Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Zhong 中 and Ideal Rulership in the Baoxun 保訓 (Instructions for Preservation) Text of the Tsinghua Collection of Bamboo Slip Manuscripts

  • Published:
Dao Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Zhong 中 (variously translated as “middle,” “center,” “centrality,” “the mean,” and “equilibrium”) is an important notion in early Chinese thought. This essay offers a brief survey of the possible connotations of zhong found in the Baoxun 保訓 (Instructions for Preservation) text of the Tsinghua University’s Collection of bamboo manuscripts of the Warring States period (475-221 BCE). By making a preliminary textual analysis and philosophical interpretation of the concept of zhong in relation to ideal rulership as presented in this newly discovered ancient text it is hoped that it will shed some light on the continuing debate on the notion of zhong in early Chinese thought.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ames, Roger T. and David L. Hall. 2001. Focusing the Familiar: A Translation and Philosophical Interpretation of the Zhongyong. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Center for Research and Conservation of Excavated Texts, Tsinghua University 清華大學出土文獻研究與保護中心. 2009. Transcribed Text of the ‘Baoxun’ in Tsinghua University Collection of the Warring States Bamboo Slip Manuscripts 清華大學藏戰國竹簡〈保訓〉釋文. Cultural Relics 文物. Issue 6. 73-78.

  • Chen, Shih-hsiang. 1951. “The Beginnings of Chinese Literary Criticism.” In Semitic and Oriental Studies. Edited by Walter J. Fischel. Berkley: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cui, Shu 崔述. 1983. The Literary Legacy of C ui Dongbi 崔東壁遺書. Shanghai 上海: Shanghai Guji Chubanshe 上海古籍出版社.

  • Jiang, Guanghui 姜廣輝. 2009. Ten Queries about the Baoxun Text 保訓十疑. Guangming Ribao, May 4th.

  • Jingmenshi Bowuguan 荊門市博物館 (The Jingmen City Museum), ed. 1998 [2005 reprint]. The Bamboo Manuscripts from the Chu Tomb in the Guodian Village 郭店楚墓竹簡. Beijing 北京: Wenwu Chubanshe 文物出版社.

  • Knoblock, John. 1988. Xunzi. Vol. III. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lau, D. C., ed. 1992a. A Concordance to the Senior Dai’s Book of Rites 大戴禮記逐字索引. Hong Kong: Shangwu Yinshuguan 商務印書館.

  • _____, trans. 1992b. Confucius: The Analects. Hong Kong: The Chinese University Press.

  • _____, ed. 1993a. A Concordance to the Book of Rites 禮記逐字索引. Hong Kong: Shangwu Yinshuguan 商務印書館

  • _____, ed. 1993b. A Concordance to the Yizhoushu 逸周書逐字索引. Hong Kong: Shangwu Yinshuguan 商務印書館

  • _____, ed. 1995. A Concordance to the Erya and Xiaojing 爾雅逐字索引‧孝經逐字索引. Hong Kong: Shangwu Yinshuguan 商務印書館.

  • _____, ed. 1999. A Concordance to the Speeches of States 國語逐字索引. Hong Kong: Shangwu Yinshuguan 商務印書館

  • _____, trans. 2003. Mencius. Hong Kong: The Chinese University Press.

  • Legge, James. 1994a. Confucian Analects, Great learning, The Doctrine of the Mean, The Works of Mencius. Vol. I & II of The Chinese Classics. Taiwan: SMC Publishing Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • _____ . 1994b. The Shoo King. Vol. III of The Chinese Classics. Taiwan: SMC Publishing Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • _____ . 1994c. The She King. Vol. IV of The Chinese Classics. Taiwan: SMC Publishing Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leys, Simon. 1997. The Analects of Confucius. New York: W. W. Norton & Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Li, Rui 李銳. 2009. “An Explanatory Note on ‘Jiazhong Yu He’ in the Baoxun Text 保訓假中於河試解.” Kongzi 2000 Wang (孔子 2000 網), http://www.confucius2000.com/

  • Li, Xueqin 李學勤. 2009. “The Last Will and Testament of King Wen of Zhou 周文王遺言.” Guangming Ribao, April 13.

  • _____. 2010. “A Review of the Nine Texts in the Tsinghua University Collection of the Bamboo Slips 清華簡九篇綜述.” Wenwu 文物 (Cultural Relics), May: 51-57.

  • Liao, Mingchun 廖名春, & Chen Hui 陳慧 (Shirley Chan). 2010. Text Annotations to the Baoxun in the Bamboo Manuscripts Acquired by Qinghua University 清華簡《保訓》篇解讀. History of Chinese Philosophy 中國哲學史. Issue 3: 5-13.

  • Luo, Zhufeng 羅竹鳳. 1997. Lexicon of Chinese Language 漢語大詞典縮印本. Shanghai 上海: Hanyu Dacidian Chubanshe 漢大詞典出版社.

  • Ma, Chengyuan 馬承源, ed. 1988. A Selection of the Bronze Inscriptions of the Shang and Zhou 商周青銅器銘文選. Vol . 3. Beijing 北京: Wenwu Chubanshe 文物出版社.

  • _____. 2002. The Shanghai Museum Collection of Chu Bamboo Slip Texts 上海博物館藏戰國楚竹書. Vol. 2. Shanghai 上海: Shanghai Guiji Chubanshe 上海古籍出版社.

  • _____. 2005. The Shanghai Museum Collection of Chu Bamboo Slip Texts 上海博物館藏戰國楚竹書. Vol. 5. Shanghai 上海: Shanghai Guiji Chubanshe 上海古籍出版社.

  • Pound, Ezra. 1951. Confucius the Great Digest the Unwobbling Pivot and the Analects. New York: New Directions Publishing. http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=414658

  • Qiu, Xigui 裘錫圭. 1999. Chinese Writing 文字學概要. 2nd edition. Taipei 臺北: Wanjuanlou Tushu Youxian Gongsi 萬卷樓圖書有限公司.

  • Rao, Zongyi 饒宗頤. 2000. “‘Poetry is the Expression of Earnest Thought’: A Discussion based on the Guodian Bamboo Manuscripts 詩言志再辯: 以郭店楚簡資料為中心,” in A Proceeding of the International Forum on the Guodian Bamboo Manuscripts 《郭店楚簡國際學術研討會論文集》, ed. Wuhan Daxue Zhongguo Wenhua Yanjiuyuan 武漢大學中國文化研究院. Wuhan 武漢: Hubei Renmin Chubanshe 湖北人民出版社.

  • Ruan, Yuan 阮元. 1956 (Reprint). A Collection of Exegeses on Classical Texts 經籍纂詁. Taibei 臺北: Shijie Shuju 世界書局.

  • Tang, Lan 唐蘭. 1981. The Written Records in Yin Dynasty Ruins 《殷墟文字記》. Beijing: Zhonghua Shuju 中華書局.

  • Tu, Wei-ming. 1976. Centrality and Commonality: an Essay on Chung-yung. Honolulu: University Press of Hawaii.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waley, Arthur. 1971. The Analects of Confucius. London: George Allen & Unwin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu, Jinxiong 許進雄. 1984 [2008]. Ancient Chinese Society: an Epigraphic and Archaeological Interpretation 中國古代社會-文字與人類學的透視. Taipei 臺北: Taiwan Shangwu Yinshuguan 台灣商務印書館.

  • Xu, Shen 許慎. 1985. The Dictionary 說文解字. Hong Kong 香港: Zhonghua Shujiu 中華書局.

  • Xu, Zhongshu 徐中舒. 1990. Oracle Bone Characters Dictionary 甲骨文字典. Chengdu 成都: Sichuan Cishu Chubanshe 四川四書出版社.

  • Zhang, Weilian 張渭蓮. 2008. The Formation of the Shang Civilization 商文明的形成. Center for the Studies of Ancient Civilizations, Peking University Publication Series, no.15. Beijing 北京: Wenwu Chubanshe 文物出版社.

  • Zheng, Xuan 鄭玄 and Kong Yingda 孔穎達疏. 1999. Correct Meaning of the Book of Rites 禮記正義. In Commentaries on the Thirteen Classics 十三經注疏. Beijing 北京: Beijing Daxue Chubanshe 北京大學出版社.

  • Zhu, Xi 朱熹. 1987. The Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean and the Analects 《大學、中庸、論語》. Shanghai 上海: Shanghai Guiji Chubanshe 上海古籍出版社.

  • Ziju 子居. 2009. Explaining the Baoxun text of the Tsinghua Collection of the Chu Slip Texts 清華簡〈保訓〉解析. 復旦大學出土文獻與古文字研究中心網站 http://www.gwz.fudan.edu.cn/SrcShow.asp?Src_ID=842.

  • Zong, Fubang 宗福邦, et al., eds. 2003. Lexicon of Exegetical Diction 故訓匯纂. Beijing 北京: Shangwu Yinshuguan 商務印書館.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chinese Studies, Department of International Studies, Faculty of Arts, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia

    Shirley Chan

Authors
  1. Shirley Chan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shirley Chan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chan, S. Zhong 中 and Ideal Rulership in the Baoxun 保訓 (Instructions for Preservation) Text of the Tsinghua Collection of Bamboo Slip Manuscripts. Dao 11, 129–145 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11712-012-9266-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11712-012-9266-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation