『世史正綱』과 經世

Ch'iu Chün(丘濬)'s Shih-shih cheng-kang(世史正綱) and the World-Ordering(經世)

The Shih-shih cheng-kang(世史正綱, Correct Outline of History of the World), in 32 chuan(卷), covers the period from 221 B.C., the year marking the ending of the chaotic period of Warring States(403-221 B.C.) and the unification of China by Emperor Ch'in Shih-hwang(秦始皇, 259-210 B.C.), to 1368, the founding of the Ming dynasty by Chu Yüan-chang; a total of one thousand five hundred and eighty-nine years. Apparently, the Shih-shih cheng-kang was written in an imitation of Chu Hsi's T'ung-chien kang-mu(通鑑綱目) and Lü Tsu-ch'ian's(呂祖謙, 1137-1181) Ta-shih chi(大事記, Record of Important Events). So on the one hand, the Shih-shih cheng-kang took the T'ung-chien kang-mu as a model for applying the writing technique(筆法) of “praise and blame(褒貶)” and proceeded from the hidden counsel of the Ch'un-ch'iu(春秋, Spring and Autumn Annals). On the other hand, it followed the writing style of the Ta-shih chi and appended explanatory notes and remarks to most of its entries. However, Ch'iu's work is not merely an imitation; it has its own characteristics. Ch'iu's principle was “to clarify what is hard to understand and tosupplement what is not expressed in full detail.”In the preface, when Ch’iu is discussing his purposes in writing the Shih-shih cheng-kang, he states the aims of his book: to show the change of the world, and to record the origins of historical events. Ch'iu states also the “Great Principles and Main Themes” of this book--to rigorously differentiate between the Chinese and the barbarians, to establish the righteousness between the sovereign and the minister, to restore the proper relationship between father and son. According to Ch'iu's concept, the order of the world depended on the relationship between the Chinese and the barbarians. The order of the state depended on the relationship between the sovereign and his ministers. The order of the family depended on the relationship between the father and his sons. So, the order of the world directly affected the state; and the order of the state directly affected the family. Looked at from another angle, the family was a sub-set of the state; the state was a sub-set of the world. Therefore, the world, the state, and the family, were inter-related, directly or indirectly, and they affected each other. These three principles were probably derived from Ch'iu's main guiding theme--the clarification of the legitimacy of succession(正統). This study is focused on exploration of the motives for writing the Shih-shih cheng-kang, guiding principles and presentation of this book, and Ch'iu's historical thought.