The Confucian Analects

into the now-standard commentary of Zhu Xi original: Choo He; a towering figure in Neo-Confucianism whose interpretations became the basis for the imperial examinations. The other two names are those of Zhang Yi^3 original: Chang Yih and Ding Gongzhuo,^4 original: Ting Kung-chŏ whose primary goal was to determine the pronunciation and tones of characters that were subject to debate. All that we know of their views comes from the works of Sun Shi and Zhu Xi, who include many references to them in their own notes.

2. During the Song original: Sung dynasty, there were many commentators on Mencius, but I only need to mention two of them.

The most famous scholar of the early reigns was Sun Shi,^5 who is now generally referred to by his posthumous honorary title, "The Illustrious Duke."^6 original: 宣公 (Xuāngōng) He was held in high favor and reputation during the reigns of Emperors Taizong (977–997), Zhenzong (998–1022), and Renzong (1023–1063).^7 By imperial command, and in association with several other officials, he prepared a two-part work titled The Sounds and Meaning of Mencius and presented it to the court.^8

This work was later used as the basis for a strange forgery. In the edition of The Thirteen Classics original: The Thirteen King (Shi San Jing), Mencius always appears with the Commentary of Zhao Qi and the Correct Meaning of Sun Shi.^9 During the Song dynasty, what were called "correct meanings" term: 疏 (shū) — sub-commentaries or "correct meanings" that explain both the original text and an earlier commentary were created for most of the classics. These are commentaries and annotations on the primary commentator (who is considered the main interpreter of the classic); however, the authors did not hesitate to express their own unique views. While few people question the authenticity of Sun Shi’s Correct Meaning of Mencius, there seems to be no doubt that it is actually a forgery. At the same time, it contains the core of the Illustrious Duke's true work, insofar as that work covered the meaning of Mencius and the commentary of Zhao Qi.

The description of it given in the preface to An Examination of the Text in the Commentary and Annotations on Mencius by Ruan Yuan original: Yuen Yuen of the current [Qing] dynasty is: "Sun Shi himself never wrote a Correct Meaning; instead, someone—I do not know who—assuming that his work..."

^3 張益 (Zhang Yi). ^4 丁公著 (Ding Gongzhuo). ^5 孫奭 (Sun Shi). ^6 宣公 (The Illustrious Duke). ^7 太宗 (Taizong), 眞宗 (Zhenzong), 仁宗 (Renzong). ^8 孟子音義二卷 (The Sounds and Meaning of Mencius in two volumes). — In or about the year 1008, a book was found at one of the palace gates with the title The Book of Heaven original: 天書 (Tianshu). The emperor was initially inclined to go in person to accept it, but he consulted Sun Shi first. Shi replied, quoting a sentiment from Mencius (Book V, Part I, chapter 5), that "Heaven does not speak," and asked how there could possibly be a "Book of Heaven." Was this Book of Heaven, rejected on Shi’s advice, a copy of the Christian Holy Scriptures which a Nestorian Christian was trying to bring before the Chinese court in this manner? ^9 漢趙氏註宋孫奭疏 (The Han dynasty commentary by Mr. Zhao and the Song dynasty sub-commentary by Sun Shi).