Wenzi
Encyclopedia
The Wenzi or Tongxuan zhenjing , is a controversial Daoist classic allegedly written by a disciple of Laozi
. Although generations of Chinese scholars have dismissed the Wenzi as a plagiarism or forgery, in 1973 archeologists excavating a 55 BCE tomb discovered a Wenzi copied on bamboo strips.
texts like Zhuangzi
and Mozi
. Wen 文 "written character; literature; refinement; culture" is an infrequent Chinese surname
, and "Wenzi" is interpretable as a nom de plume denoting "Master of Literature/Culture". Compare the common Chinese word wenzi 文字 "characters; script; writing; written language".
In 742 CE, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
canonized the Wenzi as a Daoist scripture (along with the Daode jing, Zhuangzi
, and Liezi
) honorifically called the Tongxuan zhenjing 通玄真經 "Authentic Scripture of Pervading Mystery". The emperor posthumously styled Wenzi as the Tongxuan Zhenren
通玄真人 "Authentic Person of Pervading Mystery".
Written references to the Wenzi first appear in the Han Dynasty. The no longer extant 1st century BCE Qilue 七略 "Seven Summaries" by Liu Xiang and Liu Xin
said the Wenzi had 9 pian 篇 "chapters". The bibliographical section of the 1st century CE Book of Han
records the Wenzi text in 9 juan 卷 "rolls; volumes", says Wenzi was a student of Laozi, a contemporary of Confucius
(551-479 BCE), and adviser to King Ping of Zhou
(r. 770-720 BCE), but adds "the work appears to be a forgery" (tr. Sakade 2007:1041).
In his ca. 523 CE Qilu 七录錄 "Seven Records", the Liang Dynasty
scholar Ruan Xiaoxu 阮孝绪 records the Wenzi text in 10 volumes. Bibliographies in the 636 CE Book of Sui
and the 945 CE New Book of Tang
both record 12 volumes.
The Daozang
"Daoist Canon" includes three Wenzi redactions under the Yujue 玉訣 "Commentaries" subsection of the Dongshen 洞神 "Spirit Grotto" section. The oldest extant edition is the Tongxuan zhenjing zhu 通玄真經注 "Commentary on the Authentic Scripture of Pervading Mystery" by Xu Lingfu 徐灵府 (ca. 760-841) of the Tang Dynasty
. The Tongxuan zhenjing zhenyi zhu 通玄真經正儀注 "Commentary on the Correct Meaning of the Authentic Scripture of Pervading Mystery" is by Zhu Bian 朱弁 (ca. 1085-1144) of the Song Dynasty
. Third is the 1310 CE Tongxuan zhenjing zuanyi 通玄真經纘義 "Collected Explanations to the Authentic Scripture of Pervading Mystery" by Du Daojian 杜道坚 (1237–1318) of the Yuan Dynasty
. Judith M. Boltz (1987:219) cites the opinion of Siku Quanshu
bibliographers that Du's version was the most reliable Wenzi redaction. She notes that Du Daojian became the rightful literary heir to Wenzi when he discovered a copy of the classic at the Tongxuan Guan 通玄觀 "Abbey of Pervading Mystery" of Mount Jizhou 計籌 in Zhejiang
, where hagiographic legend says Wenzi took refuge and wrote down his teachings.
周文王 or Kong Wenzi 孔文子 (Analects 5.15, tr. Ames and Rosemont 1998:98-99).
The early Wenzi commentary by Li Xian 李暹 (fl.
516 CE) records that Wenzi's surname was Xin辛 and his sobriquet
(hao 號) was Jiran 計然, he served under Fan Li
范蠡 (fl. 517 BCE), and studied with Laozi.
Du Daojian's commentary notes Wenzi was a nobleman from the Spring and Autumn Period state of Jin, his surname was Xin 辛 and courtesy name (zi 字) was Xing 銒. He was also called Song Xing 宋銒 referring to his home of Kuiqiu 葵丘, which was in Song (state)
.
The dates of Wenzi's birth and date are unknown. The Book of Han (above) contradictorily places the lifetime of Wenzi in the 8th century BCE (King Ping of Zhou) and the 6th-5th centuries BCE (Confucius, Laozi). Some commentators explain this two century difference by proposing there were two philosophers called Wenzi, others suggest a mistake for King Ping 平王 of Chu
(r. 528-516 BCE).
, Mohism
, Legalism
, and School of Names. The Wenzi represents the "[Huang-Lao]]" philosophy named after the legendary Huangdi 黃帝 "The Yellow Emperor" and Laozi 老子 "Master Lao" (see Peerenboom 1995).
The textual format records Laozi answering Wenzi's questions about Daode jing concepts like Wu wei
. Besides citing passages from Daoist classics like Zhuangzi
and Huainanzi
, the Wenzi also cites others like the Yijing, Mengzi
, Lüshi Chunqiu
, and Xiao Jing
. Regarding the received Wenzi text, Yoshinobu Sakade concludes:
tomb near Dingzhou
定州 (or Dingxian 定縣) in Hebei
. Its occupant is identified as King Huai 懷王 of Zhongshan (state)
, who died in 55 BCE. Tomb furnishings included a precious Jade burial suit
, jade ornaments, writing tools, and remnants of eight Chinese classic texts
, including the Wenzi and Confucian Analects copied on hundreds of bamboo slips (jian 簡 "bamboo slip/strip; simple"). These bamboo manuscripts were fragmented, disordered, and blackened by fire, perhaps accidentally caused by tomb robbers. The Yinqueshan Han Slips
and the Guodian Chu Slips
are comparable examples of using bamboo strips as writing tablets.
The specialized project of deciphering and transcribing this ancient Wenzi copy was delayed owing to a 1976 earthquake at Tangshan
that further damaged the Dingzhou bamboo slips. The team published their first report in 1981 and their Wenzi transcription in 1995 (both in the archeological journal Wenwu 文物 "Cultural Relics").
Ongoing sinological studies of the so-called Dingzhou Wenzi (Le Blanc 2000, Ho 2002, van Els 2006) are providing both specific details of the presumed urtext edition
and general insights in the early history of Daoist texts. Portions of the Dingzhou Wenzi are basically consistent with 6 of the 12 chapters in the received text. Consensus is building that this excavated Wenzi dates from the early 2nd century BCE, while the transmitted text was repeatedly corrupted by copyists and amended by editors.
The question-and-answer format is a significant difference between the bamboo and received Wenzi versions. Ames and Rosemont explain.
(1991) wrote a popularized Wenzi translation, which he attributes to Laozi [sic].
There is no authoritative English Wenzi translation based on the groundbreaking Dingzhou readings, nothing comparable with the Analects translation by Ames and Rosemont (1998). The closest is the unpublished PhD dissertation of Paul van Els (2006).
Laozi
Laozi was a mystic philosopher of ancient China, best known as the author of the Tao Te Ching . His association with the Tao Te Ching has led him to be traditionally considered the founder of Taoism...
. Although generations of Chinese scholars have dismissed the Wenzi as a plagiarism or forgery, in 1973 archeologists excavating a 55 BCE tomb discovered a Wenzi copied on bamboo strips.
Received text
The eponymous title Wenzi 文子 "Master Wen", suffixed with -zi 子 "child; person; master (title of respect)", is analogous with other Hundred Schools of ThoughtHundred Schools of Thought
The Hundred Schools of Thought were philosophers and schools that flourished from 770 to 221 BC during the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period , an era of great cultural and intellectual expansion in China...
texts like Zhuangzi
Zhuangzi
Zhuangzi was an influential Chinese philosopher who lived around the 4th century BCE during the Warring States Period, a period corresponding to the philosophical summit of Chinese thought — the Hundred Schools of Thought, and is credited with writing—in part or in whole—a work known by his name,...
and Mozi
Mozi
Mozi |Lat.]] as Micius, ca. 470 BC – ca. 391 BC), original name Mo Di , was a Chinese philosopher during the Hundred Schools of Thought period . Born in Tengzhou, Shandong Province, China, he founded the school of Mohism, and argued strongly against Confucianism and Daoism...
. Wen 文 "written character; literature; refinement; culture" is an infrequent Chinese surname
Chinese surname
Chinese family names have been historically used by Han Chinese and Sinicized Chinese ethnic groups in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and among overseas Chinese communities. In ancient times two types of surnames, family names and clan names , existed.The colloquial expressions laobaixing...
, and "Wenzi" is interpretable as a nom de plume denoting "Master of Literature/Culture". Compare the common Chinese word wenzi 文字 "characters; script; writing; written language".
In 742 CE, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang , also commonly known as Emperor Ming of Tang , personal name Li Longji , known as Wu Longji from 690 to 705, was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, reigning from 712 to 756. His reign of 43 years was the longest during the Tang Dynasty...
canonized the Wenzi as a Daoist scripture (along with the Daode jing, Zhuangzi
Zhuangzi
Zhuangzi was an influential Chinese philosopher who lived around the 4th century BCE during the Warring States Period, a period corresponding to the philosophical summit of Chinese thought — the Hundred Schools of Thought, and is credited with writing—in part or in whole—a work known by his name,...
, and Liezi
Liezi
The Liezi is a Daoist text attributed to Lie Yukou, a circa 5th century BCE Hundred Schools of Thought philosopher, but Chinese and Western scholars believe it was compiled around the 4th century CE.-Textual history:...
) honorifically called the Tongxuan zhenjing 通玄真經 "Authentic Scripture of Pervading Mystery". The emperor posthumously styled Wenzi as the Tongxuan Zhenren
Zhenren
Zhenren is a Chinese term that first appeared in the Zhuangzi meaning "Daoist spiritual master", roughly translatable as "Perfected Person"...
通玄真人 "Authentic Person of Pervading Mystery".
Written references to the Wenzi first appear in the Han Dynasty. The no longer extant 1st century BCE Qilue 七略 "Seven Summaries" by Liu Xiang and Liu Xin
Liu Xin
Liu Xin , later changed name to Liu Xiu , courtesy name Zijun , was a Chinese astronomer, historian, and editor during the Xin Dynasty . He was the son of Confucian scholar Liu Xiang and an associate of other prominent thinkers such as the philosopher Huan Tan...
said the Wenzi had 9 pian 篇 "chapters". The bibliographical section of the 1st century CE Book of Han
Book of Han
The Book of Han, Hanshu or History of the Former Han Dynasty |Fan Ye]] . Various scholars have estimated that the earliest material covered in the book dates back to between 206 and 202 BCE...
records the Wenzi text in 9 juan 卷 "rolls; volumes", says Wenzi was a student of Laozi, a contemporary of Confucius
Confucius
Confucius , literally "Master Kong", was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period....
(551-479 BCE), and adviser to King Ping of Zhou
King Ping of Zhou
King Ping of Zhou , also referred to as Crown Prince Yijiu or King P'ing of Chou was the thirteenth sovereign of the Chinese Zhou Dynasty and the first of Eastern Zhou Dynasty...
(r. 770-720 BCE), but adds "the work appears to be a forgery" (tr. Sakade 2007:1041).
In his ca. 523 CE Qilu 七录錄 "Seven Records", the Liang Dynasty
Liang Dynasty
The Liang Dynasty , also known as the Southern Liang Dynasty , was the third of the Southern dynasties in China and was followed by the Chen Dynasty...
scholar Ruan Xiaoxu 阮孝绪 records the Wenzi text in 10 volumes. Bibliographies in the 636 CE Book of Sui
Book of Sui
The Book of Sui was the official history of the Chinese dynasty Sui Dynasty, and it ranks among the official Twenty-Four Histories of imperial China. It was compiled by a team of historians led by the Tang Dynasty official Wei Zheng and was completed in 636.-External links:* of the Book of Sui,...
and the 945 CE New Book of Tang
New Book of Tang
The New Book of Tang , is a classic work of history about the Tang Dynasty edited by Ouyang Xiu and Song Qi and other official scholars of the Song Dynasty. The emperor called for a revision of the former Book of Tang in 1044. The New Book was presented to the throne in 1060. It was given its...
both record 12 volumes.
The Daozang
Daozang
Daozang , meaning "Treasury of Dao" or "Daoist Canon", consists of around 1400 texts that were collected circa C.E. 400...
"Daoist Canon" includes three Wenzi redactions under the Yujue 玉訣 "Commentaries" subsection of the Dongshen 洞神 "Spirit Grotto" section. The oldest extant edition is the Tongxuan zhenjing zhu 通玄真經注 "Commentary on the Authentic Scripture of Pervading Mystery" by Xu Lingfu 徐灵府 (ca. 760-841) of the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
. The Tongxuan zhenjing zhenyi zhu 通玄真經正儀注 "Commentary on the Correct Meaning of the Authentic Scripture of Pervading Mystery" is by Zhu Bian 朱弁 (ca. 1085-1144) of the Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
. Third is the 1310 CE Tongxuan zhenjing zuanyi 通玄真經纘義 "Collected Explanations to the Authentic Scripture of Pervading Mystery" by Du Daojian 杜道坚 (1237–1318) of the Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
. Judith M. Boltz (1987:219) cites the opinion of Siku Quanshu
Siku Quanshu
The Siku Quanshu, variously translated as the Imperial Collection of Four, Emperor's Four Treasuries, Complete Library in Four Branches of Literature, or Complete Library of the Four Treasuries, is the largest collection of books in Chinese history and probably the most ambitious editorial...
bibliographers that Du's version was the most reliable Wenzi redaction. She notes that Du Daojian became the rightful literary heir to Wenzi when he discovered a copy of the classic at the Tongxuan Guan 通玄觀 "Abbey of Pervading Mystery" of Mount Jizhou 計籌 in Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
, where hagiographic legend says Wenzi took refuge and wrote down his teachings.
Author
Very little is known about Master Wen or whether he wrote the Wenzi. Even the name Wenzi 文子 can denote "Cultured" or "Literate", comparable with King Wen of ZhouKing Wen of Zhou
King Wen of Zhou family name : Ji , Clan name : Zhou Personal name: Chang, known as Zhou Chang or Xibo Chang was the founder of the Zhou Dynasty and the first epic hero of Chinese history....
周文王 or Kong Wenzi 孔文子 (Analects 5.15, tr. Ames and Rosemont 1998:98-99).
The early Wenzi commentary by Li Xian 李暹 (fl.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
516 CE) records that Wenzi's surname was Xin辛 and his sobriquet
Sobriquet
A sobriquet is a nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another. It is usually a familiar name, distinct from a pseudonym assumed as a disguise, but a nickname which is familiar enough such that it can be used in place of a real name without the need of explanation...
(hao 號) was Jiran 計然, he served under Fan Li
Fan Li
Fan Li was an ancient Chinese advisor in the state of Yue in the Spring and Autumn Period. He had been to the state of Wu as hostage together with King Goujian of Yue. Three years later they came back and he helped Goujian to carry on a reform. At last Yue was able to defeat the state of Wu. After...
范蠡 (fl. 517 BCE), and studied with Laozi.
Du Daojian's commentary notes Wenzi was a nobleman from the Spring and Autumn Period state of Jin, his surname was Xin 辛 and courtesy name (zi 字) was Xing 銒. He was also called Song Xing 宋銒 referring to his home of Kuiqiu 葵丘, which was in Song (state)
Song (state)
Sòng was a state during the Eastern Zhou Spring and Autumn Period . Its capital was Shangqiu . In 701 BC, a political marriage between Lady Yong of Song and Duke Zhuang of Zheng empowered Song to manipulate the management of Zheng.- Origin :After King Wu of Zhou overthrew King Zhou of Shang,...
.
The dates of Wenzi's birth and date are unknown. The Book of Han (above) contradictorily places the lifetime of Wenzi in the 8th century BCE (King Ping of Zhou) and the 6th-5th centuries BCE (Confucius, Laozi). Some commentators explain this two century difference by proposing there were two philosophers called Wenzi, others suggest a mistake for King Ping 平王 of Chu
Chu (state)
The State of Chu was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state in present-day central and southern China during the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States Period . Its ruling house had the surname Nai , and clan name Yan , later evolved to surname Mi , and clan name Xiong...
(r. 528-516 BCE).
Content
Although the Wenzi has traditionally been considered a Daoist text illustrating Laozi's thinking, it contains elements from ConfucianismConfucianism
Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
, Mohism
Mohism
Mohism or Moism was a Chinese philosophy developed by the followers of Mozi , 470 BC–c.391 BC...
, Legalism
Legalism (Chinese philosophy)
In Chinese history, Legalism was one of the main philosophic currents during the Warring States Period, although the term itself was invented in the Han Dynasty and thus does not refer to an organized 'school' of thought....
, and School of Names. The Wenzi represents the "[Huang-Lao]]" philosophy named after the legendary Huangdi 黃帝 "The Yellow Emperor" and Laozi 老子 "Master Lao" (see Peerenboom 1995).
The textual format records Laozi answering Wenzi's questions about Daode jing concepts like Wu wei
Wu wei
Wu wei is an important concept of Taoism , that involves knowing when to act and when not to act. Another perspective to this is that "Wu Wei" means...
. Besides citing passages from Daoist classics like Zhuangzi
Zhuangzi
Zhuangzi was an influential Chinese philosopher who lived around the 4th century BCE during the Warring States Period, a period corresponding to the philosophical summit of Chinese thought — the Hundred Schools of Thought, and is credited with writing—in part or in whole—a work known by his name,...
and Huainanzi
Huainanzi
The Huáinánzǐ is a 2nd century BCE Chinese philosophical classic from the Han dynasty that blends Daoist, Confucianist, and Legalist concepts, including theories such as Yin-Yang and the Five Phases. It was written under the patronage of Liu An, Prince of Huainan, a legendarily prodigious author...
, the Wenzi also cites others like the Yijing, Mengzi
Mengzi
Mengzi may refer to:*Mencius , 372 – 289 BCE, Chinese philosopher*Mengzi City , in Yunnan, China...
, Lüshi Chunqiu
Lüshi Chunqiu
The Lüshi Chunqiu is an encyclopedic Chinese classic text compiled around 239 BCE under the patronage of the Qin Dynasty Chancellor Lü Buwei...
, and Xiao Jing
Xiao Jing
Xiao Jing or Classic of Filial Piety is a Confucian classic treatise giving advice on filial piety; that is, how to behave towards a senior .-Authorship:...
. Regarding the received Wenzi text, Yoshinobu Sakade concludes:
While these references make the Wenzi appear as a source of ancient thought, in the form we know it today it is a forgery, with about eighty percent of the text quoted from the Huainan zi, and the rest consisting of an amplification of the Daode jing or quotations from other texts. The present version contains expression similar to those found in the Taoist scriptures … These elements suffice to show that the extant Wenzi was written between the third and eight centuries, before the time of Xu Lingfu. (2007:1042)
Excavated text
In 1973, Chinese archeologists excavated a Han DynastyHan Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
tomb near Dingzhou
Dingzhou
Dingzhou |subdistricts]], 13 towns, 8 townships, and 1 autonomous township. Dingzhou is southwest of Beijing, northeast of Shijiazhuang.-History:...
定州 (or Dingxian 定縣) in Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
. Its occupant is identified as King Huai 懷王 of Zhongshan (state)
Zhongshan (state)
Zhongshan was a Di state created by the nomadic Xianyu tribe in China during the later Zhou Dynasty, in the Chinese written sources it is referred to as a state of the Bai Di .)...
, who died in 55 BCE. Tomb furnishings included a precious Jade burial suit
Jade burial suit
A Jade burial suit is a ceremonial suit made of pieces of jade in which royal members in Han Dynasty China were buried.-Structure of a jade burial suit:...
, jade ornaments, writing tools, and remnants of eight Chinese classic texts
Chinese classic texts
Chinese classic texts, or Chinese canonical texts, today often refer to the pre-Qin Chinese texts, especially the Neo-Confucian titles of Four Books and Five Classics , a selection of short books and chapters from the voluminous collection called the Thirteen Classics. All of these pre-Qin texts...
, including the Wenzi and Confucian Analects copied on hundreds of bamboo slips (jian 簡 "bamboo slip/strip; simple"). These bamboo manuscripts were fragmented, disordered, and blackened by fire, perhaps accidentally caused by tomb robbers. The Yinqueshan Han Slips
Yinqueshan Han Slips
The Yinqueshan Han Slips are ancient Chinese writing tablets, made of bamboo strips and were discovered in 1972. The tablets contain many important writings that were not previously known, and important copies of existing work....
and the Guodian Chu Slips
Guodian Chu Slips
The Guodian Chu Slips were unearthed in 1993 in Tomb no. 1 of the Guodian tombs in Jingmen, Hubei. The archeological team suggested the tomb should be dated to the latter half of the Warring States period...
are comparable examples of using bamboo strips as writing tablets.
The specialized project of deciphering and transcribing this ancient Wenzi copy was delayed owing to a 1976 earthquake at Tangshan
Tangshan
"唐山"redirects here. For an alternative name of China, see Names of China#TangTangshan is a largely industrial prefecture-level city in Hebei province, People's Republic of China. It has become known for the 1976 Tangshan earthquake which measured 7.8 on the Richter scale and killed at least...
that further damaged the Dingzhou bamboo slips. The team published their first report in 1981 and their Wenzi transcription in 1995 (both in the archeological journal Wenwu 文物 "Cultural Relics").
Ongoing sinological studies of the so-called Dingzhou Wenzi (Le Blanc 2000, Ho 2002, van Els 2006) are providing both specific details of the presumed urtext edition
Urtext edition
An urtext edition of a work of classical music is a printed version intended to reproduce the original intention of the composer as exactly as possible, without any added or changed material...
and general insights in the early history of Daoist texts. Portions of the Dingzhou Wenzi are basically consistent with 6 of the 12 chapters in the received text. Consensus is building that this excavated Wenzi dates from the early 2nd century BCE, while the transmitted text was repeatedly corrupted by copyists and amended by editors.
The question-and-answer format is a significant difference between the bamboo and received Wenzi versions. Ames and Rosemont explain.
Consistent with the court bibliography in the History of the Han, the Dingzhou Wenzi has Wenzi as teacher who is being asked questions by a King Ping of the Zhou 周平王. The received text, on the other hand, has the teacher Laozi 老子 being asked questions by the student Wenzi, certainly less appropriate given that texts are usually named for the teacher rather than the student. (1998:273-4)
Translations
Compared with the numerous English translations of familiar Daoist texts like the Daode jing and Zhuangzi, the presumably apocryphal Wenzi has been disregarded. Thomas ClearyThomas Cleary
Thomas Cleary is a prolific author and translator of Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian and Muslim classics, and of the Chinese Art of War tradition of strategy and statecraft. He lives in Oakland, California in the United States.-Life and work:...
(1991) wrote a popularized Wenzi translation, which he attributes to Laozi [sic].
There is no authoritative English Wenzi translation based on the groundbreaking Dingzhou readings, nothing comparable with the Analects translation by Ames and Rosemont (1998). The closest is the unpublished PhD dissertation of Paul van Els (2006).
External links
- The Perfect Book of Pervasive Mystery, Taoist Culture and Information Centre