"Two Han Confucian Classics: A Discussion of the Ancient and Modern Texts -- China Bookstore. Philosophy and Social Sciences Category: China Bookstore. Philosophy and Social Sciences Category

Author: Qian Mu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-07-01
Features: Written by the Chinese historian Qian Mu, this book includes a preface and four essays following the table of contents: "The Genealogy of Liu Xiang and Liu Xin," "The Examination of the Family Traditions of the Han Scholars," "Confucius and the Spring and Autumn Annals," and "A Study on the Poems of the Rites of Zhou as a Substitute for the Original Text." "The Genealogy of Liu Xiang and Liu Xin" compiles a chronological table based on ancient history, aiming to refute Kang Youwei's argument in "The Examination of the Spurious Classics of the New Learning" that Liu Xin forged the ancient-script classics. "The Examination of the Family Traditions of the Han Scholars" specifically discusses the origins of the scholars, distinguishing between the "Scholarship of the Imperial Officials" and the "Hundred Schools of Thought." Scholars were the inheritors of the "Hundred Schools of Thought" and later became the guardians of the official learning of the Han Dynasty. From a chaotic mix of schools to Emperor Wu of Han establishing the "Five Classics Scholars," the system reverted to the revered official learning of the classics. This clarifies that scholars and the Confucian classics were not the same, and the later debate over ancient-script and modern-script classics was also a futile argument. "Confucius and the Spring and Autumn Annals" further elaborates on the role of the Spring and Autumn Annals in Confucius's academic thought and its evolution in later generations. It offers insightful perspectives on the historical changes in the status of the three commentaries—Gongyang, Guliang, and Zuozhuan—and the inner workings of the debate over ancient-script and modern-script classics in the late Qing Dynasty. "A Study on the Poems of the Rites of Zhou as a Substitute for the Original Text" challenges the claim that the Rites of Zhou was written by the Duke of Zhou or forged by Liu Xin and instead proposes that it was compiled by a knowledgeable person in the late Warring States period, synthesizing ancient and modern institutions. In summary, these four essays, along with the preface, align with the self-stated goal of clarifying the truth behind the debate over ancient-script and modern-script classics. They are powerful texts that Qian Mu composed through textual research, demonstrating his ability to clarify ancient history and articulate his academic perspectives.