薛飞

Xue Fei is an author about whom little public information is available. It is known that two of his works have appeared: A New Reading of Laozi and New Meanings of the Zhouyi. Judging from the titles and the common categories, his writing centers on classical Chinese texts and touches on two directions, Eastern philosophy and literary appreciation. Rather than excelling at textual research, he returns to the texts of the Laozi and the Zhouyi themselves and, under the headings of "new reading" and "new meanings," tries to draw from these old classics interpretations that speak to the present. Such an approach requires both an overall grasp of the originals and the ability to turn philosophical ideas into readable, literary expression, so that his work takes shape between the analysis of meaning and the appreciation of language. The two books share similar subject matter and approach, showing the author's sustained attention to traditional thought. Because his dates, nationality, and educational background are unknown, details of his life cannot be supplied; readers can only approach his way of interpreting the classics through his works.