Guo Qingfan (; 1844âÂÂ1896, from Xiangyin County) was an important scholar of the late Qing period. Today he is mostly known as the editor of the Zhuangzi jishi åºÂÃ¥ÂÂéÂÂé / (Collected Explanations of the Zhuangzi).
Guo Qingfan (zi: Mengchun Ã¥ÂÂç´Â, hao: Zijing Ã¥ÂÂçÂÂ) was a son of Guo Kundao. He, wrote or compiled some ten works, among which were these comprehensive annotations to Zhuangzi, printed in 1894.
The modern Chinese philosopher Chen Guying (b. 1935) highlights the merits of Guo Qingfan's Zhuangzi jishi in the preface to his modern Chinese translation of the book Zhuangzi. According to his information, Guo Qingfan's edition Zhuangzi jishi includes the full texts of Guo XiangâÂÂs Commentary (zhu), Cheng XuanyingâÂÂs Sub-commentary (shu), and Lu DemingâÂÂs Pronunciations and Meanings (yinyi). It also excerpts textual studies by Qing dynasty scholars such as Wang Niansun and Yu Yue, and adds the opinions of Guo Songtao as well as his own. The original Zhuangzi jishi was based on the Song dynasty edition reproduced in Li Shuchang's Guyi congshu. Wang Xiaoyu's çÂÂÃ¥ÂÂé±¼ (1900âÂÂ1981) revised edition was further corrected using the Song edition facsimile in Xu Guyi congshu, the Ming Shidetang edition, the Daozang version of Cheng XuanyingâÂÂs Sub-commentary, and the Sibu congkan appendix containing Sun Yuxiu's Ã¥ÂÂæ¯Âä¿® Song Zhao Jianyi ben jiaoji å®Âèµµè°Âè®®æ¬校记, as well as modern works such as Wang Shumin's Zhuangzi jiaoshi (Collation and Notes) and Liu Wendian's Ã¥ÂÂæÂÂå ¸ Zhuangzi buzheng. The original text of the Zhuangzi used in Chen GuyingâÂÂs modern commentary and translation of the Zhuangzi is based on the edition by Guo Qingfan (Zhuangzi jishi), which was corrected by Wang Xiaoyu.
Together with the Zhuangzi jijie åºÂÃ¥ÂÂéÂÂ解 (8 juan) by the Qing scholar Wang Xianqian çÂÂå Âè°¦, the Zhuangzi jishi is contained in the prestigious collection of ancient Chinese philosophers named Zhuzi jicheng.