length on chapters 31 to 40. I mention these particulars as an illustration of how the ancient Taoism has become polytheistic and absurd. The name “God, the True Helper,” is a title, I imagine, given to Lü Tsu. With all this nonsense, the composite commentary is a good one, the work, evidently, of one hand. One of the several recommendatory preface is ascribed to Wên Chʽang, the god of literature; and he specially praises the work, as “explaining the meaning by examination of the text.”
Fifth, a Collection of the Most Important Treatises of the Taoist Fathers ( Tao Tsu Chên Chʽuan Chi Yao ). This was reprinted in 1877 at Changzhou in Jiangsu; beginning with the Tao Te Ching , and ending with the Kan Ying Pʽien . Between these there are fourteen other treatises, mostly short, five of them being among Mr. Balfour’s Taoist Texts . The collection was edited by a Lu Yü; and the commentary selected by him, in all but the last treatise, was by a Li Hsi-yüeh, who appears to have been a recluse in a monastery on a mountain in the department of Pao-ning , Sichuan, if, indeed, what is said of him be not entirely fabulous.
Sixth, the Commentary on the Tao Te Ching , by Wu Chʽêng ( AD 1249–1333) of Lin Chʽuan . This has been of the highest service to me. Wu Chʽêng was the greatest of the Yüan scholars. He is one of the literati quoted from occasionally by Chiao Hung in his Wings ; but by no means so extensively as Julien supposes (“ Observations Détachées ” p. xli ). My own copy of his work is in the 12th section of the large Collection of the Yüeh-ya Hall , published in 1853. Writing of Wu Chʽêng in 1865 (“ Proleg. ” to the Shu , p. 36), I said that he was “a bold thinker and a daring critic, handling his text with a freedom which I had not seen in any other Chinese scholar.” The subsequent study of his writings has confirmed me in this opinion of him. Perhaps he might be characterised as an independent, rather than as a bold, thinking, and the daring of his criticism must not be supposed to be without caution. (See “ Introd., ” p. 9 .)