Zhuangzi: Modern Notes and Translations - Part One, Part Two, Part Three

Author: Chen Guying
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-08-01
Features:
1. The "Notes" section of this book required a lot of time. Frequently, in order to find an appropriate explanation for a single character, word, or sentence, I extensively searched through ancient annotations but could not find a suitable one.
2. The "Translation" in this book is based on the "Notes" and references existing English and Chinese translations. To make the translation clear and close to the original meaning, I have tried to adopt sentences that others have translated well. In many places, my translation differs from others, which is due to my personal interpretation of the Zhuangzi.
3. The Zhuangzi text used in this book is based on the collated and annotated edition of Guo Qingfan's Collected Annotations (a photoreprint from the World Press). Guo Qingfan's annotations include the full text of Guo Xiang's notes, Cheng Xuanying's commentary, and Lu Deming's phonetic explanations, as well as citations from Wang Niansi, Yu Yue, and others' etymological studies during the Qing Dynasty. They also include Yang Songtao's and Guo Qingfan's own opinions. The annotations were originally based on a collation of Li Shuji's "Clean and Elegant Books" and were further corrected by Zhuang Xiao based on the Song Dynasty edition of the "Continued Ancient and Rare Books," the Yin Shi Yinlong edition, the Daozang edition of Xuan Ying's commentary, and Sun Yuxiu's notes on the Song Dynasty Zhao Jianyi's annotations in the "Four Treasures Series." Additionally, modern scholars like Zhuang Shuimin and Liu Wen were referenced for corrections. Any additions or deletions to the original text are explained in the "Notes."
4. The Zhuangzi is extremely complex, and the "Miscellaneous Chapters" are particularly disorganized. For clarity, the entire book has been numbered to divide sections and paragraphs.
5. When annotating and translating this book, references were made not only to ancient and modern annotations but also to English, Japanese, and mainland scholars' specialized works on the Zhuangzi. However, the references are limited to etymological explanations based on academic needs and do not involve political or ideological issues.
6. During the writing of this book, Mr. Yan Ling published the "Collected Zhuangzi (Part One)" and the "Art of Literature of Zhuangzi," issued by the Yiwen Yinshu Press, which greatly facilitated the annotation work in this book.