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Subject:Chinese "book" pages with inlaid stone plates
Posted By: Gakusei Fri, Nov 10, 2017 IP: 91.248.71.94

What kind of "book" is this? It consists von 8 pages containing 8 stone plates engraved on both sides with old script. I show the first and the last two pages. The object measures 23 x 15 x 4,5 cm, the plates 8 x 14 cm. Who is the man? Any thoughts about the text, the age, the kind of stone?
Thanks, Gakusei





Subject:Re: Chinese "book" pages with inlaid stone plates
Posted By: I.Nagy Sun, Nov 12, 2017

Dear Gakusei-san,

Title of book (Right side cover and Platte 8);
三十六計   Thierty-Six Strategem
Back cover:
乾隆御編   Qianlong (Period betw.176-1795)

It is an unique collection of 36 ancient Chinese proverbs, suitably applied in the field of politics, diplomacy and espionage.
F.Y.I.
All modern version are derived from an old book found in Sechuan in 1941 !
Platte 1 (Not front - Back side) depicts Sunzi (Sun Tsu) author of "Art of War)
Platte 8 (Front)
一満天過海.... Strategem 1, Deceive the sky to cross ocean...... -Beginning of the 36 Strategems-

With regards,
I.Nagy




Subject:Re: Chinese "book" pages with inlaid stone plates
Posted By: Gakusei Mon, Nov 13, 2017

Dear Nagy-san,

what an exciting result. Thank you very much for your help and teaching.
Do you think it may be such old Quianlong (176?-1795)?

In the meantime I have learned that this Sun Tzu and his work "The Art of War" is "the most important and most famous military treatise in Asia for the last two thousand years."
I am overwhelmed by the countless studies and material found in WWW.

Thank you again very much.

Gakusei

PS Thank you too for your interesting answer concerning the "calligraphy book". The Kanji 軰 is strange and unknown to my dictionaries :-)

Subject:Re: Chinese "book" pages with inlaid stone plates
Posted By: I.Nagy Tue, Nov 14, 2017

Dear Gakusei-san,

Your book is definitely not older than 60-70 years.
Probably made in Hong Kong or Taiwan
The Qianlong does not have any significance. That is only an eye-catcher.
However, the only surviving copy which was found by a Chinese gentleman in a roadside book-stall in 1941 had nothing to do with the WW events.
As of the character 軰 is the variant form of 輩
(tomogara)
In Japanese we call them 異体字 (Itaiji).
There are special dictionaries for the variant forms.

With regards,
I.Nagy


Subject:Re: Chinese "book" pages with inlaid stone plates
Posted By: JLim Tue, Nov 14, 2017



Dear Gakusei

The 36 Strategems is not written by Sun Zi, but it is in itself a very famous book. The most famous phrase is in Strategem #36 - The last strategem is to run away!

Kind regards
J.Lim


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