In the Jiayou era of Emperor Renzong of Song, Song Xian wrote a commentary to the work.

Editor's review

This book is an arranged and printed edition of the Kongcongzi in three juan and twenty-one chapters, traditionally attributed to Kong Fu. Its content centers on the sayings and deeds of Confucius and of Si, Shang, Gao, Shun, Yu, and others of the Kong clan, with an appendix at the end containing fu poems by Kong Zang and the two sections Shang and Xia of the Shu; it is also known by the alternative title Liancong. Unlike ordinary commentaries on classical texts, which only expound doctrine, it preserves the thread of early Confucian transmission through family narrative and fragments of sayings and deeds, and thus has the dual character of a masters text and a family-learning document. Readers can see from it how later Kong disciples narrated their forebears' words and deeds and how they constructed a genealogical line of the Way, and it is useful for understanding the evolution of Confucianism between the pre-Qin and Han periods, the form of Kong family learning, and the ways ancient books were composed. The fact that Song Xian wrote a commentary also shows that the book had already entered scholars' editorial view in the Song. The Shanghai Jinzhang Book Company printed edition is convenient for general reading and version comparison and is suitable as an introductory or supplementary reader for studying the Kongcongzi. In reading, one should note the scholarly controversy over its complex sources and mixture of genuine and spurious material, and should not use it directly as reliable history.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Students of literature and history specializing in pre-Qin and Han Confucianism and Kong family learning
Lovers of classical texts who need a commonly circulated text of the Kongcongzi for comparative reading
Readers interested in records of the sayings and deeds of Confucius's later disciples and in narratives of the genealogical line of the Way
Beginners in textual bibliography who wish to understand the appearance of a work traditionally attributed to Kong Fu

Not a good fit for

General readers who only want Confucius's own sayings and do not care about later disciples' transmission
Beginners expecting modern vernacular translation, annotation, and detailed chapter-by-chapter explanation
People uninterested in questions of authenticity in ancient books who seek only story-like reading

Reading tips

First read the table of contents at the beginning and the appended Liancong at the end to grasp the book's structure and appended materials.
Read the chapters in the order of the Kong clan generations, noting character relationships and themes of sayings and deeds as you go.
Compare relevant chapters of the Analects and the Book of Rites to identify similarities and differences in the material.
Take notes on doubtful points concerning authenticity and composition, and consult research works separately.

About the publisher

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) China · Founded in 1901

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) was a private publishing and distribution house in Shanghai during the late Qing and early Republican periods, issuing traditional works by lithographic printing. Judging from the 1,194 titles in the collection, its publishing focused on classical poetry, Eastern philosophy, historical reading, traditional Chinese medical texts, and canonical works, along with books on literary appreciation. Representative titles include the poetry and prose collections of Du Fu and Ouyang Xiu; historical works such as the Book of Han and Zizhi Tongjian; classical texts such as the Book of Documents and Mencius; and specialized and literary classics such as Treatise on Cold Damage and Li Sao. Its author resources cover major figures across the ages, including Du Fu, Ban Gu, Sima Guang, Zhang Zhongjing, Qu Yuan, Ouyang Xiu, and Tang Shenwei, reflecting the house's characteristic reliance on traditional scholarship and medical literature while serving general readers. Public information on its early history and operational details is limited, so no conjecture is offered here.

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FAQ

Did Confucius write the Kongcongzi himself?

No. The book is traditionally attributed to Kong Fu, and its content mainly records the sayings and deeds of Confucius and of Si, Shang, Gao, Shun, Yu, and others; it is a family-learning document in which later Kong disciples recount their forebears' words and deeds. Its composition and sources are complex, and it cannot simply be regarded as written by Confucius himself.

What is the content of the Liancong appended at the end?

According to the sources, the Liancong is the appendix at the end containing fu poems by Kong Zang and the two sections Shang and Xia of the Shu; hence the book's alternative title Liancong. In reading, it may be treated as appended material outside the main text and understood separately from the earlier records of Kong sayings and deeds.

What is the significance of Song Xian's commentary in the book?

In the Jiayou era of Emperor Renzong of Song, Song Xian wrote a commentary to the Kongcongzi, showing that the book had already attracted scholarly editing and attention in the Song. For today's readers, Song's commentary is a clue to understanding the early reception history and the tradition of textual interpretation.

Which classics should one be familiar with before reading this book?

It is best to have some prior knowledge of the Analects and the disciples of Confucius; reading the Kongcongzi then makes it easier to grasp character relationships and themes of sayings and deeds. A foundation in Confucian texts such as the Book of Rites also helps one see similarities and differences among the materials when reading comparatively.

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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.