Zhitang's Book Talk (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Zhou Zuoren, written by Zhou Zuoren, edited by Zhong Shuhe
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-09-01
Features: Zhou Zuoren (1885–1967), self-named Zhichang, was a native of Shaoxing, Zhejiang. A modern important prose writer and cultural scholar, Zhichang's Book Talk compiles over thirty of his collected works and writings outside of his collected works, as well as unpublished manuscripts discussing books, into four series: Reading New Books and Old Novels, Books on Japan, Books on the West, and Books on Ancient and Old Books, published in two volumes. Zhichang's Prefaces and Postfaces covers the same scope as Zhichang's Book Talk, organized into three series: self-authored prefaces and postfaces, prefaces and postfaces written for others, and inscriptions and reading notes. These three books form an integral whole. The 1986 edition by Yue Lu Book Society consisted of two volumes of book talk and one volume of prefaces and postfaces. The 1997 edition by Hainan Publishing House combined them into two thick volumes. This time, they are still divided into three volumes because they include writings outside of the collected works and unpublished manuscripts, greatly expanding the content compared to the 1986 edition.
The ancients often advised people to read books, saying that the joy of reading was... In addition, there is a school of thought that claims reading brings benefits... What I discuss does not fully align with either of these schools. If I must put it into words, perhaps it could be said that one reads for the sake of one's own education. Without significant benefits or great joy, what one gains is only a little knowledge, and knowledge is also a form of suffering. At the very least, knowledge always carries a bitter taste.
The ancient Hebrew prophets said, "I devoted myself to understanding wisdom, folly, and ignorance, only to realize that it is like chasing the wind. The more wisdom one has, the more sorrow one experiences; the more knowledge one gains, the more grief one accumulates."... However, no matter what, loneliness is inevitable. Only those who can endure loneliness can truly follow this path.