"Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals"
"Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals" is a miscellaneous work compiled by Qin Prime Minister Lu Buwei in the late Warring States Period (around 221 BC). Named "Lü Lan", it was written in 239 BC, on the eve of Qin's unification of the six kingdoms. This book is divided into twelve chapters, eight chapters, and six treatises, with twenty-six volumes, one hundred and sixty chapters, and more than 200,000 words. The book respects Taoism and affirms that Lao Tzu conforms to objective thoughts, but discards the negative elements. At the same time, it integrated the strengths of Confucianism, Mohism, Legalism, and the military to form a theoretical system covering politics, economics, philosophy, morality, and military aspects. Lu Buwei's purpose is to synthesize the strengths of hundreds of schools of thought, summarize historical experience and lessons, and provide long-term state governance strategies for the future rule of Qin.
The book also puts forward the ideas of "Dharma, Heaven and Earth", "Rumors must be investigated", and the fitness method of appropriate sexual desire and exercise to achieve depression, which have materialistic elements. At the same time, the book also preserves many old rumors, which have high reference value in theory and historical materials. In addition, the book also contains some superstitious ideas about the induction of heaven and humans, which should be distinguished. Sima Qian juxtaposed "Lü Lan" with "Book of Changes", "Spring and Autumn", "Li Sao", etc. in "Historical Records", which showed that he attached great importance to "Lü Shi Chun Qiu". Gao Yao of the Eastern Han Dynasty also wrote annotations and annotations for it, believing that this book "outdid all the scholars", that is, it exceeded the achievements of all the scholars. "Hanshu·Yiwenzhi" listed the book in Zajia, so Confucian scholars no longer paid attention to it.
The annotated version of "Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals" is "Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals" by Bi Yuan of the Qing Dynasty. In modern times, Chen Qiyou's "Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals" can be used as a reference.
"Spring and Autumn"
"Spring and Autumn" is China's first chronological history book. It records the period from the Spring and Autumn Period (770 B.C. to 476 B.C.) from the time when the State of Lu retired to the A.D. Major historical events in the 14th or 16th year of Duke Ai, that is, from 722 BC to 481 BC (or 479 BC). The content is incomplete, but there are now more than 16,000 words, covering aspects such as politics, military, economy, culture, astronomy and social life. It is an accurate original record at that time. Because thirty of the thirty-seven recorded solar eclipses are completely consistent with modern astronomical calculations, it shows that "Spring and Autumn" is not fiction. It was originally said that "Spring and Autumn" was the work of Confucius, but research by scholars has confirmed that it was compiled collectively by historians from all dynasties of the State of Lu, and "Spring and Autumn" was circulated before Confucius was born.
The existing "Spring and Autumn" can be found in "Zuo Zhuan", "Gongyang Zhuan" and "Gu Liang Zhuan" respectively. The scriptures in the three biography are similar.
The scriptures in "Spring and Autumn" are very brief. There are no more than twenty records per year at most, and the least is only two; the longest is only more than forty words, and the shortest is only one or two words, just history. Summary of events. This is because the history at that time was still dominated by oral narratives by historians, and written records only served as reminders.
Although "Spring and Autumn" is brief, it records the accurate time, place and people, making the historian's oral account credible. This is a huge progress in the development of history. The rich historical content of "Zuo Zhuan" makes up for the shortcomings of "Spring and Autumn".
However, in terms of politics, "Spring and Autumn" has a different meaning from "Zuo Zhuan". After the Han Dynasty, "Spring and Autumn" was revered as a holy book written by Confucius, and had a supreme status in politics and academics. Confucian scholars of all ages have exerted their interpretation on it, which has exerted an important influence in the fields of Confucian classics, history, and even politics.
The Spring and Autumn Period was a turbulent historical period in China, when old systems and traditions were about to collapse and new systems were being nurtured. According to Confucius' words, "rituals collapsed and music collapsed." The patriarchal system, feudalism and traditional cultural forms established in the Western Zhou Dynasty gradually declined.
During the Spring and Autumn Period, the various vassal states no longer obeyed the orders of the King of Zhou, and fought openly and secretly for their own interests, and the melee continued. The powerful vassal states used the banner of safeguarding the dignity of the King of Zhou to unite with other countries to attack the vassal states that dared to resist the King of Zhou, or in the name of "respecting the king", they attacked countries that were not beneficial to them. As a result, in the fierce competition, the "Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period" emerged one after another. They are Duke Huan of Qi, Duke Wen of Jin, Duke Mu of Qin, Duke Xiang of Song, and King Zhuang of Chu.
In the late Spring and Autumn Period, social structure and political systems were undergoing changes, and cultural education was no exception. It turns out that various professional knowledge was mostly passed down from generation to generation by a few people such as Zhu Shi, but this situation of "learning in the government" no longer meets the needs of the new situation. Society requires that there should be private schools in addition to official schools to cultivate and create more scholars and official talents. It was under this historical condition that Confucius appeared. He praised King Wen and Duke of Zhou, but was also influenced by Guan Zhong and Zichan in the Spring and Autumn Period. He refined historical ideological materials and created the Confucian school.
In the Warring States Period, after a long period of annexation wars, only the "Seven Heroes of the Warring States Period" remained among the numerous vassal states. Finally, the Qin State destroyed the other six states and established a unified country.