A Brief Collection of Miscellaneous Notes by Shi Lin

Author: Gu Jiegang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Gu Jiegang (1890—1980) was a famous historian from Wuxian, Jiangsu, China. His original name was Songkun, and his courtesy name was Mingjian. He graduated from the Philosophy Department of Peking University. He engaged in historical research and education for a long time. He compiled and wrote works such as The Critique of Ancient History, A Brief History of Han Dynasty Scholarship, and Early Notes on Historical Studies. In his academic research, he accumulated a large amount of experience in scholarship and wrote over 5 million words of reading notes. He believed that reading should focus on "five matters": First, cultivate special interests in specific areas; second, distinguish the urgency and importance of books; third, use one's own judgment; fourth, avoid preconceived notions; fifth, seek more common knowledge. He once said, "I dislike attaching myself to interpretations and even more so than that, I dislike having no vision in my chest, acting like a barking dog." He also said, "Our reading is to find a path to seek knowledge and understanding through the records in books, not to let the books govern our thoughts." Gu Mr.'s insights remain valuable to readers today.