Method of Collating and Reading Ancient Chinese Books (Flat)

Author: Song Ziran (Compiler)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-08-01
Features:
Collation of ancient books is a method of reading ancient texts, and every reader of ancient books consciously or unconsciously employs this method. When we read ancient books, we always hope to grasp the original meaning of the ancients. However, the original meaning of the ancients, i.e., the true essence of ancient books, is often shrouded in the dust of history. For example, during the long process of copying and engraving, errors, omissions, inversions, and additions in ancient books are inevitable; many annotations from later generations are not entirely trustworthy. The Qing Dynasty scholar Yu Yue once wrote in the preface to his Examples of Doubts in Ancient Books: "To hold the currently transmitted and engraved books as the true originals of the ancients is like hearing someone say bamboo shoots are edible and then returning to boil the bamboo basket." This means that the true appearance and essence of ancient books often become distorted over time. Therefore, clearing away this historical dust, restoring the true form of ancient books, and seeking their true essence have become the professional work of some scholars (such as annotating ancient books and collating ancient texts); ordinary readers, whenever opening a book on their desk, cannot avoid the labor of dusting and clearing away the dust. This is like identifying goods—apart from inspection personnel, ordinary people also need some common sense to discern their authenticity, superiority, and inferiority. This book aims to study the collation achievements of predecessors and contemporary scholars, summarize some specific methods of reading, and thereby help readers of ancient books truly understand them, discover their errors and mistakes, and seek their true essence.
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