Create a new situation in the study of scripture literature

On January 18, the "Forum of Young Scholars of Classics literature" was held online. The participating scholars conducted in-depth exchanges on topics such as the history of scriptures, the generation and circulation of scriptures, and the interpretation of scriptures, and jointly discussed how to promote the study of scripture literature to a deeper level under the conditions of the new era.

Usher in the spring of the new era of sutra research

Classics is the source of traditional Chinese academic culture. Zhao Shengqun, director of the Department of Literature and Informatics of the College of Literature and Informatics of Nanjing Normal University, said that the four documents of the Jingshi subset, in the final analysis, their spirit and soul come from the scriptural literature. There are four difficulties in studying classics, difficult to read and understand, difficult to possess data, difficult to invent and create, and difficult to publish results, but there are many new topics in the study of scripture under the conditions of the new era that need to be deeply discussed by the academic community.

Under the background of inheriting and carrying forward the excellent traditional Chinese culture, as the core of traditional Chinese scholarship, the study of classics has begun to recover in recent years. Du Zexun, dean of the College of Letters at Shandong University, believes that the study of scripture has ushered in the spring of thousands of purples and thousands of reds. The study of scriptures by young scholars is eclectic, with a strong modern flavor and deeply rooted in the soil of traditional classics. Economic research and traditional scholarship contain great energy and broad paths, which are of great significance to accelerating the construction of philosophy and social science with Chinese characteristics.

The creative transformation and innovative development of China's outstanding traditional culture are inseparable from the collation and research of classic literature. Wang Yi, a professor at the College of Literature of Nanjing Normal University, said that the collation of classic literature is the premise of classics research, and the study of classics is the sublimation of the collation of classics, that is, there is research in the collation and there is collation in the research, and the two complement each other and use each other. Attaching importance to the collation and research of classical literature is the only way to carry forward the Chinese liturgical civilization and find cultural self-confidence, and it is also the correct way to promote the modern transformation of traditional Chinese scholarship.

Literature collation and research should have realistic care

The collation and research of the classic literature is often done and renewed. Contemporary scholars should sort out and examine, on the basis of the research of predecessors, remove the false and the true, revolutionize the old and the new, discover new problems under the conditions of the new era, and promote the study of scripture literature to a deeper level.

The collation and research of classics literature should not only uphold the reasonable core of traditional classics and philology, but also open up new research fields in combination with new materials, new theories and new practices. Wang Huabao, a professor at the School of Humanities of Southeast University, said that the collation and research of the classics should have realistic care and deal with the "current consciousness" and "sublime complex". In his view, classical interpretation needs to be studied in depth, needs to have an international perspective, and needs to have correct emotional attitudes and values.

The scriptural literature is the foundation of the study of the scriptures, and the Commentaries on the Thirteen Classics are the core of the scriptural literature. Wang Yi said that since jiajing in the Ming Dynasty, the school has successively engraved the Min Ben, the Jian Ben, and the Mao Ben "Thirteen Commentaries on the Thirteen Classics". At the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, the Min Ben, the Jian Ben, and especially the Mao Ben "Thirteen Commentaries on the Thirteen Classics" became the basic documents for scholars to study the scriptures. Qing Dynasty scholars Hui Dong, Lu Wenbi, Duan Yujie, Gu Guangxi, and others used the Song and Yuan editions of scriptures visible at that time to proofread mao books, which greatly promoted the collation and study of scripture literature, and enabled the Qing Dynasty to flourish in the Qianjia period.

Based on the scriptural system constructed by Zheng Xuan, in the process of systematization of the ming dynasty and the early Ming Dynasty, two different theories of "six sutras are all rituals" emerged. Chen Bisheng, a professor at the School of Humanities of Tsinghua University, believes that a kind of "six classics are the same return, which refers to the ritual", with the concept of independent "etiquette" running through the six classics and understanding the concept of scripture, behind which is the "having" ceremony of the six classics. One is represented by Liu Shipei, starting from Zhang Xuecheng's "Six Classics are All History", and using Wang Guanxue to understand the Six Classics, thus believing that the Six Classics are all "rituals". These two different ways of understanding are related to the understanding of China's two different modernization paths in the late Qing Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty.

Scholars at the time of the Ming and Qing dynasties deeply felt the shortcomings of Wang Xue's lack of emptiness at the end of the period, and sought the world's best remedies in the classical interpretation, and the practical "three rites" entered their interpretation horizons. Pan Bin, a professor at the Institute of Social Development of Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, said that behind the "three rites" of Qianjia scholars, there is a deep reflection on the construction of social order. In the crisis of the late Qing Dynasty, traditional scholars used the "three rites" to expound the idea of applying the scriptures to the world. The realistic spirit of the Qing people's interpretation of the "Three Rites" is reflected in their discernment in the "Three Rites" scriptures, notes, and omissions, as well as their views on the han and Song dynasties. The scale, breadth and depth of the Qing people's interpretation of the "Three Rites" can be described as unprecedented. In the Qing Dynasty, the research on the collation of the "Three Rites", the etiquette charts, and the ritual examples all had integrated characteristics.

Zhang Jinxia, a professor at the College of Literature of Shandong Normal University, believes that the finishers should attach importance to the collation of ancient books ideologically, and should take them seriously, repeatedly study them, and thoroughly understand the original texts. The finisher needs to have knowledge of language, writing, literature and other aspects. At the same time, it is also necessary to read more, practice more, cultivate a sense of language, and comprehensively and skillfully use language and literature knowledge.

Constantly open up new areas of classical research

To promote the study of scripture literature to a deeper level, it is necessary to further improve the concepts and methods of classics research in the new era, not only to abide by the norm, but also to innovate, so as to keep pace with the times and constantly open up new fields of classics research.

Wang Huabao believes that scholars should consciously construct a scientific and Chinese discourse system of scriptural history. Young scholars should pay attention to some documents that predate the "academic system of art and literature", and clearly understand from the source what is the scripture, what is the classic, and what book can be called a classic; it is necessary to sort out the academic genealogy and attach importance to the excavated documents.

Du Zexun sent a message to young scholars that in this era of spurt production of academic papers and academic works, if we want to not be overwhelmed in academic history, we must aim at the major issues of mainstream disciplines and make great efforts, and strive to have the right to speak in the main academic field or major academic issues after ten or twenty years. Under the premise of maintaining the necessary academic survival, the pursuit of the number of academic papers and the struggle for academic projects should be subordinated to lofty academic ideals and life goals.

In terms of the ancient books of the school, Xiang Dong, a professor at the College of Literature of Nanjing Normal University, suggested that young scholars must have a correct attitude and unremitting persistence when engaging in this work. To engage in point school work, it is necessary not only to possess a large amount of literature, but also to have a deep understanding of the literature; to make appropriate and effective use of new materials under the premise of fully understanding and correct interpretation of the original texts.

In Zhao Shengqun's view, the study of scripture needs to have a strong internal driving force. Only with a conscious understanding can there be firm action, and only then can we overcome all difficulties, persevere, cut through thorns, and move forward courageously.

Edit: Zong Yue