The Confucian Analects

SECTION I.] THEIR RECOGNITION UNDER THE HAN DYNASTY. [PRELIMINARY ESSAYS original: PROLEGOMENA

to say that this statement is incorrect;¹⁵ and it seems strange that Mencius should have been spared from a policy intended to erase the memory of China's most ancient and illustrious rulers and their principles. However, the same thing is claimed regarding the writings of at least one other ancient author, the philosopher Yu Zi original: Yuh;¹⁶ and the frequent quotations of Mencius by Han Ying and Dong Zhongshu original: Tung Chung-shoo—indicating that his works were a complete collection in their time—give some support to Zhao Qi's original: K'e's account.

Overall, the evidence tends to support this view. Mencius did not achieve the status of "a classic" until long after the Qin original: Ts'in dynasty. Although the enraged emperor would undoubtedly have given specific orders to destroy his writings if his attention had been drawn to them, we can easily imagine them being overlooked, escaping along with a mass of other texts that were not considered a threat to the new regime.

6. Another statement by Zhao Qi original: Chaou K'e shows that the works of Mencius, once recognized under the Han dynasty, were kept with watchful care for at least a time. He says that during the reign of Emperor Wen original: Heaou-wăn (178–154 BCE), "the Analects original: Lun-yu, the Classic of Filial Piety original: Heaou-king, Mencius, and the Erya original: Urh-ya were all placed under the care of a Board of 'Great Scholars' term: Boshi, or 'Doctors of Erudition,' who were official consultants on the classics. This board was later abolished, leaving only 'The Five Classics' original: King under such official guardianship."¹⁷ Zhu Xi original: Choo He observed that the records of the Han dynasty provide no evidence of such a Board; however, its existence can be inferred from a letter by Liu Xin original: Lew Hin, who complained about the passivity with which other scholars supported his search for scattered literary remains. He writes:

"Under Emperor Wen, the Classic of History original: Shoo-king reappeared, and the Classic of Poetry original: She-king began to flourish once again. Throughout the empire, a great number of books were constantly appearing. Among them were the records and sayings of all the philosophers, which were also assigned a place in the Courts of Learning, and a Board of Great Scholars was appointed to oversee them."¹⁸

¹⁵ Comprehensive Examination of Literature original: 文獻通考, Wenxian Tongkao, Book 184, on Mencius.
¹⁶ The preface to Yu Zi original: 鬻子 by Feng Xinggui original: 逢行珪 says: "In the chaos of the Qin, books and records were almost entirely destroyed, but Yu Zi was not among those burned"; see Jiao Xun's original: 焦孝廉 Rectified Meanings of Mencius original: 孟子正義, Notes on Zhao Qi's preface.
¹⁷ "Emperor Wen original: 孝文皇帝 wished to expand the path of learning, so he appointed 'Doctors' original: 博士, Boshi for the Analects, the Classic of Filial Piety, Mencius, and the Erya. Later, only the 'Doctors' for the Five Classics remained."
¹⁸ See the Comprehensive Examination of Literature original: 文獻通考, Book 184, pp. 9, 10.