|
|
|
Chapter IV. List of the Principal Works Which
Have Been Employed in the Preparation of this Volume.
Section I. Chinese Works; With Brief Notices
of Them.
1. In the 十三經註疏 (See proleg. to vol. I., p.
129):—
[i.] 春秋左傳註疏,六十卷, 'The Chunqiu and the
Zhuan of Zuo, with Commentary and Explanations; in 60 Books;'
[ii.] 春秋公羊傳註疏,二十八卷, 'The Chunqiu and
the Zhuan of Gongyang, with Commentary and Explanations; in 28 Books;'
[iii.] 春秋榖梁傳註疏,二十卷, 'The Chunqiu and
the Zhuan of Guliang, with Commentary and Explanations; in 20 Books.'
The above three Works are of course Kong
Yingda's editions of the labours of Du Yu, He Xiu, and Fan Ning, on the text
of the Chunqiu and the early Commentaries of Zuoshi, Gongyang, and
Guliang;—of all of which I have spoken in the first chapter of these
prolegomena. Kong's own explanations are as learned and prolix as in the case
of the other Classics. Very little is to be gleaned after him from the books
that have come down to us of the dynasties from the Han to the Tang. I have
generally used the edition of the thirteen Jing (經) by Ruan Yuan; and to the text
of the Shi in it I have referred in the prolegomena to vol. IV., p. 172. The
student should use no other, where this is procurable. The above Works all
contain Ruan's examination of Kong's texts (春秋,左傳,公羊傳,榖梁傳,註疏,校勘記).
4. 欽定春秋傳說彚纂 'Compilation and Digest of Commentaries
and Remarks on the Chunqiu. By imperial authority.' In 40 Books,
the first two being occupied with introductory matter. The Work was ordered
and its preparation entrusted to a committee of the principal scholars of the
empire in 1,699, the 38th year of the period Kangxi, and appeared in 1,721,
the 60th year of the same. I have generally called it the Kangxi Chunqiu.
It deserves the praise which I have bestowed on the imperial editions, in the
present dynasty, of the Shu and the Shi, though I have been disposed to
dissent more frequently from the decisions of the editors themselves. They drew
in preparing it from 134 writers:—3 of the Zhou dynasty; 10 of the Han; 1 of
the Jin; 2 of the Sui; 13 of the Tang; 57 of the Song; 12 of the Yuan; and 36
of the Ming.
According to their plan, there are
subjoined to the text occasionally brief notices of the different readings, the
pronunciation of characters, and the matter. Then follow the Commentaries of
Zuo, Gongyang, Guliang, and Hu An'guo (胡安國, styled 康侯), for the most part in
full; but the editors sometimes take it on them to curtail or even suppress
them entirely where they think them to be in error.
Hu An'guo was a scholar and officer of
the Song dynasty (born in 1,074; died in 1,138). His commentary on our classic,
in 30 Books, is not intrinsically of much value, but it was received on its
publication with great applause by Gaozong, the first emperor of the
southern Song dynasty; and all through the Ming dynasty its authority was
supreme. It formed the standard for competitors at the literary examinations.
Having given those four Commentaries, the editors draw upon their host of
Authorities (集說), and conclude, when they think it necessary, with their own
decisions (案).
6. There was published in 1,677, at the
district city of Kunshan (崑山), department Suzhou, Jiangsu, a large
collection of Works on the Classics, under the title of 通志堂經解, taken from the
name of the hall or library of the gentleman to whom the books belonged. The
expense of publication seems to have been borne by a Manchu, called Nalan
Chengde, with the style of Rongruo (納蘭成德, 容 若). The Collection contains 33
Works on the Chunqiu, all but the last by writers of the Song and Yuan
dynasties. I have had the opportunity of consulting:—
[i.] 春秋傳, 'Commentaries on the Chunqiu.'
In 15 Books; by Liu Chang (劉敞; styled 原父); born 1,019, died 1,077. The
author had written an earlier Work on the Chunqiu, called 春秋權衡. The one
under notice remained in manuscript, until the publication of the Collection in
which we now find it, Still there seems no doubt of its genuineness. Liu draws
largely on the three early Commentaries, but decides between them according to
his own judgment, having adopted, however, the praise-and-censure theory from
Gongyang and Guliang.
[ii.] 春秋傳, 'Commentaries on the Chunqiu.'
In 20 Books, by Ye Mengde (葉夢得; styled 少蘊,and also called 石林). These
last two characters are generally prefixed to the title of the Work, to
distinguish it from the preceding and others. The author was born in 1,077, and
died in 1,148. He shows on the one hand his dissent from Sun Fu (孫復) and others who
wished to discard the three early Commentaries altogether, and not go beyond
the text for its explanation, and on the other hand from Su Che (蘇轍), who held to
Zuoshi and paid no regard to Gong and Gu.
[iii.] 春秋通說, 'A general Exposition of the
Chunqiu.' In 13 Books; by Huang Zhongyan (黃仲炎; styled 若晦), a scholar of
the Song dynasty, who seems for some reason or other not to have advanced
beyond his first degree. His Work was completed in 1,230. He entirely discards
the praise-and-censure theory, and is more than necessarily independent in his
treatment of the three early Commentaries.
[iv.]春秋集註, 'Collected Comments on the
Chunqiu.' In 11 Books; by Zhang Qia (張洽 ; styled 元德 ), a scholar of the
first half of the 13th century. He had previously prepared a Work on the
classic, which he called 春秋集傳; and, dissatisfied with the finish of it, he
prepared the present one, in which he strove to imitate the style and manner of
Zhu Xi on the Analects and Mencius;—and hence its name of 集註. It is a useful
Work, very perspicuous.
[v.]春秋或問, 'The meaning of the Chunqiu
Catechetically elicited.' In 20 Books; by Lü Dagui (呂大圭 ; styled 圭叔, and also
called 樸鄉), who took his 3d degree in 1,247. The catechetical form enables the
author to bring out his views with force; but there is nothing which can be
called peculiarly his own. As between the early commentators, he adheres to Zuo
for the facts, and to Guliang for the principles, having much to say against
Gongyang, and more against He Xiu.
[vi.] 讀春秋編, 'Digest to help in reading the
Chunqiu.' In 12 Books; by Chen Shen (陳深; styled 子微), who lived both in the
Song and Yuan dynasties. He had given to his study the name of 清全齋, which
characters often enter into the title of his Work. He makes constant use of
Zuo's Commentary, but is an advocate of the views of Hu An'guo.
[vii.] 春秋諸國統紀, 'The Records in the Chunqiu
arranged under the States to which they severally belong.' In 22 Books;
by Qi Lüqian (齊履謙; styled 伯恒). His preface is dated in 1,319. The peculiar
character of the Work is shown in the title. He has placed the notices
belonging to Lu before those of Zhou;—very naturally, it seems to me, but the
critics profess to be shocked by the arrangement. A good deal of freedom is
shown in the handling of subjects.
[viii.] 春秋或問, 'The meaning of the Chunqiu
Catechetically elicited.' In 10 Books; by Cheng Duanxue (程端學; styled
時叔, called also 積齋), who took his third degree in 1,321. He was much employed
in the office of historiography, and composed the Work next mentioned and
another on the Chunqiu before he felt equal to this, which is reckoned his
chef d'æuvre. It betrays a sceptical disposition in reference to the three
early Commentaries, and is particularly rich in adducing the opinions of the
Song scholars.
[ix.] 春秋本義, 'The proper Meaning of the
Chunqiu.' In 30 Books; by Cheng Duanxue above. This was his earliest Work
on our Classic, and shows the same tendencies which are fully developed in 'The
Meaning Catechetically elicited.' He gives the names of 176 Works and Authors,
which he had consulted in preparing for his task.
[x.] 春秋諸傳會通, 'All the Commentaries on the
Chunqiu in one view.' In 24 Books; by Li Lian (李廉; styled 行簡). The Author's
preface bears date in 1,349, towards the end of the Yuan dynasty. The substance
of the three early Commentaries, and of their editors, Du Yu, He Xiu, and Fan
Ning, of Kong Yingda, Hu An'guo, Cheng Yichuan, Chen Fuliang (陳傅良), and
Zhang Qia, is all to be found here, with the judgments on their different
views of Li Lian himself. It is a Work of great value.
[xi.] 春秋師說, 'My Master's Teachings on the
Chunqiu.' In 3 Books; by Zhao Pang (趙汸 ; styled 子常), First published in
1,348. The author had studied under Huang Ze (黃澤), famous for his knowledge
of the Yi jing (易經) and the Chunqiu; and here he gives what he had learned from
him on the true meaning of those Classics, and the successes and failures of
previous commentators.
[xii.] 春秋屬辭, 'The Style and Expression in
the Chunqiu on similar Subjects.' In 15 Books; by the same author as the
above. This is an ingenious attempt to make out the principles by which
Confucius was guided in his work of compiling the Chunqiu from the
historiographers of Lu. His principal Authorities are Du Yu and his own
master Huang Ze; but he often differs from them. He did his work well; but we
have seen that all conclusions on the subject must be very uncertain.
[xiii.] 春秋左氏傳補註, 'Supplementary Comments
on the Zhuan of Zuoshi.' In 10 Books, by the same Zhao Pang. A valuable Work.
The writer has before him the three early Commentaries, and it is his object to
correct errors and supply defects in Zuo from Gongyang and Guliang. He has
also before him the labours of Du Yu on Zuo and of Chen Fuliang on Guliang,
and he endeavours 'to take what is long in the one to supplement what is short
in the other.'
19.春秋釋例, 'The Laws of the Chunqiu
Explained.' By Du Yu; in 10 Books. This was a production of Du Yu, after he
had completed his great Work on Zuo's zhuan. It contains laws of style under 42
heads; then proceeds to the names of places, genealogies, and Du's scheme of
the chronology of the Chunqiu period. It seems to me that three different
Works of Du have here got mixed together. Zhu Yizun (朱彝尊) mentions the Laws of
Style as a Work by itself, published under the Song dynasty in 15 Books; noting
that he had not been able to see it. He also notices the Chronology as a Work
by itself, saying that only Du's preface to it remains. Indeed the whole was
long supposed to be lost, but it was reproduced, as we have it now, in 1,777,
from a Collection made in the period Yongle (1,403—1,424) of the Ming
dynasty.
20. The 皇清經解, contains several Works on
the Chunqiu by the scholars of the present dynasty. I have used:—
[i.] 左傳杜解補正, 'Supplement, with
Corrections, to Du's Explanations of the Zuo zhuan.' In 3 Books; by Gu Yanwu
(顧炎武; See proleg. vol. IV., p. 101). Contains many useful hints for the translator
of Zuo. Gu makes much use of two scholars of the Ming dynasty,—Shao Bao (邵寶)
and Fu Xun (傅遜), who had made it their business to discover the mistakes of
Du.
[ii.] 學春秋隨筆, 'Jottings in the study of the
Chunqiu.' In 10 Books; by Wan Sida (萬斯大; styled 充宗); born in 1,633, died
in 1,783. Wan was well acquainted with the Li ji (禮記), the official Book of Zhou,
and the Yi li (儀禮), and most of his remarks are based upon them. Chinese scholars
praise him as having always good ground for what he says. I confess I have been
inclined to call in question—now his Authorities, and now his interpretation of
them.
[iii.] 春秋毛氏傳. 'Commentary on the Chunqiu
by Mao.' This is the work of Mao Qiling (毛奇齡) of whom I have had much to say
in my previous volumes. In 35 Books. It is everywhere referred to in my notes.
Occasionally one has to differ from the author, but his views have in general
commanded my approval. I thought at one time of simply translating his Work
instead of giving all the Zuo zhuan; but I considered that to do the latter
would be more useful for students. Agreeing for the most part with Zuo, Mao
seems glad when he finds reason to differ from him; and he makes Hu An'guo
his butt.
[iv.] 春秋簡書刊誤, 'Errors in the Tablets of
the Chunqiu.' In two Books; by Mao Qiling. This is a defence of the text
of Zuo against the different readings that are found in Gong and Gu.
[v.] 春秋屬辭比事記, 'An Exhibition of the Style
of the Chunqiu according to the analogies of the Subject-matter.' In two
Books. Also by Mao Qiling. It contains a good demonstration of the
baselessness of the praise-and-censure theory, and is intended to vindicate
Mao's own four laws of interpretation, given in the introduction to his
Commentary.
[vi.] 春秋說, 'Discourses on the Chunqiu.'
In 15 Books; by Hui Shiqi (惠士奇 ; styled 仲儒). He was also called 半農 ;
and these two characters are often prefixed to the titles of his Works. This
one on the Chunqiu is of great value. The notices in the Classic are all
classified; the views or illustrations of them afforded in the early
Commentaries adduced; and the whole adjudicated on by the author.
[vii.] 春秋地理考實, 'The Geography of the Chunqiu
Examined and Determined.' In 4 Books; by Jiang Yong (江永; See proleg. vol.
IV., p. 98, n. 6). Displays much research; and is particularly valuable as
bringing down the identifications of the ancient places to the geographical
arrangements of the country at the present day. A foreigner is apt to err, as I
have sometimes done in this matter, by accepting the geographical
determinations in the Kangxi edition of our classic, and then finding that the
arrangement of departments and districts in a province has since been
changed.
[viii.] 春秋左傳小疏, 'Short Glosses on the
Chunqiu and Zuo zhuan.' In one Book; by Shen Tong (沈彤; styled 冠雲 , and
also 果堂), who lived from 1,688 to 1,752, and was employed by the government in
various literary tasks. He published 'short glosses' on several of the other
classics as well as the Chunqiu. I have found them useful.
[ix.] 春秋左傳補註, 'Supplementary Comments on
the Chunqiu and Zuo zhuan.' A Work similar to the above. In 8 Books; by
Hui Dong (惠棟; styled 定宇). It had been growing up in his family for three
generations, until he revised the labours of his father, grandfather, and
great-grandfather, added to them his own researches, and published it in 1,768.
The reader of Du Yu will get considerable help from it.
[x.]春秋正辭, 'The Language of the Chunqiu
Determined and Regulated.' In 13 Books; by Zhuang Cunyu (莊存與), a scholar of
the Qianlong period. The Work is for the most part an examination of the
Classic according to the views and nomenclature of Gongyang and He Xiu.
[xi.] 春秋左傳補疏, 'Supplementary Explanations
of the Chunqiu and Zuo zhuan.' In 5 Books; by Jiao Xun (焦循 ; styled 理堂
and 里堂). The writer's principal object was to supplement Kong Yingda's
Explanations of Du Yu's comments on Zuo.
[xii.] 春秋左傳補註, 'Supplementary Comments on
the Chunqiu and Zuo zhuan.' In 3 Books; by Ma Zonglian (馬宗璉). Intended as
a supplement to the Work with the same title by Hui Dong, noticed above.
[xiii.] 公羊何氏釋例, 'On the Laws of He Xiu in
explaining the Commentary of Gongyang.' In 10 Books; by Liu Fenglu (劉逢祿;
styled 申甫), a scholar of the Jiaqing period. A Work similar in design to No.
x.
[xiv.] 公羊何氏解詁箋, 'Glosses on He Xiu's
Explanations of Gongyang.' In 1 Book; also by Liu Fenglu.
[xv.—xviii.] 發墨守評;穀梁廢疾申何;左氏春秋考證;箴膏盲評.
These are four Works by the same author. I have not translated the titles
because they refer to controversies in the Han dynasty between He Xiu and
Zheng Kangcheng. The writer's object is to maintain the authority of Gongyang
and even of Guliang against Zuoshi.
[xix.] 春秋異文箋, 'Glosses on the different
readings in the text of the Chunqiu.' In 13 Books; by Zhao Tan (趙坦), a
scholar of the Jiaqing period.
[xx.] 公羊禮說, 'Remarks on the rules of
ceremony insisted on by Gongyang.' In 1 Book; by Ling Shu (淩曙 ); of the same
period. He was a believer in Gongyang.
[xxi.]經義述聞, 'Recollections of Lessons on
the meaning of the Classics.' In 10 Books, three of which are occupied with the
Chunqiu. By Wang Yinzhi (王引之), whose 'Recollections of Lessons in the Shi' are
noticed in the proleg. to vol. IV., p. 178.
41. 春秋地名考略, 'An Examination into the Names
of places in the Chunqiu.' In 14 Books; by Gao Shiqi (高士奇 ; styled 澹人), a
great scholar of the Kangxi period. The writer sometimes defeats his end by
the minuteness of his researches. The Work is valuable, but not so convenient
for the student as that on the same subject by Jiang Yong, which I have already
noticed.
42. 春秋大事表, 'The principal things in the
Chunqiu exhibited in a tabular form.' In 50 Books, with one Book of Plates,
and an Appendix. By Gu Donggao (顧棟高; styled 震滄), a scholar and officer of the
Kangxi and Qianlong periods. I have met with no Work on the Chunqiu more
exhaustive, and certainly with none from which I have myself derived more
assistance. The author's tables and disquisitions supply the most abundant
matter for study and research.
43. 春秋內傳古註輯存, 'The old Comments on the
Chunqiu and Zuo zhuan Collected and Preserved.' In 3 Books (三冊); by Yan Wei
(嚴蔚; styled 豹人); published in 1,788. The Work is an attempt to gather and
preserve the Comments of Fu Qian (服虔) and other Commentators of the Han dynasty,
to which the writer thinks Du Yu was often under obligation without
acknowledging it.
44. 左氏春秋集說 , 'Collected Discourses on the
Chunqiu of Zuoshi.' In 10 Books; with two Books of Introduction and
Appendix, chiefly on the Laws of the Chunqiu. By Zhu Heling (朱鶴齡; styled
長孺, and also called 愚庵), a graduate of the Ming dynasty who lived on into the
present. The Work is useful, principally because the author is constantly
quoting from Dan Zhu (啖助) and Zhao Kuang (趙匡) of the Tang dynasty, though he does not
himself agree with them.
45. 春秋占筮書, 'On the Articles on Divination
in the Chunqiu.' In 3 Books. This is another Work bearing on the
interpretation of the Zuo zhuan by Mao Qiling, which has not been reprinted
in the 皇清經解 . The title is incorrect, because the references to divination in
the text of the Chunqiu are the briefest possible, and the Work deals with
articles in the Zuo zhuan. It is said correctly in Mao's introductory notice
that no satisfactory attempt to explain those articles had been made by Du Yu,
Kong Yingda, or any other of the critics. It was bold in Mao to try to do
so; but I do not think he has succeeded. So far as I have attained hitherto in
the study of the Yi jing and the ancient divination of the Chinese, I have
failed to understand their principles;— if there be any principles in them.
46. 春秋條貫篇, 'On the Connexion between the
Notices in the text of the Chunqiu.' In 11 Books; also by Mao Qiling. The
Work arose out of a dispute between Mao and the other Examiners at the
competition for the third degree in 1,685, they contending that the connexion
could only be discovered by means of the Zhuan, and he that it could be
ascertained from the text itself. The editors of the 'Catalogue of the Books in
the Imperial Libraries (欽定四庫全書總目)' condemn it as inferior to Mao's other
productions on the Chunqiu; but, like every other thing that he wrote,
there is a great deal of force in many of his reasonings.
47. 春秋衷要 , 'The most important Points in
the Interpretation of the Chunqiu Determined.' In 6 Books; by Li Shigu
(李式穀 ; styled 海匏). The writer adopts the Kangxi Chunqiu as the standard
for interpreting the Classic, but now and then introduces a view of his own. It
is a useful Work.
48. 讀左漫筆, 'Occasional Jottings to help in
reading the Zuo zhuan.' In 16 Books; by Chang Maolai (常茂徠 ; styled 秋厓). This
is one of the most recent Works on our Classic, the author's preface being
dated in 1,867. He tells us that the Zuo zhuan had been the mental food of his
whole life, and that he had published two Works on special subjects connected
with it. But he was in the habit of reading his favourite author, and the long
list of critics and commentators on him, with pencil in hand; and wherever
their remarks seemed to require addition or correction, he made his own notes;
and so the materials for the present Work grew up gradually under his hand. One
may get a good many suggestions from it.
49. 春秋左傳平議, 'Quiet Discussions on Zuo's
Commentary on the Chunqiu.' In 3 Books; by Yu Yue (俞樾 ; styled 蔭甫); like
the last, a very recent writer. These 3 Books are only a portion of a large
Work on all the classics, published in 1,866. He is helpful in determining the
punctuation of the original; in fixing the exact meaning of characters; and on
the interchanging use of characters by the ancient writers.
50. 左繡, 'The Elegancies of Zuo.' In 30
Books; by Feng Lihua (馮李驊; styled天閑), and Lu Hao (陸浩; styled 大瀛). After
varions preliminary matter on the best way of reading the Zuo zhuan, etc., the
pages in the body of the Work are divided into two parts. In the lower part
there are given the text and Zuo's Commentary, with the comments of Du Yu at
length, Lu Deming's (陸德明) pronunciation of characters, and the glosses of Lin
Yaosou (林堯叟) of the Song dynasty, these last often abbreviated, but of real
value. There are occasionally quotations from Kong Yingda, and from Gu
Yanwu's Work, the first of those mentioned above from the 皇清經解. The upper part
of the page is occupied with Feng and Lu's own remarks, mostly designed to
show the force and beauty of Zuo's style. These give the name to the Work.
51. 讀左補義, 'Aids to the reading of Zuo.' In
50 Books; by Jiang Bingzhang (姜炳璋), whose Work on the Shi jing (詩經) I have noticed in the
proleg. to vol. IV., p. 175. The present Work, first published in 1,768,
deserves much of the praise which I gave to the former. He differs from Du Yu
on the laws of style in the classic, and thinks that Confucius simply copied
the historiographers of Lu without altering or abbreviating their text.
From the first chapter of these
prolegomena it will be seen that I have very much adopted these views myself,
though aware of the objections that can be urged against them. Jiang appends
short essays or disquisitions of his own on the events related to the
narratives of Zuo.
52. 春秋左氏傳集釋 'Explanations of the Chunqiu
and the Zuo zhuan from all Sources.' In 60 Books. This Work is still in
manuscript, having been prepared, with a special view to my own assistance, by
my friend Wang Tao (王韜). It is entitled to the praise which I have bestowed, in
the proleg. to vol. IV., p. 176, on his Work on the Shi.
53. 春秋朔閏考辨, 'An Examination into the first
days of the moon, and the intercalary months, during the Chunqiu period.' In
3 Books; also by Wang Tao, and in manuscript. He shows the unsatisfactory
nature of the chronological schemes proposed by Du Yu, Gu Donggao, and Chen
Houyao (陳厚耀 ), and then proceeds to his task, taking his data—now from the
text, and now from the Zhuan. His mind was first thoroughly stimulated on the
subject by the Rev. Mr. Chalmers. There is certainly no Work in Chinese on the
chronology of the Chunqiu period at all equal to this. He has also prepared
in Chinese a table of the days of new moon and of the winter solstice for the
whole period (春秋至朔表).
54. 春秋日食圖說, 'The Eclipses mentioned in the
Chunqiu, with Plates, and Disquisitions.' In 1 Book. Also by Wang Tao,
and in manuscript. For the matter in this treatise, as for that in the above,
Wang is mainly indebted to Mr. Chalmers.
55.春秋問答, 'Difficulties with regard to the
Chunqiu, by way of Question and Answer.' In 1 Book; by Wang Tao, and in
manuscript. This treatise may be considered as Wang's endeavour to reply to
questions proposed by myself, while engaged in the preparation and printing of
this volume. It embraces most of the subjects which I have discussed in the
previous chapters of these prolegomena. His answers are more or less
satisfactory, but show the conservative character of the Chinese mind in regard
to the views on the classics which have been current since the Han dynasty.
56. 左傳經世鈔, 'Extracts from the Zuo zhuan.'
In 23 Books; by Wei Xi (魏禧; styled 冰叔), of the Ming dynasty. This Work contains
the greater number of the narratives in Zuo, those of them belonging to the
same subject, which in his commentary are scattered over several years, being
brought together. Explanatory glosses from Du Yu, Lin Yaosou, and Wei Xi
himself are occasionally interspersed throughout Zuo's text, and each paragraph
is followed by reflections of a general or historical character from the
compiler. It has been useful to me from the large characters, finely cut, in
which the copy that I have is printed; and which is probably a reprint from an
edition published in 1,748 by Peng Jiaping (彭家屏; styled 樂君). The 經世 of the
title is hardly translatable, and is taken from a remark by Zhuangzi (莊子) of the
Zhou dynasty about the Chunqiu (春秋 ,經世先王之志).
57. 古文析義, 'Ancient Compositions, with
Notes on their meaning.' In 16 Books; by Lin Yunming (林雲銘; styled 西仲), who took
his third degree in 1,658. The Work is a little of the same nature as some
volumes of "Elegant Extracts" from our English masters, which I have seen. A
selection is made of the most celebrated pieces of composition from the Zhou
dynasty downwards, with explanations of the meaning and notes on the style
interspersed, with a disquisition at the end on the subject-matter by the
compiler. The first two Books are occupied with pieces from the Zuo zhuan. Lin
Yunming was called a bibliomaniac (書癡) by his neighbours; but scholars speak
contemptuously of his Works. Wang Tao calls the one before us 'a series of
Lessons for a village school (鄉塾課蒙之本).' The foreign student, however, is glad
to get hold of it, especially at the commencement of his studies in the Zuo
zhuan.
The class of Works represented by the
preceding is numerous. I have consulted the 古文析義新編; the 古文快筆; the 古文分編集評 ; the
古文觀止; the 古文評註; the 古文翼; the 古文眉詮; and the 古文淵鑒. Unfortunately they all deal
with nearly the same pieces in Zuo's Work.
I have not felt it necessary to introduce
in the above list the Dictionaries and Works of general reference, with many
others on the classics in general, which were mentioned in the lists in my
preceding volumes, and have again been referred to as occasion required. SECTION II. TRANSLATIONS AND OTHER FOREIGN
WORKS.
I have not to add to the Works of this
class mentioned in my former volumes.
Dr. Bretschneider of Beijing having stated
in the Chinese Recorder for December 1870, p. 173, that the Chunqiu had
been translated into European languages, I made inquiry on the subject, to
which that gentleman replied, in the Recorder for July, 1871, pp. 51, 52. 'Some
40 years ago,' he says, 'Father Daniel, of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission
at Peking, translated the Ch'un-ts'iu into Russian; but, so far as I know, this
translation has never been published. The manuscript exists still. Besides
this, parts of the Ch'un-ts'iu were translated into Russian, and published by
other Russian Sinologues.' I have not seen these translations. Dr.
Bretschneider refers also to a translation of the first book of the Chunqiu
by Bayer, with a Latin translation, which appeared in the 'Commentaria Academiæ
Petropolitanæ,' vol. 7; but neither have I met with this.
|