Classical Chinese writers were trained as compilers rather than as originators composing information. These writers in

Classical Chinese Classical Chinese, also known as Literary Chinese (古文 ''gǔwén'' "ancient text", or 文言 ''wényán'' "text speak", meaning "literary language/speech"; modern vernacular: 文言文 ''wényánwén'' "text speak text", meaning "literar ...

were trained by memorizing extensive tracts in the classics and histories. Their method of constructing their own work was to extensively cut and paste passages and fragments from these sources. Today this would be called

plagiarism Plagiarism is the fraudulent representation of another person's language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions as one's own original work.From the 1995 '' Random House Compact Unabridged Dictionary'': use or close imitation of the language and thought ...

. However, these early Chinese writers considered themselves not as creators, but as preservers of the record. The continuing controversy over the meaning of Chinese text is best understood by examining the classical scholar's way of writing.

Zhu Xi Zhu Xi (; ; October 18, 1130 – April 23, 1200), formerly romanized Chu Hsi, was a Chinese calligrapher, historian, philosopher, poet, and politician during the Song dynasty. Zhu was influential in the development of Neo-Confucianism. He con ...

was a great editor and commentator but his prime aim was moral learning, considered far more important than art or literature. Zhu Xi cemented

Confucian Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a Religious Confucianism, religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, ...

moral righteousness into the Chinese methods of evaluation.

Joseph Needham Noel Joseph Terence Montgomery Needham (; 9 December 1900 – 24 March 1995) was a British biochemist, historian of science and sinologist known for his scientific research and writing on the history of Chinese science and technology, in ...

has said, Chinese writers made careful note of observable concrete phenomena but they made little use of categorical analysis or the building of

logical system A formal system is an abstract structure used for inferring theorems from axioms according to a set of rules. These rules, which are used for carrying out the inference of theorems from axioms, are the logical calculus of the formal system. A form ...

Footnotes

Chinese culture {{china-stub