Classics of Ancient Chinese Literature (Volume 1 and 2) -- Basic Collection of Chinese Family Libraries

Author: Wu Chucai (Qing Dynasty), Wu Diao Hou (editor), translated by Chen Xi Cun and others
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-09-01
Features: During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, two literary anthologies that had a wide influence and were widely circulated in later generations emerged: one was Ancient Poetry Source compiled by Shen Deqian, and the other was Essentials of Classical Chinese Prose compiled by Wu Chucai and Wu Diao Hou. These two books can be considered the twin gems of classical Chinese prose and poetry anthologies of that era. They had clear divisions of labor: Ancient Poetry Source selected poems from ancient times to the Sui Dynasty, while Essentials of Classical Chinese Prose compiled prose from the Eastern Zhou Dynasty to the late Ming Dynasty, totaling 220 pieces. It is often said that China has always been a land of poetry since ancient times, and this statement is not entirely unfounded. Compared to poetry, ancient Chinese prose was no less outstanding and had equally glorious history. Ancient Chinese prose emerged early and has always held a pivotal position in literary history from the very beginning. The reason why ancient prose dominated the literary scene so early was its strong practicality, which was widely used in various fields of social life. The earliest surviving prose collection, the Book of Documents, records nothing but military and state affairs. Later, the scope of prose application expanded further, and almost every field of social life was involved in prose. Precisely for this reason, ancient prose was extremely diverse. The various literary genres listed by Liu Xie in The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons, except for a limited number of genres such as sao (a type of ancient poetry), poetry, yuefu (a type of ancient poetic song), and fu (a type of prose), all belong to prose. It can be said that prose is a large family of ancient literary genres, and its prosperity stems from its practicality, adapting to the multifaceted needs of society. The form of prose has great inclusiveness, as it can narrate stories, discuss issues, and express emotions, thus leading to the classification of narrative prose, argumentative prose, and lyrical prose. It can also combine the three, blending narration, argumentation, and emotion into one. Poetry, however, is different. Pure narration or emotion can be poetry, but pure argumentation is often dull. The inclusiveness of the prose form is also reflected in its acceptance of poetry, as poetry can be interspersed within prose, while interspersing prose in poetry seems awkward. The diversity of prose's functions stems from this inclusiveness, which also made it a long-lasting literary genre in ancient China. The development of ancient Chinese prose followed a path from unity to differentiation. Initially, prose was an integral whole of literature, philosophy, and history, with no strictly defined literary prose. It was only from the later period of the Warring States that literary prose began to break free from its primitive state and differentiate itself from the unified mother body, becoming a relatively pure literary work. As time passed, the literary consciousness of the creators gradually improved, and the literary nature of prose also became stronger, making it more valuable for aesthetic appreciation. Reading Essentials of Classical Chinese Prose, one can see the evolution of ancient prose mentioned above. This book is not confined to any single school or faction, but widely selects outstanding masterpieces from various dynasties with high ideological and artistic value, providing a relatively comprehensive reflection of the long history and development of Chinese prose. Of course, due to the historical limitations and aesthetic standards of the compilers, not all the selected articles are perfect. It does not include Confucian classics, the prose of the Hundred Schools of Thought, or biographies of figures. Similarly, the Literary Anthology of the Prince of the Liang Dynasty by Xiao Tong of the Liang Dynasty also excluded these genres, which was merely a reflection of the compilers' traditional habits and also determined by the conditions of the time. In the eyes of the compilers, Confucian classics were officially prescribed must-reads, so there was no need to compile them further. The prose of the Hundred Schools of Thought, with its scattered fragments, could not fully convey its meaning. However, the compilers' purpose of strict selection was very clear, as stated in the original preface by Wu Xin Zuo: "to rectify cultivation and benefit later generations." Most of the selected works are prose, with occasional parallel prose and few prose-like fu. However, in the vast sea of literature, it is not easy to pick 222 waves of brilliance with wise eyes, which requires a great talent. Since its publication in the 34th year of the Kangxi period (1695), Essentials of Classical Chinese Prose has been well-received and praised, widely circulated, and household names. This book adopts the strengths of the original book's annotations and incorporates the advantages of various recent annotations. It focuses on introducing historical backgrounds, analyzing ideological content, clarifying text, and removing obstacles, aiming to build a bridge for young readers to read and appreciate classical Chinese, making it easier to approach the treasure trove of classical Chinese. I believe that after understanding the original text, readers will be able to further appreciate its linguistic features and artistic style. During translation and annotation, the Zhonghua Book Company's printed edition was used, and any textual revisions made by the original compilers were retained. For the convenience of reading, ancient characters, variant characters, and traditional characters in the classical Chinese text were also converted to the current standard characters.