A Study of the History of the Qin, Han, Wei, and Jin Dynasties (Revised Edition)

Author: Tian Yuqing
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-02-01
Features: The book Explorations in the History of the Qin, Han, Wei, and Jin Dynasties collects recent works on history within the title's chronological scope. Most articles were written between 1979 and 1989, though a few were completed slightly later, but their content was all developed during those ten years. Two articles were written earlier, and as they share thematic continuity or relevance with the other essays in Explorations, they were included after editing. Naming the book Explorations lacks novelty and leaves something to be desired. I originally wanted to incorporate the ten-year time frame into the title. These ten years were vastly different from the past, with improved external conditions for reading and writing, which was a rare opportunity. A literary figure titled an article Ten Years of Stumbling, which caught my attention. I was eager to find a similar title. After much deliberation, however, I abandoned this idea. After all, history differs from literature, and ancient history differs from modern history. Ancient history lacks a sense of the present and is inherently dry, while my articles are quite condensed, making them difficult to read without a light touch. A book like this would not suit a title that is philosophical, literary, and lively—better to keep it simple and straightforward. My interest lies in uncovering hidden truths, and naming the book Explorations is quite fitting. All the articles included in Explorations have been revised, with some undergoing significant changes or even being rewritten. The revisions may involve changing titles, adding internal headings, supplementing or correcting materials, or refining arguments. However, the main themes of each article remain largely intact to preserve their authenticity. Several articles now include brief postscripts, generally containing additional information or conclusions that were not included in the original revisions, or offering explanations of the original work. Since some articles in Explorations already had "appendices" or "postscripts," the newly added texts are uniformly marked as "Author's Postscript" to distinguish them from the original appendices. Over the past ten years, my reflections and writings have inevitably left me feeling like a latecomer. Yet, my self-awareness and understanding of scholarly discipline have grown steadily. A learned and versatile literary figure, when asked about his plans for future works of a similar nature after one of his books went to press, replied that if he were to write without the means to do so, he would only regret it; but if he had the means to write but produced something mediocre, he would regret it even more, and that regret would be unbearable. Therefore, he emphasized, "I would rather regret than regret." I have pondered these words for a long time. I know that disciplines differ, and knowledge varies in depth, so I cannot speak for all and compare myself to predecessors. Still, the scholarly maxim "I would rather regret than regret" reads like a contemporary Records of the Grand Masters—rich, soul-stirring, and deeply reflective. I take it as my guiding principle. The book Explorations in the History of the Qin, Han, Wei, and Jin Dynasties collects recent works on history within the title's chronological scope. Most articles were written between 1979 and 1989, though a few were completed slightly later, but their content was all developed during those ten years. Two articles were written earlier, and as they share thematic continuity or relevance with the other essays in Explorations, they were included after editing.