Double Inkstone Notes: A Collection of Academic Notes

Author: (Qing) Deng Tingzhen, edited by Feng Huimin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-08-11
Features: Notes from Shuang Yan Zhai by Deng Tingzhen (1775–1846), styled Xueyun, a native of Jiangning, Jiangsu. He passed the imperial examination in the sixth year of the Jiaqing reign (1801) and served in Zhejiang, Shaanxi, Hubei, and other regions. In the sixth year of the Daoguang reign (1826), he was promoted to Governor of Anhui. During his ten-year tenure, he worked on water conservancy projects, reinforced dikes and sluices, and achieved notable achievements. In the fifteenth year of the Daoguang reign (1835), he became Governor of Liangguang. At that time, opium smoking was rampant, leading to a drain of silver. Deng Tingzhen strictly enforced anti-opium laws, arrested opium smugglers, prohibited opium-laden ships from entering, and strengthened coastal defense, successfully intercepting and capturing enemy vessels. In the nineteenth year of the Daoguang reign (1839), Lin Zexu was ordered to Guangdong to suppress opium. Deng Tingzhen worked in tandem with him, destroying all confiscated opium stored on captured ships and using military force to achieve repeated victories. Later, due to urgent defense needs in Fujian, he was transferred to become Governor of Min-Zhe. He purchased foreign cannons, recruited naval troops, and repeatedly repelled invading British forces. In September of the twentieth year of the Daoguang reign (1840), he and Lin Zexu were dismissed from office. The following year, he was exiled to Ili. Two years later, he was released and later appointed as Governor of Gansu, eventually becoming Governor of Shaanxi. In the twenty-sixth year of the Daoguang reign (1846), he died in office. Historians describe Deng Tingzhen as "a scholar who valued learning and scholars, with many renowned figures in his entourage, and one who never ceased in his pursuit of knowledge. He was particularly skilled in phonology and authored notes, poems, and ci poetry that gained recognition." In addition to this book, he also wrote works such as The Spectrum of Overlapping Sounds and Rhymes and Notes from Shuang Yan Zhai on Ci Poetry.
Notes from Shuang Yan Zhai consists of six volumes, preceded by a preface by Tan Xian of Renhe. Tan's original name was Tan Tingxian, styled Zhongxiu, and styled Fuchang. He was renowned for his literary talents and expertise in philology, with a collected works titled Fuchang Collection. According to the postscript by Deng's grandson, Jia Chun, the book was compiled by Tan Xian and "includes discussions by Chen Zhuoda, a scholar, and other miscellaneous notes." Chen Zhuoda, named Li, was an expert in textual studies. His annotations, along with those by Tan Xian, often supplemented or corrected the text, making them valuable references. As Tan Xian stated in his preface, Notes from Shuang Yan Zhai "begins with the Six Arts, followed by philology, then various books. Within these, it first discusses phonology before textual studies, with discussions on poetry and ci poetry appended." The book focuses on analyzing textual, phonological, and etymological aspects of classical texts, placing particular emphasis on phonology. Deng believed that "those who interpret classics without considering phonology and instead rely on literal interpretations often miss the mark." He also argued that "scholars of the past sought meaning through phonology," that "where meanings are the same, their sounds must be the same, regardless of differences in characters," and that "etymology cannot be pursued without reference to phonology." These views are evident throughout volumes one to five. Volume six is dedicated to poetry and ci poetry, offering many fresh insights.