In the spring of the fourteenth year of Duke Ai of Lu, the driver of the uncle Sun family, a noble of the Lu state, captured a unicorn while cutting firewood in the wild, broke its left front leg, and carried it back in a cart. No one knew this strange animal.
Shusun sent someone to ask Confucius: "What is the animal that looks like a deer with horns on its head?" After hearing this, Confucius went to check. When Confucius saw the unicorn, it was already dead. Confucius couldn't help crying and said: "This is Qilin! Why are you here?"
Zigong asked Confucius: "Master, why are you crying?" Confucius said: "The arrival of Qilin is It was a sign that the Holy Lord Mingzhu appeared. It appeared at the wrong time, but it was harmed by others. I really feel sad about it."
The Zhou royal family has declined, the world's rituals have collapsed, and Qilin is at the wrong time. Appearing in the world and dying again made the seventy-one-year-old Confucius very sad, and he stopped writing books from then on. "Spring and Autumn" ended with Duke Ai of Lu "hunting for Lin in the West".
Later generations believed that the Qilin recorded by Confucius was a symbol of a certain thought, so "Spring and Autumn" was also called the "Lin Jing". Two years later, Confucius passed away.
Extended information
The reason why Confucius wrote "Spring and Autumn"
"Spring and Autumn" is one of the important Confucian classics "Four Books and Five Classics". It was revised and compiled from the historical book, which plays a decisive role in history. It is also the only historical book among the "Five Classics".
Speaking of the reason for writing the book, Confucius’ original intention was “I originally wanted to convey my ideas through discussion, but this is not as profound and obvious as discovering it from other people’s actions. So in addition to political education and legal regulations , outside of daily interpersonal relationships, there is no other way to explain the truth, and it is already clear."
When the Zhou Dynasty was gradually declining, the world was declining, and the society was in turmoil, Confucius wanted to save it. The declining world situation tells people what the standards of right and wrong are, good and evil, and begins "Spring and Autumn". Confucius turned historical books into a tool for "reasoning", and the ancient Chinese paid more attention to "factual records".
The word "Spring and Autumn" also means the continuous change and continuation of time. In a year, the spring equinox and the autumnal equinox are in the twenty-four solar terms, and the day and night are as long, without any difference. Therefore, the two solar terms of "Spring and Autumn Equinox" are the most peaceful and fair moments.
In an era, the progress of social development and the quality of politics should be judged on this balance scale, which is as balanced as the spring and autumn equinoxes, so as to arouse the vigilance of those in power.
Baidu Encyclopedia--Spring and Autumn Period (Spring and Autumn Classic)