Guanzi: Political, Economic, and Philosophical Essays from Early China

by Princeton University Press

Overview

Named for the famous Chinese minister of state, Guan Zhong (d. 645 B.C.), the Guanzi is one of the largest collections of ancient Chinese writings still in existence. With this volume, W. Allyn Rickett completes the first full translation of the Guanzi into English. This represents a truly monumental effort, as the Guanzi is a long and notoriously difficult work. It was compiled in its present form about 26 B.C. by the Han dynasty scholar Liu Xiang and the surviving text consists of some seventy-six anonymous essays dating from the fifth century B.C. to the first century B.C.

The forty-two chapters contained in this volume include several which present Daoist theories concerning self-cultivation and the relationship between the body and mind as well as the development of Huang-Lao political and economic thought. The "Dizi zhi" chapter provides one of the oldest discussions of education in China. The "Shui di" chapter refers to the circulation of blood some two thousand years before the discoveries of William Harvey in the West. Other chapters deal with various aspects of statecraft, Yin-Yang and Five Phases thought, folk beliefs, seasonal calendars, and farming. Perhaps the best-known chapters are those that deal with various methods of controlling and stimulating the economy. They constitute one of the world's earliest presentations of a quantity theory of money. Throughout the text, Rickett provides extensive notes. He also supplies an introduction to the volume and a comprehensive index.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780691048161
Publisher:	Princeton University Press
Publication date:	04/05/1998
Series:	Princeton Library of Asian Translations , #161
Pages:	592
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

W. Allyn Rickett is Professor Emeritus of Chinese Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. The first volume of his translation of the Guanzi was published by Princeton in 1985.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Introduction 3

General Content of Volume Two, 3; Changes in Format, 4; Special Terms, 5; Rhymes, 6; Recent Developments in Guanzi Studies, 8; Translation Procedures and Methods of Notation, 9

GUANZI

XII, 35. Chi Mi (follows XIX, 59)

XIV, 49. Nei Ye, Inner Workings, and Introduction to the Four "Xin shu" Chapters 15

XIII, 36. Xin Shu Shang (follows XIII, 37)

XIII, 37. Xin Shu Xia, Art of the Mind, Part II 56

XIII, 36. Xin Shu Shang, Art of the Mind, Part I 65

XIII, 38. Bai Xin, Purifying the Mind 82

XIV, 39. Shui Di, Water and Earth 98

XIV, 40. Si Shi, The Four Seasons 108

XIV, 41. Wu Xing, Five Phases 118

XV, 42. Shi, On Paying Attention to Circumstances 129

XV, 43. Zheng, Rectification 136

XV, 44. Jiu Bian, The Nine Alternatives 140

XV, 45. Ren Fa, Reliance on Law 143

XV, 46. Ming Fa, On Making the Law Clear, and XXI, 67, Ming Fa Xe, Explanation of the "Ming Fa" 152

XV, 47. Zheng Shi, Rectifying the Age 170

XV, 48. Zhi Guo, Maintaining the State in Good Order 175

XVI, 49. Nei Ye (precedes XIII, 36)

XVI, 50. Feng Shan, The Feng and Shan Sacrifices 181

XVI, 51. Xiao Wen , Minor Queries 186

XVII, 52. Qi Chen Qi Zhu, Seven Ministers and Seven Rulers 201

XVII, 53. Jin Cang, On Maintaining Restraint 214

XVIII, 54. Ru Guo, On Entering the Capital 227

XVIII, 55. Jiu Shou, Nine Things to Be Preserved 231

XVIII, 56. Huan Gong Wen, Queries of Duke Huan 238

XVIII, 57. Du Di, On Appraising the Terrain 240

XIX, 58. Di Yuan, Categories of Land 254

XIX, 59. Dizi Zhi, Duties of the Student 283

XII, 35. Chi Mi, On Extravagance in Spending 292

XIX, 60, Yan Zhao, (lost)

XIX, 61. Xiu Shen, (lost)

XIX, 62. Wen Ba, (lost)

XIX, 63. Mu Min Jie, (lost)

XX, 64. Xing Shi Jie, (see Volume One, I, 2)

XXI, 65. Li Zheng Jiu Bai Jie (see Volume One, I, 4)

XXI, 66. Ban Fa Jie (see Volume One, II, 7)

XXI, 67. Ming Fa Jie (see XV, 46)

XXI, 68. Chen Cheng Ma, and Introduction to the Qing Zhong Section 337

XXI, 69. Cheng Ma Shu, The Art of Fiscal Management 364

XXI, 70. Wen Cheng Ma (lost)

XXII, 71. Shi Yu, Discourse on Economic Matters 368

XXII, 72. Hai Wang, Kingship Based on the Sea 372

XXII, 73. Guo Xu, The State's Store of Grain 376

XXII, 74. Shan Guo Gui, Using Statistics to Control State Finances 388

XXII, 75. Shan Quan Shu, Methods for Coping with Change 396

XXII, 76. Shan Zhi Shu, The Best Methods for Insuring Fiscal Control 406

XXIII, 77. Di Shu, Methods for Exploiting the Earth 421

XXIII, 78. Kui Du, Calculations and Measures 430

XXIII, 79. Guo Zhun, Maintaining Stability in State Finances 443

XXIII, 80. Qing Zhong Jia, Qing zhong Economic Policies, Part A 446

XXIV, 81. Qing Zhong Y1, Qing zhong Economic Policies, Part B 466

XXIV, 82. Qing Zhong Bing (lost)

XXIV, 83. Qing Zhong Ding, Qing zhong Economic Policies, Part D 480

XXIV, 84. Qing Zhong Wu, Qing zhong Economic Policies, Part E 498

XXIV, 85. Qing Zhong Ji, Qing zhong Economic Policies, Part F 509

XXIV, 86. Qing Zhong Geng (lost)

Appendix. End-Rhymes for Rhymed Passages in Guanzi Volume One 517

Bibliography 525

Abbreviations, 525; Commentators, 525; Older Works in Chinese and Japanese, 529; Recent Works in Chinese and Japanese, 535; Works in Other Languages, 541

Index 547