Classic talks with a unique approach

Author: Zong Ping
Editor:
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2007-01-01
Features: To inspire their interest and lead them onto the path of classics. This small book is also an effort in this direction. If readers can take it as a boat to sail into the sea of classics, the compilers will be content that they have fulfilled their role as pioneers in classical training. However, if readers read this book and think they have already received classical training and no longer wish to encounter classics, it would be like mistaking the hook for the fish, which would be a pity for the compilers.
—Zhu Ziqing
Mr. Wu Xiaozhi has always been dedicated to promoting, introducing, correcting, and advancing China's traditional culture. Though his efforts are like drops of water or fragments of a pot, they are simple, unassuming, and extremely practical. Combined with a calm and unpretentious writing style, he often handles the most cumbersome facts or complex theories in an exceptionally light and vivid manner. Reading his articles not only prevents boredom but also allows readers to grasp the essence effortlessly. This book, A Brief Introduction to Classics, is a perfect example of this.
—Wu Xiaozhi
In academia, the attitude of being open to doubt is extremely important. The records may not always contain logical coherence, but this is not a book derived purely from academic theory. Many things we do not understand must be left undiscussed. Even if we understand something, it may not be appropriate to explain it or explain it in that way, as the original is often a living thing, and once interpreted by us, it may lose its vitality. If we truly understand and are aware that we will not kill a living truth, then we may attempt to interpret it, but the focus should be on forming a clear subjective understanding. Here, the subjective understanding is not based on the observer's perspective but on the perspective of the object itself. For example, when reading the Three Hundred Poems, one should understand them from the perspective of the Three Hundred Poems itself, not through the lens of the Record of the Near Thoughts. This principle applies to evaluation, comparison, and criticism as well.
—Xu Fancheng
In education above the secondary level, classical training should be a necessary component. The value of classical training lies not in practicality but in culture. An overseas professor once said that the purpose of reading classics is to let people experience them firsthand. This is a very insightful remark. Moreover, for a citizen with a certain level of education, there is an obligation to engage with the classics of their own country. The classics referred to in this book are used in a broad sense, including the Five Classics, the Pre-Qin philosophers, several historical texts, and some collections. To read these books, especially the classics and philosophical texts, requires understanding of "Xiaoxue," or textual studies, which is why books like Shuowen Jiezi are also considered classics. Traditional Chinese education can be said to have been entirely focused on reading classics. When classical training became the sole component of education, it led to imbalance and distortion. Moreover, since it began in early childhood, students could not assimilate the knowledge, wasting their energy and interest. After the introduction of modern education, reading classics gradually ceased. Although there were a couple of movements to reintroduce classics in primary and secondary schools during the Republican era, they failed and were seen as a step backward. On the other hand, the Ministry of Education's curriculum standards for junior high school Chinese included the phrase "to enable students to understand their own culture through the Chinese language and script." The textbooks for junior and senior high schools include selections from classics. This shows that the abolition of reading classics does not mean the abolition of classical training; rather, classical training has expanded its scope, no longer limited to classics, and selects materials based on students' levels, avoiding the problem of superficial learning. This is indeed progress.
Chinese classics, being unorganized, are particularly difficult to read, and most people are often intimidated by them, leading to avoidance. Zhu Xi seemed to recognize this, and one of the purposes of his annotations on the Four Books was to make them accessible to the general public. He succeeded, and his annotations remained popular for several centuries, benefiting many beginners. However, in this era, these books are no longer suitable. We know that the "Han scholars" of the Qing Dynasty made significant contributions to the collation and interpretation of classics. In our ideal, general readers' editions of classics—some should be complete, while others should be selected or abridged—should as much as possible adopt their conclusions: dividing the text into sections, carefully punctuating, and providing concise annotations in vernacular Chinese. Each edition should also include a practical and clear vernacular preface. This requires insight, learning, and experience, something that cannot be achieved by one person in a single period. Some of the Student Chinese Classics Series compiled and published by the Commercial Press seems to share this intention, but they are still far from our ideal standards.
Since an ideal classic edition is not easily available, some people consider tackling the problem at the surface level first. Mr. Gu Jiegang translated the Book of Documents into simple vernacular Chinese and wrote A Brief History of Han Dynasty Scholarship in the same style, with this very purpose. While this approach cannot directly bring the general public close to classics, it can inspire their interest and guide them onto the path of classics. This small book is also an effort in this direction. If readers can take it as a boat to sail into the sea of classics, the compilers will be content that they have fulfilled their role as pioneers in classical training. However, if readers read this book and think they have already received classical training and no longer wish to encounter classics, it would be like mistaking the hook for the fish, which would be a pity for the compilers.