The Chinese Classics (Prolegomena) | Page 6

Ya, and some other portions of the ancient literature,
59 collections, from eleven different individuals; and finally of the lesser Learning, being
works on the form of the characters, 45 collections, from eleven different individuals.
The works of Mencius were included in the second division [1], among the writings of
what were deemed orthodox scholars [2], of which there were 836 collections, from
fifty-three different individuals.
3. The above important document is sufficient to show how the emperors of the Han
dynasty, as soon as they had made good their possession of the empire, turned their
attention to recover the ancient literature of the nation, the Classical Books engaging their
first care, and how earnestly and effectively the scholars of the time responded to the
wishes of their rulers. In addition to the facts specified in the preface to it, I may relate
that the ordinance of the Ch'in dynasty against possessing the Classical Books (with the
exception, as it will appear in its proper place, of the Yi-ching) was repealed by the
second sovereign of the Han, the emperor Hsiao Hui [3], in the fourth year of his reign,
B.C. 191, and that a large portion of the Shu-ching was recovered in the time of the third
emperor, B.C. 179-157, while in the year B.C. 136 a special Board was constituted,
consisting of literati, who were put in charge of the five Ching [4].
4. The collections reported on by Liu Hsin suffered damage in the troubles which began
A.D. 8, and continued till the rise of the second or eastern Han dynasty in the year 25.
The founder of it (A.D. 25-57) zealously promoted the undertaking of his predecessors,
and additional repositories were required for the Books which were collected. His
successors, the emperors Hsiao- ming [5] (58-75), Hsiao-chang [6] (76-88), and
Hsiao-hwo [7] (89-
105), took a part themselves in the studies and discussions of the literary tribunal, and
1 ½Ñ¤l²¤.

2 ¾§®aªÌ¬y.
3 §µ´f¬Ó«Ò.
4 ªZ«Ò«Ø¤¸¤-¦~, ªì¸m¤-¸g³Õ¤h.
5 Åã©v§µ©ú¬Ó«Ò.
6 µÂ©v§µ³¹¬Ó«Ò.
7 §µ©M¬Ó«Ò.
the emperor Hsiao-ling [1], between the years 172-178, had the text of the five Ching, as
it had been fixed, cut in slabs of stone, and set up in the capital outside the gate of the
Grand College. Some old accounts say that the characters were in three different forms,
but they were only in one form; -- see the 287th book of Chu I-tsun's great Work.
5. Since the Han, the successive dynasties have considered the literary monuments of the
country to be an object of their special care. Many of them have issued editions of the
Classics, embodying the commentaries of preceding generations. No dynasty has
distinguished itself more in this line than the present Manchau possessors of the empire.
In fine, the evidence is complete that the Classical Books of China have come down from
at least a century before our Christian era, substantially the same as we have them at
present.
6. But it still remains to inquire in what condition we may suppose the Books were, when
the scholars of the Han dynasty commenced their labors upon them. They acknowledge
that the tablets -- we cannot here speak of manuscripts -- were mutilated and in disorder.
Was the injury which they had received of such an extent that all the care and study put
forth on the small remains would be of little use? This question can be answered
satisfactorily, only by an examination of the evidence which is adduced for the text of
each particular Classic; but it can be made apparent that there is nothing, in the nature of
the case, to interfere with our believing that the materials were sufficient to enable the
scholars to execute the work intrusted to them.
7 The burning of the ancient Books by order of the founder of the Ch'in dynasty is always
referred to as the greatest disaster which they sustained, and with this is coupled the
slaughter of many of the Literati by the same monarch.
The account which we have of these transactions in the Historical Records is the
following [2]:
'In his 34th year [the 34th year, that is, after he had ascended the throne of Ch'in. It was
only the 9th year after he had been acknowledged Sovereign of the empire, coinciding
with B.C.
213], the emperor, returning from a visit to the south, which had extended

1 §µÆF¬Ó«Ò.
2 I have thought it well to endeavour to translate the whole of the passages. Father de
Mailla merely constructs from them a narrative of his own; see L'Histoire Generale de La
China, tome ii. pp. 399-402. The ³qŲºô¥Ø avoids the difficulties of the original by
giving an abridgment of it.
as far as Yueh, gave a feast in his palace at Hsien-yang, when the Great Scholars,