Sayings of the World - An Annotated Edition (Revised Edition) - Complete Four Volumes

Author: Liu Yiqing (Southern Dynasties of Song)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-06-01
Features: This book was first published by Hong Kong Dazhong Bookstore in September 1969. Shortly after its publication, it was reprinted by Taipei Shushu Publishing House, and its sales volume was surprisingly high. "Sayings of the World" is not only a classic of ancient Chinese literature but also an important historical and philosophical text. Its prose is exquisite, and its content is profound, making it a treasured gem for generations of scholars. Unfortunately, due to the long history of copying and reprinting, many errors have crept in. The colloquial language and dialects are difficult to understand, and the names of events and items often lead to confusion. Scholars have struggled with this book, making it hard to read quickly. After much reflection on this book, I have often seen its profound meaning, extensively researching historical records and texts. I have even developed its rules and annotations, ensuring a logical and reader-friendly structure. Later, Professor Paul R. Magocsi's English translation of "Sayings of the World: New Perspectives" was published by the University of Minnesota in the United States, and Yu Jiaxi's "Annotations and Explanations of Sayings of the World" was published by Beijing Zhonghua Book Company. Additionally, Xu Zhenqian's "Collated Annotations of Sayings of the World" followed suit. Their academic standards and methodologies were all inspired by previous works. I dare to say that this was a pioneering effort, though perhaps it is too generous to call it a masterpiece.