III
Turning to the contents of the translation, I have found
it necessary to divide each essay into paragraphs and, in a
number of works, add descriptive sub-titles with a view to
facilitating the reading of the text. Matters of historical and
textual criticisms, which in many cases have been briefly
taken up in the notes, are mostly derived from the works
done by eminent commentators; while the annotations and
elucidations are based on my judgment of their usefulness
to the collation of the translation with the original. Matters
of authenticity have been remarked in the notes frequently,
yet for all detailed discussions I must again refer the reader
to the companion volume.
In the transliteration of the Chinese names I have largely
followed Giles's system with slight variations that I have
found necessary in the interests of distinction and
convenience. Thus, I have purposely differentiated
"Chow"[10]
from "Chou",[11]
"Wey"[12]
from "Wei",[13]
and "Shen"[14]
from "Shên".[15]
In case of possible confusions
and needful specifications, Chinese characters are found in
the notes; otherwise, in the glossary. On the other hand,
to minimize the monotony of the sounds of proper names and
to refresh the reader's interest, I have used English words
with equivalent meanings for all available names, such as
the Yellow Emperor for Huang-ti, the Yellow River for
Huang-ho, the Armour Gorge Pass for Han-ku-kuan, etc.
In regard to the author's citations from other books, I
have either translated them directly from the respective
Chinese texts or availed myself of the translations
accomplished by such Western Sinologues as James Legge,
H. A. Giles, etc., to whom I have acknowledged my
indebtedness in the notes, despite my occasional differences
from them. My translation thus done has accepted every
writing by Han Fei TzŬ, whether genuine or spurious,
as it has been preserved through all catastrophes since
antiquity.
