International Social Science Journal (Chinese Edition)

No.3, 2025

 

 

Li Luomin

 

The Shangshu Zhengyi (The Commentaries and Sub-commentaries of Shangshu) is one of the works compiled under the leadership of Kong Yingda during the Zhenguan era as part of the Wujing Zhengyi. However, evaluations of the Shangshu Zhengyi have historically been polarized, and to this day, there has been little in-depth scholarly discussion regarding its exegetical framework and methodology. This article examines the interpretive methods of the Shangshu Zhengyi and explores its distinctive features. The exegetical approach of the Shangshu Zhengyi is characterized by a clear hierarchical structure between the “sub-commentary on the texts” and the “sub-commentary on the commentary”. In terms of its interpretive layers, it actually operates on four levels: “classic”, “commentary”, “sub-commentary on the texts”, and “sub-commentary on the commentary”. The “sub-commentary on the texts” integrates explanations of the original text and the meanings of commentary, while the “sub-commentary on the commentary” delves into detailed analysis and clarification. This layered structure can be regarded as an innovative contribution by Kong Yingda during the compilation of the Shangshu Zhengyi, designed to achieve clarity and facilitate ease of reading.