Siku Tiyao Bianzheng (Volume 1 and Volume 2)

Author: Yu Jiaxi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-11-01
Features: Sibu Tiyao Bianzheng (A Critical Examination of the Sibu Tiyao) consists of 490 chapters, with 61 in the Classics section, 108 in the History section, 217 in the Philosophy section, and 103 in the Literature section. It can be said that his focus lies primarily in the Philosophy and History sections, differing from the Qing scholars' emphasis on Classics and philology. In terms of the time periods covered, it includes works from ancient times to the Qing Dynasty, but the majority are from the Song Dynasty, numbering 230, nearly half of the entire work. All of this demonstrates the author's specialized expertise within his broad knowledge. Sibu Tiyao Bianzheng covers a vast and profound scope, providing precise and scientific interpretations of the various complex and difficult issues in nearly 500 books. It addresses matters such as the attribution of authors, the origins and completions of works, the organization of content, the completeness of transmissions, and the authenticity of editions, offering very specific corrections and insights. It should be said that the Sibu Tiyao exhibits clear biases with obvious inclinations, such as suppressing the Song Dynasty's scholarship from the perspective of Han studies' orthodoxy or making superficial and hasty critiques of Western learning, which are relatively easy to criticize. Although Mr. Yu's observations are very insightful, discussions can vary based on different perspectives, so it is unnecessary to analyze or critique them one by one, and thus they are generally less of a concern.