Kaoxinlu 考信錄

Kaoxinlu 考信錄 "An analysis of credibility" is a historical critique written by Cui Shu 崔述 (1740- 1816), courtesy name Wucheng 武承, style Dongbi 東壁.

During his studies of the Classics, the histories and the "many masters" Cui Shu came to the conclusion that most writers tended to uncritically believe statements of ancient books without questioning such traditional assumptions.

The term kaoxin 考信 is derived from a sentence in Sima Qian's 司馬遷 universal history Shiji 史記 (145 or 135-86? BCE), where he explains that all writers trusted the words in the Six Confucian Classis.

The Kaoxinlu is not a coherent text, but a 46 juan long collection of sixteen writings that were compiled over a long period of time. The most complete collection of Cui Shu's critical analysis of ancient texts is to be found in Gu Jiegang's 顧頡剛 (1892-1980) Cui Dongbi yishu 崔東壁遺書 (republ. 1983 by Shanghai Guji Chubanshe).

The first collection (Qianlu 前錄) includes the texts Kaoxinlu tiyao 考信錄提要 and Bu shanggu kaoxin lu 補上古考信錄, the "main collection" (Zhenglu 正錄) the essays Tang-Yu kaoxin lu 唐虞考信錄, Xia kaoxin lu 夏考信錄, Shang kaoxin lu 商考信錄, Feng-Hao kaoxin lu 豐鎬考信錄 (Feng and Hao were capitals of the Western Zhou; the last three were also known as Sandai kaoxin lu 三代考信錄) and Zhu-Si kaoxin lu 洙泗考信錄 (Zhu and Si were two rivers in the state of Confucius' home state Lu 魯), the "later collection" (Houlu 後錄) the articles Feng-Hao kaoxin bielu 豐鎬考信別錄, Zhu-Si kaoxin yulu 洙泗考信餘錄, Mengzi shishi lu 孟子事實錄, Kaogu xushuo 考古續說, and Kaoxin fulu 考信附錄; the "wing collection" (Yilu 翼錄) finally consists of the writings Wangzheng sandadian kao 王政三大典考, Dufeng oushi 讀風偶識, Guwen Shangshu bianwei 古文尚書辨偽 and Lunyu yushuo 論語餘說.

Some of these analyses deal with whole periods and their historicity, others with concrete texts and their authenticity.

The Kaoxinlu is found in Cui's collected works, Cui Dongbi yishu 崔東壁遺書.

The Zhu-Si kaoxin lu, an analysis of the Lunyu 論語 "Confucian Analects", is also found separately in the series Jifu congshu 畿輔叢書, Congshu jicheng chubian 叢書集成初編 and Xuxiu siku quanshu 續修四庫全書.

Cui Shu can be seen as one of the first scholars who openly criticized traditional beliefs that had been perpetuated over two millennia, and as a forerunner of the famous "School of Questioning [Statements about] Antiquity" (gushibian pai 古史辨派).