Siku Tiyao Bianzheng (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Yu Jiaxi
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-11-01
Features: "The Compendium of the Four Treasuries" consists of four hundred and ninety chapters, including sixty-one in the Classics section, one hundred and eight in the History section, two hundred and seventeen in the Philosophy section, and one hundred and three in the Literature section. It can be said that his focus lies primarily in the Philosophy and History sections, differing from the Qing scholars' emphasis on Classics and philology. In terms of the eras covered, it includes works from ancient times to the Qing Dynasty, but the majority are from the Song Dynasty, numbering two hundred and thirty, nearly half of the entire book. All of this demonstrates the author's specialized expertise within his broad knowledge. "The Compendium of the Four Treasuries" covers a vast and profound subject, providing precise and scientific interpretations of the various complex and difficult issues in nearly five hundred books. It addresses matters such as the attribution of authors, the origins and endings of book composition, the division and combination of content, the completeness and fragmentation of transmission, and the authenticity of manuscripts, all with very specific corrections and insights. It should be said that the "Compendium of the Four Treasuries" clearly exhibits a biased and one-sided perspective, such as suppressing the Song Dynasty's scholarship from the standpoint of Han Dynasty orthodoxy or making frivolous and superficial criticisms of Western learning. Criticisms of this nature are relatively easy to raise, and although Mr. Yu's observations are very insightful, discussions or criticisms can vary based on differing perspectives, so it is unnecessary to address them one by one or engage in detailed debates, which is why they are generally not heavilyed.