Vernacular version of "Wenbianlu": a classic of Confucian speculation on names and appearances in the Ming Dynasty
"Wenbianlu" written by Gao Gong is an important Confucian treatise in the middle and late Ming Dynasty. The vernacular version makes the classic speculation easily accessible to readers.
As an important political official during the Jiajing and Longqing years, Gao Gong examined Confucian classics from a pragmatic perspective and put forward many unique "questions and interpretations" in response to Zhu Xi's views in "Commentary on Chapters and Sentences of the Four Books" - he not only affirmed the essence of Zhu Xi's theory, but also did not blindly follow it, and launched a dialectical discussion on core propositions such as "investigating things to gain knowledge" and "the relationship between knowledge and action".
The vernacular translation accurately restores the speculative edge of the original work, and is supplemented by annotations to clarify Confucian concepts and historical background. It is not only suitable for reference by Confucian researchers, but also allows ordinary readers to understand the politician's academic thinking and feel the speculative charm of traditional Confucianism.
