Yegu Collection

龚诩Jun 2024

3.4

Word count: 40K words
Chapters: 9

Summary

Traditional Chinese thought and culture have a long history and are highly original, inventive, and literary. Early forms of thought are highly distinctive: 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, customs and local gazetteers—these subjects are vast and profound. This series, "Essential Classics of Chinese Traditional Culture: Original Texts," preserves the original appearance of the books and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers can cultivate their temperament and quietly absorb the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

Yegu Ji is included in the series "Essential Classics of Chinese Traditional Culture: Original Texts," presenting Gong Xu's work in a way that preserves the original book's appearance and gives readers direct access to the original texture of the ancient text. Its value lies not in popular explanation but in providing a traditional document for close reading and reference, suitable as extended reading material for the study of Chinese classics. Reading it allows one to feel the concision of classical Chinese expression and the distinctive character of ancient thought, and it offers auxiliary help in understanding the threads of traditional literature and thought. The book is better suited to readers who already have some grounding in classical Chinese and are willing to read slowly with annotations; it can be dipped into at one's desk with notes made as one goes, or read alongside similar original texts to appreciate the diverse features of early forms of thought. Those expecting modern translation and annotation or plot-driven narrative should adjust their expectations. Overall, it is more like a window that preserves an old appearance, best entered with a calm frame of mind, accumulating a sense of closeness to traditional culture amid its words and sentences.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with some grounding in classical Chinese who wish to engage directly with ancient original texts
Those doing extended reading of Chinese classics who need original texts for reference
Readers who like slow reading with annotations and accumulating familiarity with traditional documents by dipping in at their desks

Not a good fit for

Beginners with little experience reading classical Chinese who need sentence-by-sentence vernacular translation
Casual readers expecting storytelling or modern interpretation
Those who hope to quickly understand the whole book through detailed annotations and introductions

Reading tips

First read through the table of contents and preface to get a general sense of the book's structure, then choose passages of interest for a trial reading.
Keep a pen handy to mark difficult words and phrases as you go, and after finishing a passage, briefly summarize its main idea in your own words.
Read alongside other original texts in the same series and note how different texts echo one another in expression and thought.
Read a small passage at a fixed time each day, without chasing speed, focusing on maintaining familiarity with the feel of classical Chinese.

版权信息
提要
野古集序
野古集年谱（青县教谕龚绂撰）
野古集巻上
野古集巻中
野古集卷下
野古集附録
野古集附録

FAQ

Can I read this book without any grounding in classical Chinese?

You can try, but there will be a certain threshold. This book preserves the original appearance of the text and has not been rewritten in popular language, so readers with weak classical Chinese foundations may struggle with vocabulary and syntax. It is advisable to first use reference books or consult annotated editions to grasp the general meaning, then return to the original text and read slowly, treating it as progressive practice material rather than a popular book to finish in one sitting.

Is this book suitable for reading straight through from beginning to end?

Reading straight through is not necessary. Texts of this kind are better read selectively by interest or theme; when you encounter difficult passages, you can skip them for now and come back later. If you want to build an overall impression, start with the table of contents and preface, then choose shorter passages with smoother wording, and expand gradually; reading will feel more relaxed.

Do I need other materials to read this book?

It is advisable to use reference books and background materials. Look up rare or difficult words in a dictionary, and when ancient institutions or intellectual concepts are involved, consult relevant introductions or scholarly works. In this way you can maintain direct contact with the original text without having to stop reading because of too many obstacles, forming a reading method in which the original text and supporting materials illuminate each other.

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About the author

龚诩 Author

Gong Xu is an author whose public biographical information is limited: little is known about his life, official career, or other background. At present, only one work under his name survives, the Ye Gu Ji (Collection of Rustic Antiquity), which is commonly classified under Eastern philosophy. Judging from this surviving work, the pieces collected in the Ye Gu Ji show a marked speculative bent, while the words "rustic" and "antiquity" in the title suggest an author drawn to plain, unadorned writing and to the old ways. Because no complete record of his life exists, it is difficult today to establish his circle of associates, his teachers, or the sources of his thought; readers can only infer from the diction and argument of the essays a concern with moral principle and with the fundamental questions of human life. Gong Xu's name is not widely circulated, and attention from readers and scholars has been relatively limited, so the book tends to be mentioned as a concrete example for studying ancient Eastern philosophical writing. Given the scarce materials, the Ye Gu Ji should be treated as the main basis for understanding Gong Xu's intellectual outlook, while his scholarly standing and influence remain to be further examined.