"Gongyang Zhuan", also known as "Spring and Autumn Gongyang Zhuan" and "Gongyang Chunqiu", is a classic that specifically explains the "Spring and Autumn". Its starting and ending dates are consistent with the "Spring and Autumn", that is, BC From 722 to 481 BC, his exegesis of history was very brief, focusing on the so-called "minor words and great meanings" of the Spring and Autumn Annals, and interpreting the scriptures in the form of questions and answers.
"Spring and Autumn" is a Confucian classic in ancient China and is listed as one of the "Five Classics". It was revised by Confucius. Later, many "biographies" appeared that recorded the history recorded in the "Spring and Autumn" in detail. The more famous ones are the "Zuo Zhuan", "Gongyang Zhuan" and "Gu Liang Zhuan", which are known as the "Three Biography of the Spring and Autumn Period".
Introduction to "Three Biography of Spring and Autumn"
"Zuo Zhuan" is my country's first chronological work with detailed narrative (note the distinction: my country's first chronological history book is "Spring and Autumn") , originally called Zuo Shi Chun Qiu, was renamed Chun Qiu Zuo Shi Zhuan in the Han Dynasty, or Zuo Zhuan for short. According to legend, it was written by Zuo Qiu Ming in the late Spring and Autumn Period to explain Confucius's Spring and Autumn Annals.
"Zuo Zhuan" is essentially an independently written history book based on "Spring and Autumn". It explains the outline of "Spring and Autumn" by describing the specific historical facts of the Spring and Autumn Period. It is one of the important classics of Confucianism. "Zuo Zhuan" is an important document for studying the history of Pre-Qin and the Spring and Autumn Period. It represents the highest achievement of Pre-Qin historiography and has a great influence on the historiography of later generations, especially in establishing the status of chronicle history books.
"Gongyang Zhuan" is also called "Chunqiu Gongyang Zhuan" and "Gongyang Chunqiu". It is a classic that specifically explains the "Spring and Autumn". Its starting and ending dates are consistent with "Spring and Autumn", and its interpretation The history is very brief, and focuses on explaining the so-called "small words and big meanings" in the Spring and Autumn Annals, and interprets them in the form of questions and answers. Its author was Gong Yanggao, a native of Qi during the Warring States Period. He studied under Zixia, a disciple of Confucius, and later became one of the three great writers of the Spring and Autumn Annals.
"The Biography of Guliang" is also called "The Chunqiu of Guliang" and "The Biography of Guliang in the Spring and Autumn Period". It is a Confucian classic that annotates the Spring and Autumn Annals. "Gu Liang Zhuan" emphasizes that the authority of the king must be respected, but does not limit the royal power; kings and ministers have their own duties and codes of conduct; it advocates that the distinction between high and low must be strictly treated, and at the same time, it is hoped that the king will pay attention to his own behavior.
The literary value of "Spring and Autumn"
The production of "Spring and Autumn" marks that Chinese historiography and historical biography literature have entered a new stage. In the history of ancient literature, thought, and Confucian classics, All have important positions. It is the first extant chronicle work in China; it is the concrete embodiment of Confucian political thought in the Spring and Autumn Period; no matter which school we talk about in Confucian classics, we must start with Confucius' deletion of the "Six Classics". Therefore, the historical status of "Spring and Autumn" in these academic fields is beyond doubt.
Although "Spring and Autumn" is not a literary work, it played a significant role in the development of ancient my country's written expression language. It is closely related to the tradition of prose writing that emphasizes conciseness and implicitness. Due to the tradition passed down from generation to generation, when people studied and studied "Spring and Autumn", they also learned and inherited its language characteristics and writing style. It also had a far-reaching influence on later historical biography literature.