Guiguzi () is a collection of ancient Chinese texts compiled between the late
Warring States period and the end of the
Han Dynasty
The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by th ...
. The work, between 6,000–7,000
Chinese character
Chinese characters () are logograms developed for the writing of Chinese. In addition, they have been adapted to write other East Asian languages, and remain a key component of the Japanese writing system where they are known as '' kan ...
s, discusses techniques of
rhetoric
Rhetoric () is the art of persuasion, which along with grammar and logic (or dialectic), is one of the three ancient arts of discourse. Rhetoric aims to study the techniques writers or speakers utilize to inform, persuade, or motivate parti ...
. Although originally associated with the
School of Diplomacy
The School of Diplomacy (), or the School of Vertical and Horizontal Alliances was a political and diplomatic clique during the Warring States period of Chinese history (476-220 BCE). According to the ''Book of Han'', the school was one of the Nin ...
, the Guiguzi was later integrated into the
Daoist canon.
Authorship
There has been much speculation about the identity of the writer of ''Guiguzi'', the origin of his name (literally 'The Sage of Ghost Valley') and the authenticity of the work as a whole.
While there has been no final outcome to this discussion, Chinese scholars believe that the compilation reflects a genuine corpus of Warring States period writings on political lobbying. While most writers doubt the assertion that the ''Guiguzi'' was written by a single personality, the ''
Records of the Grand Historian'' do refer to a Guigu Xiansheng (, i.e., Mr. Guigu) who taught persuaders
Su Qin and
Zhang Yi. Thus, this Guigu is traditionally considered the founder of the
School of Diplomacy
The School of Diplomacy (), or the School of Vertical and Horizontal Alliances was a political and diplomatic clique during the Warring States period of Chinese history (476-220 BCE). According to the ''Book of Han'', the school was one of the Nin ...
(; ), a school of thought which was particularly interested in rhetoric. Guigu Xiansheng is also said to have taught famous Warring States generals
Sun Bin and
Pang Juan.
The association of the name Wang Xu () is not generally held to be supported.
Whereas books I and II are attributed to the same author, Book III is likely an addition by a later author. There is no material in the text to support the view held by some that ''Guiguzi'' is a book on military tactics.
Contents
''Guiguzi'' comprises three books, with chapters on different strategies of observation and persuasion.
Translations
There have been translations of ''Guiguzi'' into modern Chinese, German, English, and Russian (see below). Almost all modern annotated texts and western translations rely heavily on the explanations of the texts attributed to the Eastern Jin scholar
Tao Hongjing
Tao Hongjing (456–536), courtesy name Tongming, was a Chinese alchemist, astronomer, calligrapher, military general, musician, physician, and pharmacologist, and writer during the Northern and Southern dynasties (420–589). A polymathic indiv ...
.
References
Further reading
*蕭登福《鬼谷子研究》. 2001 文津出版社
*陈宇《鬼谷子兵法破解》. /E.2024
*
Guiguzi, China's First Treatise on Rhetoric: A Critical Translation and Commentary'. Trans. Hui Wu. Carbondale, Ill.: Southern Illinois University Press, 2016.
*''Thunder in the Sky: Secets on the Acquisition and Exercise of Power.'' Trans. Thomas Cleary. Boston: Shambbala Books, 1994.
*Michael Robert Borschat
"Guiguzi': A Textual Study and Translation" University of Washington Ph.D. Thesis, 1985.
*Chung Se Kimm, "Kuei-Kuh-Tse: Der Philosoph vom Teufelstal," 1927.
*Robert van Gulik: 'Kuei-ku-tzu, The Philosopher of the Ghost Vale", "China", XIII, no 2 (May 1939).
*«Гуй Гу-цзы». В кн: Искусство управления. Сост., пер., вступ. ст. и коммент. В.В. Малявина. М.: «Издательство Астрель»: «Издательство АСТ», 2003. С.244-318.
*Xu Fuhong. ''Guiguzi Yan Jiu.'' Shanghai: Shanghai Classics Press, 2008.
*Xu Fuhong. ''Guiguzi Jijiao Jizhu.'' Beihing: Zhonghua shuju, 2008.
*Chen Puqing, ''Guiguzi xiangjie.'' Changsha, Hunan: Yuelu Press, 2005.
*Du Yong. "On the Time Record of ''Guiguzi''." ''Journal of Tianjing Normal University:; Social Science'' 170.6 (2003): 30-32.
*Xiao Yuhan. ''Guiguzi zhuaqi: Quan jie zhanguo diyi quiren mieguozhishu.'' Beijing: Tuanjie shubanshe, 2002.
*Xiao Dengfu. ''Guiguzi Yan Jiu.'' Taibei, Taiwan: Wenjin Press, 2001.
*Daniel Coyle. "''Guiguzi'': On the Cosmological Axes of Chinese Persuasion." Dissertation. University of Hawaii, 1999.
*Fang Lizhong. ''Guiguzi quanshu.'' Beijing: Shumu wenxian chubanshe, 1993.
*Zhang Jianguo. ''Guiguzi shiyong zhimou daquan.'' Beijing: Meteorological Press, 1993.
*Zhang Shixin. "Demystifying Guiguzi." ''Journal of Zhejiang Teachers University: Social Science Edition'' 2 (1990): 42-47.
*
External links
*
Guiguzi on Ctext
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Chinese philosophy
History of Zhengzhou
Chinese literature