Classics Illustrated

Author: Wu Chucai
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-09-01
Features: During the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty, two literary anthologies that had a wide influence and were widely circulated in later generations appeared: one was Ancient Poetry Source compiled by Shen Deqian, and the other was Essentials of Classical Chinese Prose compiled by Wu Chucai and Wu Dihou. These two books are considered the twin gems of classical Chinese poetry and prose anthologies of that era. They had clear divisions of labor: Ancient Poetry Source selected poems from ancient times to the Sui Dynasty, while Essentials of Classical Chinese Prose compiled prose from the Eastern Zhou Dynasty to the late Ming Dynasty, totaling 220 pieces. It is often said that China has always been a land of poetry since ancient times, and this statement is not entirely unfounded. Compared to poetry, ancient Chinese prose was no less impressive, sharing a glorious past. Ancient Chinese prose emerged early and has always held a pivotal position in literary history from the very beginning. The reason why ancient prose could dominate the literary scene so early was its strong practicality, widely used in various fields of social life. The earliest surviving prose collection, The Book of Documents, records nothing but military and state affairs. Later, the scope of prose application expanded further, almost every field of social life was involved in prose. Precisely for this reason, ancient prose was extremely diverse. The various literary forms listed by Liu Xie in The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons, except for a limited number of forms such as sao (a type of ancient verse), poetry, yuefu (a type of ancient song), and fu (a type of prose poem), all belong to prose. It can be said that prose is a large family of ancient literary forms, and its prosperity stems from its practicality, adapting to the multifaceted needs of society. The (structure) of prose is highly inclusive, as it can narrate, debate, and express emotions, thus dividing it into narrative prose, argumentative prose, and lyrical prose. It can also combine these three elements, blending narration, debate, and expression into one. Poetry, however, is different. Simple narration or expression can be poetic, but pure argumentation tends to be dull. The inclusiveness of the (structure) of prose is also reflected in its acceptance of poetry, as poetry can be interspersed within prose, while prose interspersed within poetry seems awkward. The diversity of prose's functions stems from this inclusiveness, which also made it a long-lasting literary form in ancient China. The development of ancient Chinese prose followed a path from unity to differentiation. Initially, prose was an inseparable mixture of literature, history, and philosophy, with no strictly defined literary prose. It was only from the later period of the Warring States that literary prose began to break free from its primitive state, differentiating itself from the unified mother body to become a more pure literary work. As time passed, the literary consciousness of the creators gradually improved, and the literary quality of prose also strengthened, making it more valuable for aesthetic appreciation. Reading Essentials of Classical Chinese Prose, one can see the evolution of ancient prose mentioned above. Essentials of Classical Chinese Prose is not confined to a single school or faction, widely selecting famous and excellent works from various dynasties with high ideological and artistic value, providing a relatively comprehensive reflection of the long history and development of Chinese prose. Of course, due to the historical limitations and aesthetic standards of the compilers, not all the selected articles are perfect. It does not include Confucian classics, the prose of the Hundred Schools of Thought, or biographies of figures. Similarly, the Literary Selections of the Prince of the Liang Dynasty by Xiao Tong of the Liang Dynasty also excluded these categories, which was merely a reflection of the compilers' traditional habits and determined by the conditions of the time. In the compilers' view, Confucian classics were officially designated must-reads, making further compilation unnecessary. The prose of the Hundred Schools of Thought, with scattered fragments, could not fully convey their essence. However, the compilers' purpose was very clear, as stated in Wu Xinze's original preface: "to correct moral cultivation and benefit later generations." The selected works are mostly prose, with occasional parallel prose and rare prose-like fu. However, in the vast sea of literature, it took a wise eye to select 222 waves of splendor, a feat only achievable by a master. Since its publication in the 34th year of the Kangxi reign (1695), Essentials of Classical Chinese Prose has been well-received and praised, widely circulated, and household. This book adopts the strengths of the original book's annotations and incorporates the advantages of various recent commentaries. It focuses on introducing historical backgrounds, analyzing ideological content, clarifying text, and removing obstacles, aiming to build a bridge for young readers to read and appreciate classical Chinese, making it easier to access the treasure trove of classical literature. It is believed that after understanding the original text, readers will further appreciate its linguistic features and artistic style. During translation and annotation, the Zhonghua Book Company's printed edition was used, and any textual revisions made by the original compilers were retained. For the sake of reader convenience, archaic characters, variant characters, and traditional characters in the classical Chinese text were also converted to the current standard characters.