Book Talk Outside the Book: Chen Xingliang's Prefaces and Postfaces Collection II

Author: Chen Xingliang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-03-01
Features: This book is the sister volume to Speaking Outside the Law. Originally, I had planned to include it in Speaking Outside the Law as well. Mr. Jiang Hao of the Legal Publishing House suggested splitting them into two separate books. After much deliberation, I accepted his advice and thus came into being this book, titled Speaking Outside the Book, to correspond with the title of Speaking Outside the Law. The preface to the book, which is included here, is an important part of the preface I wrote for it. To be honest, the preface to the editor's introduction is neither self-preface nor preface to others' works. A self-preface is one written for one's own work, while a preface to others' works is written for someone else's work. The preface to the editor's introduction does not fit either category. It primarily concerns the positioning of the editor's work within academic achievements.
In ancient times, there was no such form as an editor's work. As the saying goes, "A literary work is a matter of ages, and its success or failure is known only to the author's heart." In such cases, where the work is deeply personal, one would cherish the words as if they were gold, and the writing would necessarily be the work of a single individual. Of course, there were also positions like chief compiler in ancient times. Take Ji Xiaolan during the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, who was the chief compiler of the Siku Quanshu (Complete Collection of the Four Treasuries). However, the compilation of the Siku Quanshu was not about writing but rather about weaving a web of texts, making the title of chief compiler a legitimate official position.
Co-authorship, on the other hand, is a trend that emerged in modern times—a style of writing that is both praised and criticized. Of course, genuine collaboration is legally protected. China's Copyright Law Article 13 specifically addresses the copyright of co-authored works, stating in its first clause: "Works co-authored by two or more persons shall be jointly owned by the co-authors. Those who have not participated in the creation cannot be considered co-authors." This is because the law recognizes co-authored works as a valid form of academic writing.
However, it is rare for a co-authored work to truly matter deeply to its authors. Because "when hearts are in harmony, words align," it is extremely difficult. The division between individuals is as vast as the north and south sides of a mountain. Under such circumstances, for two or more people to write as if they were one mind is indeed a challenge without a miracle like "soulful resonance at a single glance." I remember a renowned writer saying that they never buy co-authored books, let alone editorials.
The China and Foreign Law Journal, under the editorial direction of Professor He Weifang, is said to have an unwritten rule: it rarely publishes co-authored papers by two or more authors. Thus, in the realm of academic creation, there is a preference for individual over collaborative work. "Individual" refers to independent creation, while "collaborative" refers to co-authorship.
Nevertheless, co-authorship still exists in contemporary academic activities, regardless of one's stance on it. When time is pressing and energy is limited, "many hands make light work," and collaboration can yield timely and significant results. Today, academic activities are often named as "projects," encouraging the creation of "big ships." A single person can likely carve a log into a small boat, but building a big ship requires the collective effort of many.
Therefore, in this academic climate, although I myself do not often buy co-authored or edited books and weigh my purchases carefully, I have still edited some books. Some of these were done willingly, with considerable effort invested, while others were undertaken at the request of the publisher. I never consider these edited works as my primary academic achievements, for I know that no enduring classic has ever been the result of editing or co-authorship. It cannot serve as a representative work of a scholar.
Of course, once one holds the title of editor, one is expected to put in some effort. Thus, writing a preface for an edited book becomes an unavoidable duty for the editor, as well as the only way to leave a personal mark on a collection of works that might otherwise be considered a hodgepodge.