National Studies Knowledge Speech

Author: Bi Baoquan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: The study of traditional Chinese culture is currently gaining popularity, but this book is not a trendy work—it is a topic that has been brewing in my mind and fully prepared over more than two decades. After completing my graduate studies, I devoted myself to teaching and research in higher education, never leaving the lecture hall, and remained immersed in the study of ancient literature. I have always paid great attention to the core of traditional Chinese culture—Confucian classics, history, and literature. "Traditional Chinese culture" is first and foremost the carrier of the Chinese nation's soul. Its essence lies in the reproduction of the noble spirit of the ancients, which is a form of moral beauty. This moral beauty is contained in traditional Confucian classics, history, and literature. It is precisely this spiritual inheritance that has made the Chinese nation one of the greatest nations in the world. The purpose of writing this book is to present the fundamental knowledge of traditional Chinese culture and how to approach it in simple language, hoping to inspire readers' interest in this field. If it can spark readers' interest in traditional Chinese culture, that would be the greatest achievement. The scope of traditional Chinese culture includes Confucian classics, history, philosophy, and literature. Its core is literature, history, and philosophy, and its foundation is the Chinese language. Therefore, we will start with the Chinese language, as a foundation in textual studies is essential to access traditional Chinese culture. Then, we will introduce textual studies, including three aspects: "Book Systems," "Bibliography," and "Textual Criticism." These are indispensable knowledge for studying traditional Chinese culture and the gateway to it. After that, we will begin to explore the grand hall of traditional Chinese culture in a broad sense. The two lectures on "Hundred Schools of Thought" and "The Four Books and Five Classics" provide a general overview of Confucian classics, covering their origins and main contents. The following three lectures focus on history and literature, but they only touch the surface, incorporating the main knowledge and content to give readers a general impression. The final part covers related knowledge about traditional Chinese culture, such as the astronomical and calendrical knowledge, historical official systems, and ancient geographical knowledge required to study it. In summary, the book is divided into four parts: the Chinese language, textual studies, history and literature, and related knowledge of traditional Chinese culture. From the inside out, it presents the fundamental knowledge of traditional Chinese culture in a concise and clear manner.