As we all know, culture always has some deviations during its spread due to various reasons.

These deviations may not be hindered from the overall situation, but there are always some differences in details.

The most obvious example is some poetry. There are several different versions of some sentences. It is difficult to verify which version is the author's original text. Or, none of them are.

The phenomenon of typossessment will certainly exist more or less.

Some mistakes will not affect the original artistic conception of the poem. However, some mistakes, different words and sentences, but the meanings are completely opposite, which is also a headache.

So Qi Xiang is not sure. The Tao Te Ching in his hand is the five thousand words left by Lao Tzu when he left Hangu Pass. Some of the changes were taken for granted.

Of course, Qi Xiang doesn’t have to read the original text of the Tao Te Ching, the key is the comments.

During the Ming Dynasty, although Taoism was a little declining, its momentum was not as good as before. However, the Tianshi Mansion of Longhu Mountain was highly valued by the court and was well-behaved.

Especially during the Jiajing period, Emperor Shizong of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Houcong believed in Taoism. During his decades of reign, Taoism was revived. During that period, the official engraving of Tao Te Ching should have been the trend and norm at that time.

As the pillar of Taoism at that time, contemporary Zhang Tianshi personally commented on the Tao Te Ching, which was also a natural meaning.

But in the eyes of a thousand people, there are a thousand Hamlets.

The same book naturally has different understandings and perceptions in the eyes of different people.

This is true for the Book of Changes and the Analects of Confucius.

The Tao Te Ching is naturally no exception.

The Tao Te Ching that Qi Xiang is holding in his hand is a publication published by a modern publishing house. The annotation of the content in the book is naturally understood and interpreted from a modern perspective.

But he also wanted to know. How did the ancients read the Tao Te Ching? Especially a Taoist master like Zhang Tianshi, his academic level is definitely not low. How did he interpret the Tao Te Ching?

Therefore, looking at the ancient books in front of you, Qi Xiang couldn't help but feel a little moved.

After pondering for a while, Qi Xiang asked, "Just one?"

"Well?"

The wanderer was stunned. Then he was happy and said quickly: "No, no, no, this is just a volume one, and there are four more books, which are connected together."

The ancient engraved books had large fonts, which was convenient for dyeing and printing.

So sometimes, thousands of words are enough to integrate a book. In addition, there are long paragraphs of comments, and a Tao Te Ching is divided into five volumes, which is also considered a work of conscience and does not mean to pour water into people.

If you meet an unscrupulous merchant and print one set into ten volumes directly, you can earn twice the amount of money you can only accept.

"set……"

Qi Xiang weighed the matter and asked, "Tell me. What's the matter with you?"

"Brother, it's actually nothing. I just want to be a friend with you."

Youziyin naturally understood that his strategy of applying to his own good worked, and he smiled and said, "As the saying goes, there are friends in the world, and you and I will fall in love with each other at first sight..."

"Speak human words."

Qi Xiang interrupted without hesitation: "Don't go around in circles."

"All right……"

Seeing that a relationship was not effective, You Ziyin also said frankly: "It's a little thing, a little thing... Well, for you, it's really a little thing, and it's easy to deal with."

"explain……"

Qi Xiang has his own measurement. If it is too troublesome, he will definitely not agree.

"A business..."

Youziyin hesitated for a while and quickly said, "I will do a big business with others in a few days, and things are more expensive. However, I don't trust them, so I want to ask someone to help me check it."

"Originally, I had already hired someone, but the man suddenly had something to do and couldn't go."

Youziyin was very worried. He had no tendency to be abused. If it weren't for this reason, why would he come to the door even though he knew he was not welcomed?

His purpose was also very clear. To put it bluntly, he just wanted to ask Qi Xiang to help him.

However, Qi Xiang did not speak, had no expression on his face, and did not express his opinion.

The wandering son glanced at his eyes, gritted his teeth and said decisively: "Brother, as long as you are willing to help me, this set of Tao Te Ching in the Ming Dynasty officials will be regarded as my thank-you gift."

He was willing to give up that the price of a set of ancient books in the Ming Dynasty was definitely not low on the market. If the quality was intact, it might even create a new record of transactions for similar products.

However, being willing to invest and spend a lot of money means that the business he wants to do is definitely not simple.

"Why are you looking for me?"

However, Qi Xiang was a little confused: "We have never met each other, do you believe me?"

Things like palms and eyes don’t mean that you can solve the problem by simply finding an appraiser, but it also involves a question of trust.

Modern appraisal companies are mixed with each other. Some appraisers dare to issue any certificate as long as they give money, and they have no credibility at all. In fact, many experts always sneer at the appraisal certificates given by some appraisal companies, and treat them as waste paper and never believe them.

In fact, most people in this industry generally believe in senior and highly respected experts they feel trusted.

If he doesn't trust a person, even if he is a so-called expert, after identification, he will not give up and think that the other party has taken a look at him.

After all, no matter how powerful an expert is, he still has a chance to get a clue.

If he is a trustworthy person, tell him that this thing is a fake and not worth it. Even if he is unhappy or even sad, he will be convinced and will not have any questions.

So Qi Xiang felt strange. He had only met You Ziyin once, so why should You Ziyin believe him?

"Well……"

This was a question that was a question. Youziyin was confused for a moment and felt strange that even if the person who promised to help him have something to do, he would not be able to escape.

However, he has another choice, so why did he come to Qi Xiang?

You Ziyin thought it seriously and felt that it was not just because of the super strength shown by Qi Xiang yesterday. The more important reason was because...

"Maybe I think you don't want to lie to me."

Youziyin thought for a while and hesitated: "If you don't lie to me, you will naturally be trustworthy."

“…”

Qi Xiang tugged the corner of her mouth. This reason is really nonsense.

"I'm telling the truth."

Seeing that Qi Xiang didn't believe it, Youzi said anxiously: "My intuition is very accurate. When I saw you, I knew that you were the kind of arrogant... Cough cough, that kind of upright, pure, trustworthy person. As long as you agree to something, you will definitely do your best..."

"Okay. Don't flatter me." Qi Xiang waved her hand: "No matter what your reason is, I can agree to this matter. But..."

"I understand, I understand." You Ziyin immediately presented the book book in his hand: "This is a deposit. After the matter is completed, the other four books will be presented at any time."

Qi Xiang took the book and flipped through it while casually saying, "When will the transaction you mentioned go on? I declared in advance. I don't have time to go to the place that is too far away."

"Not far, definitely not far."

Youziyin hurriedly said, "It's just three days later, on Dongting Lake."

"good……"

Qi Xiang closed the book and said in a low voice: "When the time comes, you will pick me up."

"no problem!"

Youziyin quickly agreed, and then he was about to go with the flow and asked Qi Xiang to have a meal and contact him. But as soon as he wanted to speak, he saw Qi Xiang hanging sunglasses and lying back on the chair, and was very sensible, so he said goodbye and left.

Qi Xiang didn't give it to him either, but just opened the title page of the book and studied it carefully.

The beginning of the ancient book is not the main text, but the preface.

The preface is simple and shows the causes and consequences of annotating the Tao Te Ching.

Of course, it cannot be said explicitly, it is to please the emperor, flatter the emperor, flatter the emperor, and please the emperor. Although this is a fact, there are some words that everyone can tell tacitly, and it will be counterproductive if it says it.

Whenever a book is engraved, there must be a noble reason.

For example, education!

The gods and immortals in the world take Laozi as their sect.

When Lao Tzu was in the world, he did not compete with others in everything, did not act naturally, did not be arrogant about strangeness, and did not innovate. Therefore, historical books called the ancient gentleman.

"My destiny" is a five thousand words, and it is used to establish a theory through ancient words.

It is possible to govern the world and cultivate oneself.

However, most of the ignorant people in the world cannot understand the profound meaning well. Therefore, he dared to make a legitimate idea for the saints to educate all living beings in the world.

Qi Xiang was patient and finished reading the preface that gilded his face before she got into the main text.

Chapter 1, first sentence of the text.

Tao can be told, it is extraordinary Tao.

Qi Xiang took a look, then moved her eyes away, closed her eyes and thought carefully before opening her eyes and continuing to watch the notes. He was watching very seriously, concentrating on thinking...

In a blink of an eye, another day passed.

Time flies, and three days pass by in a flash.

In these three days, he not only finished reading the Tao Te Ching volumes annotated by Master Zhang Tian, ​​but even searched the Internet and roughly read the annotations of famous Tao Te Ching masters that could be found.
To be continued...