Ancient Script Texts: Difference between revisions

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{{More footnotes|date=May 2021}}

In [[Chinese language|Chinese]] philology, the '''Ancient Script Classics''' ({{zh|c=古文經|p=Gǔwén Jīng|w=Kuwen Ching}}) refer to some versions of the [[Five Classics]] discovered during the [[Han Dynastydynasty]], written in a script that predated the one in use during the Han dynasty, and produced before the [[To burn the classics and to bury the scholars|burning of the books]]. The term became used in contrast with '''"Current Script Classics"''' (今文經), which indicated a group of texts written in the orthography currently in use during the Han dynasty.

Historical sources record the recovery of a group of texts during the last half of the 2nd century BC from the walls of [[Confucius]]’s old residence in [[Qufu]], the old capital of [[State of Lu]], when Prince Liu Yu (d. 127 BC) attempted to expand it into a palace upon taking the throne there. In the course of taking the old wall apart, the restorers found versions of the ''[[Classic of History]]'', ''[[Rites of Zhou]]'', ''[[Yili (text)|Yili]]'', ''[[Analects of Confucius]]'' and ''[[Classic of Filial Piety]]'', all written in the old orthography used prior to the reforms of the [[Clerical script]]. Hence, they were called “Ancient Script texts”.

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: These alternate versions of the classics{{Citation needed|reason=which classics?|date=August 2023}} were found after the Current Script Classics were compiled. Some came from the Confucian family manor while others were found in the imperial archives or in private collections. The ''[[Rites of Zhou]]'' and the ''[[Zuo Zhuan]]'' commentary are Ancient Script texts.

; Forged texts in Ancient Script

: This concerns primarily the rediscovered version of ''[[Higher Writings]]'' 尚書. During the [[Jin Dynastydynasty (266–420)]], [[Mei Ze]], a minor official pretended to have discovered a preface by [[Kong Anguo]] and 18 texts (divided into 25 sections) that were known to have existed during the Han dynasty written in Ancient Script, but had long been lost. Suspicions emerged during the [[Song dynasty]] but it was not proven until [[Yan Ruoju]] circulated his thesis in the [[Qing dynasty]]. Recent archaeological recoveries of manuscripts produced around 350 BCE confirmed the late nature of these 18 texts. [[Huangfu Mi]], [[Wang Su (Cao Wei)|Wang Su]], or Mei Ze himself are suspected as the forgers.

; Received Texts

: This term indicates any texts that have been transmitted, overall continuously, from ancient times to the present. This group includes the ''[[I Ching|Changes]]'' and ''[[Classic of Poetry|Poetry]]'', the Current Script version of the ''Yili'', a combined version of the ''Analects'', and the Current Script version of ''History'' with the 25 forged chapters.

==Controversy among new schools==

By the 1st century, a new controversy had begun between these two texts. The "current script texts" are those that had been transliterated into the new orthography back in the beginning of 2nd century BC,{{Citation needed|reason=which texts? Transliterated by whom?|date=August 2023}} either from oral transmissions or from texts that had survived the Qin Dynasty’sdynasty's [[Burning of books and burying of scholars|burning of the books]] or were rescued by the Han Dynastydynasty in the provinces. Surviving scholars in the direct line of transmission of these texts got hold of surviving copies and transliterated them into the new orthography.

The "ancient script texts" were the ones that off and on since the late 2nd and during the 1st century BC had turned up, some discovered in the walls of Confucius’sConfucius's residence, or in Warring States period graves. They were called the “ancient script texts” because they were written in the pre-Qin writing. The discoverers of the “ancient script texts”, such as [[Liu Xin (scholar)|Liu Xin]], claimed that all existing texts suffered from an interrupted pedigree,{{Citation needed|reason=what is the source?|date=August 2023}} which was rectified by the newly discovered texts. "Current Script text" supporters claimed that the "ancient script texts" are forgeries that lack a line of transmission.

In reality, the burning of the books probably did little more than symbolically burn a few copies of the Confucian books conveniently at hand in the capital.{{Citation needed|date=September 2009}} Many other copies survived elsewhere, and these were available for copying into the new orthographic standard set by Qin and its [[clerical script]] successor which evolved under Han Dynastydynasty. It was the change in orthography which divided the [[Warring States]] and early imperial period textual traditions, and in this respect the newly discovered texts were no different from those used as the basis for the "current script text" transcriptions soon after the fall of [[Qin dynasty]].

The "current script texts" portray Confucius as a prophet or "uncrowned king" that should have received the [[Mandate of Heaven]]. He could perform miracles and wrote the Five Classics himself. The New Text school, founded by [[Dong Zhongshu]], believed the texts were sacred and carried hidden clues to the future that they tried to decode. They were also interested in apocryphal writings that were abstruse and esoteric. They believed historical events were caused by cosmic forces beyond the control of man. They also believed officials should disobey the sovereign's decree if it will harm the state or dynasty. To betray the sovereign for the sovereign's own sake will keep the Mandate of Heaven in the dynasty's hand and is an act of greater loyalty.

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The Ancient Script school was rationalistic. They rejected [[apocrypha]] and believed that the classics were only edited by Confucius. They believed history was caused by human actions and viewed the Son of Heaven (the [[emperor of China]]) as the [[axis mundi]] whose will was [[Absolute monarchy|absolute]]. Officials may advise but not disobey as it is the emperor who is ultimately responsible for keeping or losing the Mandate of Heaven.{{Citation needed|reason=sources for these claims?|date=August 2023}}

The “ancient script texts” had a peculiarly archaist bent. They emphasized the sage-like as opposed to the prophet-like characteristics of Confucius, thereby making him look more like the earlier sages who founded and ruled [[Zhou Dynastydynasty]] or even the still more archaic states which preceded it. And yet, these archaic sage-kings are shown ruling China with a bureaucratic apparatus peculiarly like that available to Han Dynastydynasty rulers, and hence by methods which strikingly echoed those of putative enemies of [[Wang Mang]], the modernists. The Former Han (206 BC-AD 8), prior to Wang Mang, had favored Current Script Text. When Wang seized power, he declared the Ancient Script Texts to be the state orthodoxy. After the Han restoration, the Current Script Texts became orthodox again.{{Citation needed|reason=sources for these claims?|date=August 2023}}

Later Han (AD 25–220) scholars began favoring the Ancient Script Texts. [[Zheng Xuan]] synthesized the teachings of both schools. While he was very influential, he was unable to unseat the Current Script Texts orthodoxy though the issue became moot when both schools disappeared after the collapse of the Han. Zheng became the mainstream source of interpretation until the appearance of [[Neo-Confucianism]] in the [[Tang dynasty|Tang]] and [[Song dynasty|Song dynasties]]. The controversy was forgotten until it was rediscovered during the [[Qing dynasty]] by [[Han Learning]] scholars.

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* Ess, Hans Van, 'The Old Text/New Text Controversy. Has the 20th Century Got It Wrong?' in: ''T'oung Pao'', 80 (1994), pp. 146–170. A study that addresses the views of modern scholars.

{{Confucian texts}}

{{Han Dynastydynasty topics}}

[[Category:Chinese classic texts]]