The Purport of Ci

陆辅之Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) · ChinaJul 2024

3.9

Word count: 25K words
Chapters: 5

Summary

The Cizhi (The Purport of Ci) in one volume was written by Lu Fuzhi, a worthy of his native place, and has long lain obscure. In the Guangxu era, Hu Yuanyi of Changsha was the first to provide a subcommentary, dividing it into two volumes and entitling it Cizhi Chang (The Purport of Ci Expounded), so as to make its purport clear. The work is broad and elegant; I have read it and approve of it. I regret only that its preface, in its citations, still contains many errors, which must not go undiscussed.

Editor's review

Cizhi (The Meaning of Ci) is a short but richly suggestive work on ci poetics by Lu Fuzhi. Because it circulated narrowly, it remained obscure for a long time. In the Guangxu reign, Hu Yuanyi of Changsha wrote a commentary on it, dividing it into two juan under the title Cizhi Chang (The Meaning of Ci Expounded), which clarifies the original work's purport. This edition is based on the Shanghai Jinzhang Shuju edition and preserves the basic form of Hu's commentary, so readers can see both the original entries and later interpretation. Its value lies in presenting Lu Fuzhi's specific views on ci and in demonstrating how Qing scholars organized and elucidated ancient ci criticism. Hu's commentary is broad and detailed; although some citations in the preface are questionable, on the whole it helps readers understand the text. Readers should distinguish the original from the commentary, reading each original entry first and then Hu's explanation, and keep their own judgment where views diverge. Suited to careful reading by those interested in ci documents and Qing scholarly editing.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Ci scholars who need to understand the original Cizhi and Hu Yuanyi's commentary
Lovers of classical documents interested in Qing scholars' editorial methods
Readers of poetry with some classical Chinese who want to broaden their reading of ci criticism
Chinese majors who can use the book as supplementary material for a topic on ci criticism

Not a good fit for

Beginners in classical Chinese, for whom the interwoven original and commentary set a high threshold
Readers seeking only a modern general introduction to ci studies, since the book is document-oriented
Readers hoping for extensive appreciation of ci works, since the book is mainly discursive

Reading tips

First read through the original entries, mark unclear points, then read Hu Yuanyi's commentary entry by entry for comparison.
Use two colors of pen to distinguish original text from commentary and avoid mixing them.
When reading Hu's preface, pay attention to his citations and check the relevant documents yourself.
After finishing, summarize Lu Fuzhi's core entries on ci into brief notes.

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.

版权信息
序
●词旨叙
●词旨上
●词旨下

FAQ

What is the relationship between Cizhi and Cizhi Chang?

Cizhi is Lu Fuzhi's original short work on ci poetics, which circulated narrowly; Cizhi Chang is Hu Yuanyi's commentary on it from the Guangxu reign, divided into two juan, intended to clarify the original work's purport. This edition preserves both layers so readers can compare them.

What are the characteristics of Hu Yuanyi's commentary?

According to the sources, Hu's commentary is broad and detailed and helps readers understand the original work's purport, but its preface also contains many citation errors. Readers should value its clarifying function while remaining cautious about its citations, checking original documents where doubts arise rather than trusting it wholesale.

Is this book suitable as an introduction to ci studies?

Not really as a first introduction. The original text is concise and archaic, and it is interwoven with Qing commentary; it lacks basic annotation and modern explanation, so beginners may struggle. It is better suited to readers with some classical Chinese who want further contact with traditional ci criticism.

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About the author

陆辅之 Author

Lu Fuzhi's life, nationality, and dates of birth and death are all unknown, and publicly available information about him is very limited. All that is known is that a single work attributed to him, Cizhi (The Meaning of Ci), has come down to us, and it is classified among works on ancient poetry and ci. Cizhi is a treatise on ci poetics and methods of composition. It deals mainly with fundamental questions such as conception, structure, diction, and prosody in ci writing, and it quotes and comments on lines by earlier writers, offering guidance for the study and practice of ci composition. Though brief, the book is clearly organized and concise in language, reflecting the author's understanding of and regard for the ci genre. Because there are no direct records of Lu Fuzhi himself, later generations have known him and his work mainly through Cizhi. As one of the documents of ancient ci scholarship, Cizhi offers a reference for the study of ci poetics and compositional norms, and it allows us a glimpse of Lu Fuzhi's views on ci.