Zhang Taiyan''s Lectures on Chinese Studies

After returning to Shanghai from the south of Beiping in 1932, 65-year-old Zhang Taiyan was invited to give lectures in Suzhou. In 1933, he moved to Suzhou and was invited to give lectures in Wuxi. In 1935, he founded the 'Zhangshi Guoxue Seminar' at No. 50 Jinfan Road, Suzhou, and officially started to teach Chinese studies systematically until his death. The four-year lectures covered the basic categories of Chinese studies, including classics, history, philosophers, literature, science, writing, phonology, exegesis, fundamentals of being a human being, practical application of knowledge, skills and ambitions of learning, etc.; the purpose is to uphold integrity, invigorate the style of study, and cultivate talents. They hold the four classics of Xiaojing, Daxue, Confucianism, and Mourning Apparel. They are the home of Chinese traditional ancestry and classics. They can be called the 'New Four Books', which symbolizes the maturity and systematization of Zhang Taiyan''s outlook on Chinese learning in his later years and intended a strong concern for reality. The lectures collectively represent the quintessence of Zhang Taiyan''s academic thoughts in his later years. It is diverse, popular and transparent, and has many unique opinions. It is a more systematic and comprehensive lecture record of Zhang Taiyan''s lectures in his life, and it is also Zhang Taiyan''s mature theory in his later years. It is considered a must-read book for the introduction of traditional culture. In each lecture, the disciples Geng, Wang Jian, Wang Chengliu, Pan Jingzheng, etc. deduced the records from the side and assembled them into chapters. After writing, they were reviewed and revised by Mr. Taiyan. Zhang Taiyan''s Lectures on Chinese Studies is a compilation of these records. This publication, based on the memories of the ancestors of Mr. Geng, is roughly divided into four parts: Suzhou Preliminary Lectures, Wuxi Lectures, Suzhou Weekly Lectures, and Zhang Shi Guoxue Lectures. It presents Zhang Taiyan''s four-year lectures in a neat and consistent manner, which is easier to read. The collation is based on the original published text. At the end of the book is attached chapter Taiyan Declaration of the Chinese Society and Guidelines of the Zhangshi Guoxue Seminar, Titles of the Board of Directors and Council of the Zhangshi Guoxue Seminar and other related documents, and attached the article About Zhang Shi Guoxue Seminar, Speaking Semi-Monthly, Taiyan School of Literature and others by Zu Geng. Recalling Zhang Taiyan''s lectures in Suzhou and Wuxi in his later years, as well as the whole story of moving to Suzhou and founding Zhang''s National Studies Seminar, can give us a better understanding of this academic event. Compared with the 2013 edition of our bureau, this book has added 6 lectures and 2 appendices, and adjusted the number of edits.