"Classical Texts and Corrupt Interpretations (Set of Two Volumes)"

Author: Ruan Yuan and others (Qing Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features: When we read ancient texts from the pre-Qin and Han dynasties or unearthed written materials today, we need to accurately interpret the meanings of characters. This often requires two methods: one is to consult elementary books like Shuowen Jiezi and Erya, and the other is to examine ancient annotations from the Han and Tang dynasties. However, the interpretation of a single character's meaning is often scattered across various books, making it extremely inconvenient to find. During the Qing Dynasty, the Qian-Jia scholars believed: "One must first master textual interpretation before they can properly study classics." Under this guiding principle, they not only devoted great effort to annotating elementary books like Shuowen Jiezi and Erya, but also paid attention to compiling scattered Han and Tang dynasty annotations into books for easier access. However, this endeavor was ultimately unsuccessful in being completed. In the 60th year of the Qianlong reign (1795), Ruan Yuan served as the Chief Education Official of Zhejiang. Due to his long-standing interest in textual interpretation, upon taking office, he organized a team of scholars to compile and categorize texts, arranging them according to rhyme and character. They collected ancient annotations from elementary books and Han-Tang dynasty annotations, dividing them into separate volumes. Later, he hired Jian Yong, an expert in textual interpretation, to oversee the project, which was completed in the third year of the Jiaqing reign (1798) as Jingji Zuanju in 106 volumes. This book is rich in content, and former scholars praised it as "Opening one rhyme reveals a comprehensive array of characters, and checking one character presents all possible interpretations." It is truly no exaggeration to call it "the master of classic traditions and the treasury of textual interpretation," "endless in its resources and inexhaustible in its utility."