Chinese Culture and Wisdom Strategy

Author: Zhang Dake, He Niguang, Editors
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2000-10-01
Features: As early as the Spring and Autumn Period, the Guoyu (Book of the States) recorded that Shen Shushi, a tutor to the Prince of Chu, recommended nine learning materials for the prince, among which five—Spring and Autumn Annals, Worlds, Discourses, Tales, and Classics—were historical texts, demonstrating the ancient Chinese people's emphasis on historical learning. This book, Chinese Culture and Wisdom Strategies, draws on historical evidence to categorize and select the wisdom and strategies of ancient China according to modern perspectives. In the early 20th century, the Chinese thinker Liang Qichao wrote in Methodology of Chinese Historical Studies: "Among all fields of study in China, only history is most developed; among all countries in the world, only China has a most developed history." These words fully affirmed the position of history in traditional Chinese culture. The Four Divisions of the Canon—Classics, History, Philosophy, and Literature—with history ranking second, illustrates this point. Ancient Chinese historians generally possessed a grand historical vision, integrating knowledge of heaven and earth, connecting past and present, and taking on the mission of compiling history with a high sense of responsibility. They believed that history could contribute to moral ethics and political lessons, emphasizing the use of ancient examples as mirrors for governance, recording historical events truthfully, and applying historical knowledge to practical life. These are all fine traditions of Chinese history and precious heritage of the nation.
Today, our country is at a critical juncture of carrying forward the past and opening the future, advancing toward four modernizations. "Carrying forward the past" means inheriting the fine traditional culture of our nation, while "opening the future" means promoting traditional culture, reviving China, and building four modernizations. To keep pace with the times and seize opportunities, one must learn, learn, and keep learning. The Chinese nation has a long history, and Chinese culture is profound and vast. The Four Divisions of the Canon—Classics, History, Philosophy, and Literature—contain an immense wealth of knowledge. Knowledge is boundless, but life is limited, and there is so much to learn. To achieve twice the result with half the effort, where should one begin? As mentioned earlier, Chinese history records events truthfully and serves as a guide for governance, making it the best starting point for cultivating the spirit and enhancing abilities. Our nation places great importance on its historical activities—there is national history, provincial and county annals, and family histories and genealogies, all of which serve as vivid proof. Valuing historical activities allows us to constantly reflect on our actions, summarize experiences and lessons, and benefit from them.
As early as the Spring and Autumn Period, the Guoyu (Book of the States) recorded that Shen Shushi, a tutor to the Prince of Chu, recommended nine learning materials for the prince, among which five—Spring and Autumn Annals, Worlds, Discourses, Tales, and Classics—were historical texts, demonstrating the ancient Chinese people's emphasis on historical learning. This book, Chinese Culture and Wisdom Strategies, draws on historical evidence to categorize and select the wisdom and strategies of ancient China according to modern perspectives, presenting them through engaging stories to a broad readership. It aims to enhance the wisdom and abilities of young people, instill patriotism subtly, improve moral cultivation, and strengthen the spirit of perseverance. This book is also suitable for adults, offering not only profound education and learning but also valuable insights to help them seize opportunities and achieve success in life and career.
Wisdom and strategy are synonymous but not entirely identical. Wisdom generally refers to a person's ability to think critically, including the capacity to recognize, analyze, judge, handle, and innovate. Strategy, or tactics, refers to the plans and approaches made by wise people to understand and deal with things. They are considered synonymous because they cannot be entirely separated. Therefore, this book abbreviates "wisdom strategies" as "wisdom and strategy" (). The book selects 94 classic texts and stories of wisdom and strategy, divided into four categories:
1. Profound and Vast—Wisdom and Strategy in Classical Masterpieces
2. Governing the State and People—Wisdom and Strategy of Wise Rulers and Virtuous Officials
3. Diplomacy and Intrigue—Wisdom and Strategy of Diplomats
4. Defeating Enemies and Winning Battles—Wisdom and Strategy of Skilled Commanders
Each category forms a section, with an introductory essay before each section explaining its purpose and guiding readers. The evaluations of the classics are concise yet meaningful for better understanding.
This book was initiated and organized by the Central Institute of Socialism and the College of Chinese Culture, with Zhang Dake as the chief editor and He Niguang as the deputy director. It was co-authored by 34 contributors from 13 universities and institutions, including the Beijing Institute of Socialism, Beijing Normal University, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing Chemical Industry Management Cadre College, Northwest University, Lanzhou University, Chongqing Education College, Shanghai University, Soochow University, East China Normal University, Shandong Provincial Institute of Socialism, Dalian Financial and Trade Vocational College, and Harbin Normal University. The authors are primarily literature and history teachers, with some from science and engineering fields, offering diverse perspectives and insights into history. Among the authors are many renowned professors from various fields. For example, Zhang Dake from the Central Institute of Socialism is a famous expert in the Records of the Grand Historian and historical documents; Han Zhaoqi from Beijing Normal University is a renowned expert in classical Chinese biographical literature and a doctoral supervisor; Jiang Shoukuan from Lanzhou University is a professor of historiography; Wei Wei from Northwest University is a professor of documentology; Ye Linsheng from Soochow University is a professor of pre-Qin cultural history; Lai Kehong from Shanghai University is a professor of documentology; Li Jinxiang is a PhD from the United States and a well-known social figure, among others. The collaboration of numerous scholars in writing a popular book reflects their hopes for the younger generation and demonstrates the depth of knowledge in this book.
The writing is fluent and highly readable, offering an artistic and soul-stirring experience. We firmly believe that every reader of this book will learn philosophy, wisdom, and strategic thinking from the classic texts and outstanding figures of past generations, advancing in studies and achieving success in life.