Classic talk, heart design

Author: Zhu Ziqing (Author), Li Qiang (Annotation), Zong Ping (Editor)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-12-20
Features: To 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 with having fulfilled their role as pioneers in classical training. However, if readers, after reading this book, think they have already received classical training and no longer wish to engage with classics, then it would be like mistaking the hook for the fish, and the compilers would feel their original intention has been betrayed. — Zhu Ziqing, Mr. Peiyan, has always been dedicated to promoting, introducing, correcting, and advancing traditional Chinese culture. Though his efforts are like drops of water or small bowls of rice, they are simple yet profound, extremely practical. Combined with his gentle and unpretentious writing style, he often makes even the most cumbersome facts or complex theories seem light and lively. Reading his works not only keeps one engaged but also allows for effortless comprehension. This book, A Brief Introduction to Classics, is a perfect example of this. — Wu Xiaozhi
In academia, the attitude of being open to learning and avoiding dogmatism is exceptionally important. The records may not always be logically coherent, but this is not a book derived purely from academic theory. Many things we do not understand must be left untouched. Even if we understand something, there may be no need or proper way to explain it, as the original is often a living thing, or it may die once interpreted by us. 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 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 extends to evaluation, comparison, and criticism, where the focus remains the same. — Xu Fancheng
In secondary and higher education, classical training should be a necessary component. The value of classical training lies not in practicality but in culture. A foreign professor once said that the purpose of reading classics is to let people experience them firsthand. This is a very insightful observation. Moreover, for a citizen with a certain level of education, there is an obligation to engage with their own country’s classics. 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, one must understand Xiaoxue (phonetics and character studies), which is why works like the Shuowen Jiezi are also considered part of the classics. Traditional Chinese education can be said to have been entirely focused on reading classics. When classical training became the sole focus of education, it led to imbalance and distortion. Moreover, starting from childhood, students were forced to memorize without understanding, wasting their energy and interest. After the introduction of modern education, the study of classics gradually ceased. Since the Republic of China, there have been a couple of attempts to reintroduce classics in primary and secondary schools, but they all failed and were seen as a step backward. On the other hand, the Ministry of Education’s junior high school Chinese curriculum standards include the phrase, “to enable students to understand their own culture through the Chinese language and characters.” The textbooks for junior and senior high schools include selections from classics. This shows that the abolition of classic study does not mean the abolition of classical training. In fact, classical training has not only continued but also expanded its scope, no longer limited to classics and selecting materials based on students’ levels, thus avoiding the problem of superficial understanding. This is truly an improvement.
Chinese classics, being unorganized, are particularly difficult to read, and most people are 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, helping many beginners. However, in this modern era, these books are no longer suitable. We know that the Qing Dynasty’s “scholars” made significant contributions to the collation and interpretation of classics. In our ideal, general readers’ editions of classics—some should be complete, others selected or abridged—should as much as possible adopt their conclusions: dividing the text into sections, using precise punctuation, 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 no single person or period can achieve alone. Some of the Student’s Chinese Classics Series published by Commercial Press seems to follow this intention, but they are still far from our ideal standards.
Since an ideal classic edition is not easily attainable, some people have considered tackling the problem at the surface level first. Mr. Gu Jiegang’s translation of the Book of Documents in simple vernacular Chinese and his writing of the Brief History of Han Dynasty Academia in the same style serve this purpose. While this approach may not allow the general public to directly engage with classics, it can still inspire 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 with having fulfilled their role as pioneers in classical training. However, if readers, after reading this book, think they have already received classical training and no longer wish to engage with classics, then it would be like mistaking the hook for the fish, and the compilers would feel their original intention has been betrayed.