Jiangsu Ancient Books Prefaces, Postfaces, and Book Reviews

Author: Su Gu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2000-09-01
Features: In 1900, the Dunhuang Cave Library was discovered and made public. To prevent the continued loss of precious cultural relics, the remaining Dunhuang manuscripts were handed over to the Imperial Library (now the National Library of China) for preservation and collection. In 1922, Mr. Chen Yuan led the compilation of Dunhuang Relics Left After the. In 1929, Mr. Hu Mingsheng and Mr. Xu Guolin continued to organize and catalog these Dunhuang manuscripts, contributing significantly to the effort. Some of the National Library's Dunhuang manuscripts were previously published in microfilm form, but microfilms had many shortcomings; others were never published and remained unknown. Today, all of them are made public, adding new content to the world's documentary heritage, which is of extraordinary significance.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, in 1982, the state formulated a plan for the comprehensive assessment and organization of ancient Chinese texts, with large-scale, systematic efforts. Buddhist and Taoist classics were included in the plan. The first task was to compile the Great Buddhist Canon of China (Chinese part, Volume 1). Among the over 10,000 Dunhuang manuscripts held by the National Library, the majority are Buddhist texts (in addition to Chinese, there are also Tibetan and other languages), many of which were not included in historical canons. The Great Buddhist Canon of China (Chinese part, Volume 2) has been decided to include this valuable material.
Our thousands of years of historical experience have proven that in building a new nation, development of production should come first, followed by cultural and ideological development. The most prosperous periods in ancient China were the Han and Tang dynasties. After the Han dynasty was established for over seventy years, four generations of effort gave rise to the splendid Han culture. The Tang dynasty, renowned as the "Zhenguan Era," focused on restoring production, and true prosperity was achieved during the Kaiyuan period of Emperor Xuanzong, which also took four generations of effort. The Qing dynasty's cultural flourishing spanned the reigns of Shunzhi, Kangxi, and Yongzheng, with its peak during the Qianlong era, lasting nearly a century.
Fifty years after the founding of the People's Republic of China, we are currently in a great turning point—a time of inheriting the past and opening the future. The 21st century will be a period of significant economic growth, the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the success of a multinational unified country. We inherit the brilliance of five thousand years of civilization, while we pioneer a new cultural future unseen in five thousand years. The mission bestowed upon us by the times is to welcome the 21st century and prepare ample ideological resources for the creation of a new culture. Only in our new era can we break free from the limitations of the past and absorb all valuable legacies from ancient and modern scholars at home and abroad. The Buddhist culture in the Dunhuang manuscripts, of course, has received due attention.
Scholars engaged in Dunhuang studies are scattered worldwide. Among foreign scholars, there are also many accomplished experts. Today, it is not a bad thing for many people to participate in the study of Chinese documentary materials, but compared to Chinese scholars, foreign scholars inevitably face certain limitations, as they are separated from Chinese history, society, customs, and traditions. In the past few years, the number of Chinese scholars studying Dunhuang was relatively small, and domestic conditions were not yet, making it seem less lively than foreign efforts. With China's economic development, political stability, and improvements in the education system, a large number of talented and knowledgeable young and middle-aged scholars have emerged. They are grounded in traditional Chinese culture, trained in modern science, and passionate about their homeland's culture.
Judging from the academic works published in the past decade, Chinese scholars have formed a brilliant group of scholars in Dunhuang studies. Their disciplines are comprehensive, and the quality and quantity of their works have reached a considerable level, with some areas surpassing foreign experts. In building Chinese culture, the main force must rely on the Chinese people themselves. Foreign scholars, while having their advantages, can serve as a supplementary role but cannot be the main force. Based on their interests and supported by relevant foundations, foreign scholars can complete certain research projects, but they do not have the task of building a new Chinese culture, and they may also struggle to accept historical materialism as a research method, which is another limitation.