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Chinese Classical Prose: The Eight Masters of the T’ang-Sung Period

Chinese Classical Prose: The Eight Masters of the T’ang-Sung Period

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Selected and translated by Shih Shun Liu
with Notes and Chinese Texts
1979
xvii + 365 pages
ISBN 962-201-179-9

In the study and translation of Chinese literature by Western scholars, a comparatively neglected area is that of the ku-wen, or classical prose of the T'ang-Sung period, extending from the 8th to the11th century A.D. This body of writing, the product of a renaissance movement led by the great scholar-official Han Yü, was reminiscent of the ancient classics in both its forceful, unadorned literary style and its stress on Confucian teachings and the ethical verities of human society. Its practitioners wrote essays on a wide range of subjects: philosophical and historical topics, biographies and eulogies, memorials to the throne and private correspondence, prefaces and postscripts, and records of interesting events.

The eight classical prose masters represented in this anthology were the motivating force of the literary movement. Their success in extending the range of the prose genre and reinvigorating its style made them household names in China's literary tradition.

Table of Contents

Introductory Note By Henry W. Wells — vii
Preface — ix
Introduction — 1

HAN YÜ 韓愈 (768–824) — 23
The Thousand-li Horse 雜說四 — 28
Origin of Defamation 原毁 — 30
On the Teacher 師說 — 34
Eulogy of Po-i 伯夷頌 — 38
On Reading Hsün-tzu 讀荀 — 42
Memorial on the Bone of Buddha 論佛骨表 — 44
Censorial Memorial on Drought and Famine 御史臺上論天旱人饑狀 — 50
Memorial against the Use of Men and Women as Surety 應所在典貼良人男女等狀 — 52
Biography of Wang Ch’eng-fu, the Mason 圬者王承福傳 — 54
Postscript to the Biography of Chief Censor Chang 張中丞傳後序 — 60
Farewell Message to Shao-yin Yang 送楊少尹序 — 68
Preface to Poetry Addressed on Retired Scholar Shih 送石處士序 — 72
Preface to the Poem on Retired Scholar Wen’s Departure for Hoyang Chün 送温處士赴河陽軍序 — 76
Inscription on the Tomb Tablet of My Wet-Nurse 乳母墓銘 — 80
Funerary Message to Nephew No. 12 祭十二郎文 — 82
Inscription on Liu Tzu-hou’s Tomb Tablet 柳子厚墓誌銘 — 90

LIU TSUNG-YÜAN 柳宗元 (773–819) — 99
Criticism of the Grant of a Fief by Means of a Paulownia Leaf 桐葉封弟辯 — 102
Eulogy of I Yin’s Five Attempts to Jin Emperor Chieh 伊尹五就桀贊 — 106
The Snake-Catcher 捕蛇者說 — 108
The Tree-Planter, Kuo the Camel 種樹郭橐駝傳 — 112
Biography of Sung Ch’ing 宋清傳 — 116
Biography of Hochien 河間傳 — 120
Congratulatory Message to Chin-shih Wang Ts’an-yüan on the Burning of His House 賀進士王參元失火書 — 128

OU-YANG HSIU 歐陽修 (1007–1072) — 133
On the Partisanship of Friends 朋黨論 — 140
On the Release of Prisoners 緃囚論 — 144
Memorial on the Refusal to Accept the Remonstrances of the Censor 論臺諌官言事未蒙聽允書 — 148
On the Difficulties of Being a Ruler (II) 為君難論(下) — 158
Memorial on the Prohibition of the Anonymous Slandering of Trusted Court Officals 論禁止無名子傷毁近臣狀 — 164
Memorial on a Wrongful Decision of the Ministry of Justice 論大理寺斷寃獄不當劄子 — 170
The Daylight Brocade Hall 晝錦堂記 — 174
The Hsien Hill Pavilion 峴山亭記 — 178
The Pavilion of Prosperity and Happiness 豐樂亭記 — 182
The Old Drunkard’s Pavilion 醉翁亭記 — 186
The Portrait of Wang Yen-chang 王彥章畫像記 — 190
Biography of Retired Scholar Liu-i 六一居士傳 — 196
Inscription on the Memorial Tablet for the Passage to the Shuangkang Tomb 瀧岡阡表 — 200
On the Portraits of the Seven Worthy Men 七賢畫序 — 208

SU HSÜN 蘇洵 (1009–1066) — 211
On Kuan Chung 管仲論 — 214
Letter to Mei Sheng-yü 與梅聖俞書 — 220

SU SHIH 蘇軾 (1037–1101) — 225
The Most Gracious Penalties and Rewards 刑賞忠厚之至論 — 232
On Fan Li 范蠡論 — 236
On Fan Tseng 范僧論 — 240
On Chang Liang 留侯論 — 244
Letter to Chih-chiang Mei 上梅直講書 — 248
The Happy Rain Pavilion 喜雨亭記 — 252
The Drunken Po Hall 醉白堂記 — 256
First Fu on the Ch’ih-pi (Red Cliff) 前赤壁賦 — 260
Second Fu on the Ch’ih-pi (Red Cliff) 後赤壁賦 — 264
Biography of Master Fang-shan (Square Hat) 方山子傳 — 268
An Anecdote about Ti Ch’ing 書狄武襄事 — 272
Preface to the Collected Works of Fan Chung-yen 范文正公文集叙 — 274
Preface to the Collected Works of the Retired Scholar 居士集叙 — 280

SU CH’E 蘇轍 (1039–1112) — 287
On the Six States 六國論 — 290
Letter to Prime Minister Han 上樞密韓太尉書 — 294
Biography of Ch’ao Ku 巢谷傳 — 298

TSENG KUNG 曾鞏 (1019–1083) — 305
The Ink Pond 墨池記 — 308
The Temple of Yen, Duke of Lu, at Fuchow 撫州顏魯公祠堂記 — 310
The Sober Mind Pavilion 醒心亭記 — 316
Biography of Hsü Fu 徐復傳 — 320
Biography of Hung Wo 洪渥傳 — 326
Preface to the Collected Memorials of Fan Kuan-chih 范貫之奏議集序 — 330
Preface to the Collected Works of Wang P’ing-fu 王平甫文集序 — 334
Letter to the Honorable Ou-yang 寄歐陽舍人書 — 338

WANG AN-SHIH 王安石 (1021–1086) — 345
After Reading the Biography of Prince Meng-ch’ang 讀孟嘗君傳 — 348
Criticism of the Form of Confucius’ Biography 孔子世家議 — 350
A Visit to the Pao-ch’an Mountain 遊襃禪山記 — 352
Inscription on the Tomb Tablet of Mr. Hsü, Chu-pu of Hailing Hsien, T’aichow 泰州海陵縣主簿許君墓誌銘 — 356

Bibliography — 361

Review(s)

'… Liu's bilingual text, in the attractive and well-edited Renditions production, will be of great utility in the college classroom.'
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  • TRANSLATOR(s)

    Shih Shun Liu 劉師舜, the translator, served as Research Professor at St. John's University in Jamaica, N.Y. and is a leading scholar of classical Chinese literature.