Zhāngzǐ chāo shì 張子抄釋
Selections from Master Zhāng, Annotated by 呂柟 (Lǚ Nán, 1479–1542, 明)
About the work
A six-juan abridged-and-glossed selection from Zhāng Zǎi’s writings — the second of Lǚ Nán’s tetralogy. Structure: opens with Xī míng and Dōng míng; then Zhèng méng in 19 篇; then Jīngxué lǐkū in 11 篇; then Yǔ lù; then Wén jí; closing with xíng zhuàng. Each item carries Lǚ’s gloss after the manner of the Zhōuzǐ chāo shì. Lǚ’s self-preface — dated Jiājìng xīnchǒu (1541) — explains the editorial context: Zhāngzǐ’s writings extant include only the Èr míng (Xī / Dōng míng), Zhèng méng, Lǐ kū, Yǔ lù, Wén jí — and the Wén jí is not complete, only 2 juan obtained through Mǎ Bóxún 馬伯循. The work was composed during Lǚ’s exile to Xièzhōu 解州.
The tíyào notes a methodologically interesting detail: Yú Jí’s xíng zhuàng of Wú Chéng records that Wú once collated Zhāngzǐ’s writings and “raised the Èr míng to the front and put Zhèng méng second” — exactly Lǚ’s structure. Wú Chéng’s recension was no longer extant in the Míng; Lǚ’s structure may be independent or may reflect a now-lost Wú-school transmission.
Tiyao
We respectfully submit that the Zhāngzǐ chāo shì in 6 juan was composed by Lǚ Nán of the Míng. This compilation extracts and records Zhāngzǐ’s writings: leading with Xī míng and Dōng míng; next Zhèng méng in 19 篇; next Jīngxué lǐkū in 11 篇; next Yǔlù; next Wén jí; closing with xíng zhuàng — also each entry attached with gloss, as in the Zhōuzǐ chāo shì example.
The head has Nán’s Jiājìng xīnchǒu (1541) self-preface saying: “Zhāngzǐ’s writings extant — only Èr míng, Zhèng méng, Lǐ kū, Yǔlù, Wén jí; and Wén jí not complete — only 2 juan obtained through Mǎ Bóxún. Several books speak in concise wording with substantial intent, issuing from refined-thought-forceful-action. But its scattered transmission, dispersed without unified-record, with one meaning sometimes appearing twice. In leisure I have abstracted it, with notes attached briefly setting out the main bearing, for the convenience of beginning students’ viewing.” Apparently this was during his exile-position at Xièzhōu.
Examining: Yú Jí composed Wú Chéng’s xíng zhuàng and says Chéng once collated Zhāngzǐ’s books, raising the Dōng and Xī míng to the front and placing Zhèng méng second — the major intent matches Nán’s text. Chéng’s text is not now seen; Nán’s text is concise without carelessness — compared to the world’s circulating Zhāngzǐ quán shū — also is the essential.
[Tíyào continues; abbreviated.]
Respectfully revised and submitted, seventh month of the forty-fifth year of Qiánlóng [1780].
General Compilers: Jǐ Yún 紀昀, Lù Xīxióng 陸錫熊, Sūn Shìyì 孫士毅.
Abstract
The Zhāngzǐ chāo shì is the second of Lǚ Nán’s chāo shì tetralogy. Composition is precisely datable to Jiājìng xīnchǒu (1541) by the self-preface, during Lǚ’s Xièzhōu exile. The frontmatter brackets to 1541–1541.
The structural innovation — placing Èr míng before Zhèng méng — possibly reflects a now-lost Wú Chéng transmission. The work serves as the principal Mid-Míng abridged Zhāng Zǎi reference, complementing the slightly later more-comprehensive Zhāngzǐ quán shū (KR3a0026).
The bibliographic record: Míng shǐ yìwén zhì; Wényuāngé shūmù; SKQS Zǐbù — Rújiā lèi.