Romance of the Eastern Zhou States: A Popular Introduction to Classical Chinese Literature

Author: Feng Menglong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features: The Chronicle of the Warring States is a long historical novel in the form of chapters, depicting the history of China's Eastern Zhou period. It comprehensively reflects the rise and fall of the competing states during the more than 500 years of the Eastern Zhou. The entire book is based on the ancient historical records Zuo Zhuan, Guoyu, Zhan Guo Ce, and Shiji, weaving together the intricate and compelling history of the Eastern Zhou in a well-organized manner. In terms of language, it is more fluent and vivid than reading the original historical texts. The Eastern Zhou is divided into the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. The author uses the backdrop of the decline of the Western Zhou as an introduction, with the "Five Hegemons of Spring and Autumn" as the main thread for the first half of the book. The second half focuses on the "Seven Hegemons of the Warring States," narrating the story until the six states are conquered by Qin, leading to the unification of the world. Many profound, moving, and vivid historical events of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, such as "Qi Henggong's Rise to Hegemony in the Spring and Autumn," "Wu Zixu's Dangerous Crossing of Zhao Guan," and "The Dagger Hidden in the Map," are vividly and masterfully portrayed. Additionally, the author also expresses his own views on some puzzling historical issues.