226
A Chinese Chrestomathy.
AFRIT....
catalogue is divided into four parts: 1, Classical writings, in ten sec- tions; 2, Historical writings, in nine sections; 3, Professional writings (including arts, sciences, and religion) in fourteen sections ; and 4, Miscellanies, in five sections. This catalogue is in itself a very valuable work, comprised in one hundred and twelve duodecimo volumes of 140 or 150 pages each. It is called, literally, the Four Treasuries, from the four departments into which the works compris- ed in the library are divided. The 165 works enumerated in the Chrestomathy constitute but a very small part, probably not more than one fiftieth, of the whole library; but we have not the means of ascertaining what may be the exact number. It is no doubt one of the largest collections of books in the world. One simple work-the Great Classical Collection of the emperor Yunglo of the Ming dy- nasty-contains twenty-two thousand eight hundred and seventy- seven chapters, making, as Chinese books are usually bound, at least 1400 volumes!
The Chrestomathy is divided into seventeen chapters, each of which we shall briefly notice-partly for the purpose of showing what the work is, and partly for the sake of placing on the pages of the Repository a variety of information which will, perhaps, be accepta- ble to the general reader.
<
Chapter Ist is on the Study of Chinese,' comprising exercises in conversation, reading, and writing. On this last topic, there is given one of the best systems, now in vogue among the Chinese. Wáng Yukiun (called Wóng Yaukwan in the Canton dialect) is the author of this system of writing, which in many respects corresponds to those which are common in the west: the work contains twelve plates, il- lustrating the several methods of holding the pencil, to which are added explanations with examples of all the different strokes which occur in writing Chinese. Elegance in writing is highly esteemed by this people, and great care is taken by scholars to secure the ac- complishment. Copy-books are numerous; and all the examples, contained in one of the most approved works, are introduced into the Chrestomathy, in a series of copies, ninety-two in number.
Chapter 2d contains words and phrases, used when speaking of 'the Human Body,' which the Chinese regard as a microcosm. “The circuit of the heavens," say they, “has three hundred and sixty de- grees; the human body also has three hundred and sixty divisions; in the heavens are stars and constellations, with the sun and moon ; in man also are the heart, liver, spleen, and lungs; hence he is call- val, shậu tiên từ. little heaven and earth, that is, a microcosm. Many
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.