Song lun

The Song lun (Commentary on the Song) is a work by Wang Fuzhi, a Chinese philosopher, historian, and poet of the early Qing dynasty. Wang Fuzhi (1619–1692) was a fervent patriot who resisted the Manchu invasion and the establishment of the Qing dynasty. After realizing his cause was lost, he dedicated his life to study and writing.1

In the Song lun, Wang Fuzhi distinguished between ancient Chinese institutions, as described in Confucian Classics, and those of later dynasties. He argued that ancient institutions were not relevant to his time and that government should serve the people, prioritizing the preservation of the Chinese people and their culture. He believed that alien rulers were unacceptable, regardless of how assimilated they appeared, and he celebrated historical figures who defended Chinese land.1