New Exploration in Ancient Historical and Literary Studies

Author: Qiu Xigui
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2000-01-01
Features: Bamboo slip edition of "Yanzi," providing important materials for studying the changes in the division and combination of chapters in these two books. The Western version of the bamboo slip "Laozi" is all "De Jing" before "Dao Jing," with the order opposite to the common version, but consistent with "Han Feizi·Jie Lao" and Yan Zun's "Dao De Zhi Gui." The common version is divided into 81 chapters, while the bamboo slip version of Yi does not divide chapters, and the Jia version has some paragraphs marked with dots at the beginning, showing certain similarities and differences in the division and combination of paragraphs between ancient and modern versions. Some chapters in the common version are in different positions compared to the bamboo slip version. In all cases where there are differences, the order in the bamboo slip version is more reasonable (see "Preface" in "Mawangdui Han Tomb Bamboo Slips [Volume 1]"). The Yinque Mountain bamboo slip edition of "Yanzi" is an unsorted version by Liu Xiang, containing 16 chapters, scattered across 8 chapters in the modern version. Each chapter lacks the chapter titles in the modern version. Chapters 20 and 21 of the modern "Ask the Upper" and chapters 22 and 23 of the modern "Ask the Lower" are combined into one chapter in the bamboo slip version. If we conduct in-depth research on the Mawangdui bamboo slips and Yinque Mountain bamboo slips, we will surely gain many new insights into the origins of ancient texts. Below are examples of how underground materials contribute to the collation of ancient texts. First, let's take the examples of using oracle bone inscriptions and bronze inscriptions from the pre-Qin period to collate ancient texts such as "Shang Shu" and "Shijing." The era of oracle bone and bronze inscriptions is the same as or close to that of "Shijing" and "Shang Shu," so they are often used to correct the text of "Shijing" and "Shang Shu" and to clarify their meanings. In this regard, modern scholars have achieved considerable success, but we can only discuss some key points here.
In "Da Gao" of "Shang Shu," King Wen is referred to as "Ning Wang" (also seen in "Jun Shuang"), and ancestors are called "Qian Ning Ren." In the past, the meaning of "Ning" was unclear. In the late Qing Dynasty, Wu Daji and Sun Yirang pointed out that the character "Wen" in bronze inscriptions often includes "heart," and its shape is similar to "Xuan," suggesting that the "Ning" characters mentioned above should be interpreted as misreadings of "Wen" (see Wu's "Zishuo" and Sun's "Shang Shu Pianzhi"). (Editor's note: There are inaccuracies in the original text described here, which have been slightly revised. Regarding this textual criticism issue, please refer to "Discussing an Important Discovery by Late Qing Scholars in Using Bronze Inscriptions for Textual Criticism," included in this book.) Bronze inscriptions from the Western Zhou period often refer to scribes as "Zuo Ce." In "Lu Gao" of "Shang Shu," "The King commands Zuo Ce Yi Zhou Ce." Yi is a name, and Zuo Ce is his official title. In the past, the meaning of "Zuo Ce" was unclear, and "The King commands Zuo Ce" was taken as a sentence, with "Zuo Ce" seen as an action commanded by the King. Sun Yirang pointed out in "Guzhu Lishiyi" (Volume 7, page 7) and "Zhoubi Zhengyi" ("Chun Guan·Neishi") that "Zuo Ce" is an official title, inspired by bronze inscriptions (see Wang Guowei's "Shu Zuo Ce Shi Yi," "Guangang Bieji," Volume 1). Wang Guowei made significant contributions to collating "Shijing" and "Shang Shu" using bronze inscriptions. For example, he noted that "Li Jun Bai Sheng (Xing)" in the Shi Song Gui implies that "Li Ju" in "Shang Shu·Jiu Gao" should be interpreted as "Li Jun" (see Wu Qichang's edited Wang Guowei's "Shang Shu Jingshu," and Yang Yunru's "Shang Shu Yi Gou"). Based on "Fu You Si Fang" in the Mu Ding, he pointed out that "You You Si Fang" in "Shang Shu·Jin Teng" should be read as "You." Based on the usage of "She Ming" in the Mao Gong Ding and Ke Ding inscriptions, he argued that "She Ming" in "Shijing·Bei Feng·Lao Qiu" should not be interpreted as "residing in a command" as per Zheng's annotation, but as "delivering the lord's command." Based on "Mi Qi Sheng" in the Cai Gu Gui, he pointed out that "Xing" in "Dai Ya·Juan E" should be read as "Sheng," meaning "Mi Sheng" is a long life. Based on "Nü Zhao Hui Gong" in the Bu Biao Gui, he pointed out that "Gong" in "Dai Ya·Jiang Han" should be read as "Gong," meaning "Rong Gong" refers to military affairs. (All above see "Discussing the Use of Idioms in Shijing and Shang Shu with a Friend," "Guangang Jilin," Volume 2). He also noted that based on "Nü Ji Rong Da Zhang (Dun) Zun Ge" in the Bu Biao Gui, "Dun" in "Dai Ya Chang Wu" and "Lu Song·Men Gong" should be interpreted as "Pai" or "Fa." (See "Commentary on the Inscription of Bu Biao Dun Gai," included in "Five Types of Bronze Inscription Explanations by Wang Guowei"). (Editor's note: Sun Yirang has already pointed out in "Guzhu Yu Lun" (Volume 3) that "Gu Dai" is the same as "Pai Dun" in "Shijing," meaning "to press and pursue." This example was not mentioned by Wang Guowei, but later Guo Moruo pointed it out in "Slavery Era." Wang Guowei also deciphered the names of Shang ancestors "Ji," "Wang Hai," and "Wang Heng" in oracle bone inscriptions, which helped explain the previously ununderstandable phrases "Gai Bing Ji De" and "Heng Bing Ji De" in "Chu Ci·Tian Wen" (see "Studies on Shang Ancestors and Kings Seen in Oracle Bone Inscriptions," "Guangang Jilin," Volume 9).
The "Shijing" contains phrases such as "yi jie mei shou" ("Bing Feng·July"), "yi jie jing fu" ("Xiao Ya·Chu Zi"), and "yi jie wo ji mi shu" ("Xiao Ya·Fu Tian"). In the past, the meaning of "Jie" was unclear. Lin Yigang, inspired by the frequent appearance of "yong yun mei shou" and "yong qi xun mei shou" in bronze inscriptions, pointed out that the "Jie" characters in "Shijing" should be read as "Yun" (Gai), meaning to pray (see "Shijing Tongjie"). In "Lu Gao" of "Shang Shu," "Wang Bin Sha Tan Cheng Ge," the meaning of "Wang Bin" was previously unclear. Guo Moruo, based on the common oracle bone inscriptions "Wang Bin Moumou (name of ancestor)" and "Wang Qi Bin Moumou," pointed out that the "Bin" in "Wang Bin" in "Lu Gao" should be read as "Bi" in "Li Yun," meaning Cheng Wang was hosting Wen Wang and Wu Wang (see "Commentary on Oracle Bone Inscription 39," "Collected Oracle Bone Inscriptions"). The passage above in "Lu Gao" mentions: "Wu Chen, Wang was in the new city, offering sacrifices to the year Wen Wang Yi Niu... Wu Wang Yi Niu one. Yi·Year," a common sacrificial term in oracle bone inscriptions, such as "Bing Chen Bo, Yi Yu Zu Ji Niu." The "Year" character in "Lu Gao" should also have the same meaning as in oracle bone inscriptions, and the old annotations were also incorrect (see Guo Moruo's "Great System of Bronze Inscriptions from the Western Zhou and Spring and Autumn Periods," commentary on Mao Gong Ding). Yu Shengyou also made significant gains in collating "Shang Shu" using bronze inscriptions. For example, inspired by the use of "cu" and "gu" in bronze inscriptions to represent "yu," he read "Yu Nai Bu Fei Zai Wang Ming" in "Kang Gao" as "Yu." Based on "Ju Hou Zhi Ding," "Ju Hou Zhi Chu Jian Shi Yu Zhou," he read "Jian Shi Yu Zhou" in "Kang Gao" as "Shi" (all seen in "New Evidence of Shang Shu"). Mr. Yu also read "Jin Chun Jin Yi Ri" in oracle bone inscriptions as "Jin Chun Jin Yi Ri" (see "Initial Studies on the Origins of Time," "Historical Research," April 1961 issue), which is likely correct. Oracle bone inscriptions often use "Jin Yi" as a time marker. One oracle bone inscription reads: "Zi Jin Chun Jin Yi, Ren Fang Bu Da Chu" (See Oracle Bone Inscriptions Collected by Jilin University, Plate 3, "Journal of Jilin University Social Sciences," April 1963 issue). The "Da Gao" phrase "Jin Chun Jin Yi Ri" may be close to "Zi Jin Chun Jin Yi." The exact meaning of "Jin Yi (Yi)" still needs further research. Oracle bone inscriptions have also played a role in clarifying the meanings of the terms "Da Cai" and "Shao Cai" in "Guo Yi." In "Lu Yu" of "Guo Yi," "Therefore, the Son of Heaven performs the grand cai ceremony to face the sun at noon, and the lesser cai ceremony to observe the moon at dusk, and the nine consorts to monitor at night." In the past, it was believed that "Da Cai" and "Shao Cai" referred to the attire of the Son of Heaven during the morning and evening ceremonies, making the meaning difficult to understand. Oracle bone inscriptions record terms for different time periods in a day, including "Da Cai" and "Xiao Cai" ("Xiao" and "Shao" are archaic variants). Dong Zuobin, in his study of Shang Dynasty timekeeping methods in "Yin Li Pu," used oracle bone inscriptions to corroborate "Guo Yi." It was only then that people realized that "Da Cai" and "Shao Cai" in "Guo Yi," like "Zhong Nian" and "Ri Ren" in the same passage, also indicate the time when the Son of Heaven engages in activities ("Da Cai" and "Xiao Cai" seem to correspond to morning and evening, see "Overview of Oracle Bone Inscriptions from Yinpu").
When we organize and popularize ancient texts such as "Shijing" and "Shang Shu," we should make full use of the achievements of scholars in collating these texts using ancient inscriptions. Below, we will discuss the role of archaeological discoveries of Qin and Han inscriptions in collating ancient texts. The previously mentioned article "Importance" is specifically about this issue, and readers can refer to it. Here, we will only make a brief supplement. Bamboo slips found in Han tombs that still have surviving copies are important evidence for correcting the errors in the modern versions of these ancient texts. In "Importance," we pointed out that scholars who organized the modern version of "Sunzi" did not fully utilize the Yinque Mountain bamboo slips after their publication. The Yinque Mountain bamboo slip edition of "Wu Liao Zi" also suffered a similar fate.