This is from reading Greenblatt's "The Swerve" or Moller's "The Map of Knowledge". Both books deal with how Europeans "rediscovered" the knowledge from ancient Greece and Rome, sometimes thru contacts with the Islamic world. This started the Renaissance. However, did all of the medieval world lose knowledge of the ancient world, only to rediscover it later? Specifically, did the medieval Chinese lose knowledge of Confucius or Sun Tzu like the Europeans did with say Aristotle, Galen, or Lucretius, then rediscover it in a later dynasty? Or were the ancient Chinese knowledge continually passed on to future generations?
(PS: Any references to history books that better answer my question would be much appreciated)
I would say that the most important works were generally passed on, and that people wrote commentaries of them. My main area of reesarch is Chinese medicine, but I know a little bit of philosophy, but for example, Wang Bi (226–249) wrote commentaries on Laozi (Dao De Jing), the Analects (Confucius' text) and the Yijing.
However, even earlier if we examine the text Huainanzi 淮南子 (approx 169 BCE), we see it quote from Laozi and Zhuangzi, and then even earlier we see the Hanfeizi 韓非子 also quote Laozi (this knowledge is from my personal readings of these texts, but you can also find the Huananzi information in the translation by Major et al.).
Then in approximately 12th century, you have Zhu Xi who commentates on the Confucian classics, which remain a core component of study and imperial examination for many hundreds of years.
Now, for an example in Chinese Medicine, the core text is the Huangdi Neijing (dated circa 0 CE), this was then re-arranged by Huangfu Mi in 3rd century CE in the Jiayi Jing (Systematic Classic 針灸甲乙經), then commentated by 3 people from 500-700 CE which are Quan Yuanqi, Yang Shangshan and Wang Bi (Check Unschuld's translation for more information on this). And once the printing press started in 11th century then all the texts became a lot more accessible, and for example, a text like Discussion on Cold damage (215 CE 傷寒論) the estimate had over 600 books written about it prior to 1911 CE.
So while the Chinese absolutely did lose information, they still arguably managed to keep a lot of important texts, and then discuss and commentate on them. Hope this helps.
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