Manifestations of wisdom in ancient China: An analysis of the Zhinang Quanji

Abstract

This study aims to use summarizing content analysis and descriptive analysis to examine features related to wisdom in Zhinang Quanji, a collection of classical Chinese wisdom stories by 17th-century writer Feng Menglong, so as to investigate the real-life manifestations of wisdom of ancient Chinese. The results are as follows: (1) the wisdom of ancient Chinese is mainly manifested in 20 different kinds of events. Among these, the following are the five instances of wisdom that appear most frequently: (a) act resourcefully and calmly as the situation demands to deal with emergencies; (b) assist those in a higher position (especially through admonishment or remonstration); (c) take note of even the finest detail and wisely settle disputes; (d) when in bureaucratic circles, clearly analyze the situation and plan far ahead; and (e) on the battlefield, ascertain the mentality of the enemy force, take them by surprise, and overcome them. (2) A total of 932 wise characters are included in Zhinang Quanji. Here, several characteristics are commonly found, including dominant maleness, numerical minority of persons aged under 18 and above 60, and predominance of characters who possess human wisdom. The current findings can provide a useful framework for understanding the manifestation of wisdom in concrete life contexts, thus helping us to better understand and grasp the meaning and nature of wisdom.