Zhuangzi Stories Illustrated Textual Stories

Author: Yang Xiaokong, Kong Zhaoping, Cui Hengqin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-05-01
Features: The original name of Zuo Zhuan was Zuo Shi Chunqiu. Later, it was paired with Chunqiu as a commentary on the classics, known as Chunqiu Zuo Shi Zhuan, and abbreviated as Zuo Zhuan. Together with Gongyang Zhuan and Guliang Zhuan, it is collectively referred to as the "Three Commentaries on Chunqiu." However, Gongyang Zhuan and Guliang Zhuan are purely interpretive commentaries on Chunqiu, while Zuo Zhuan is essentially an independently written historical book. Although it was later paired with Chunqiu, it may have been altered accordingly. Some passages that specifically explain the "writing style" of Chunqiu and are unrelated to historical facts were clearly added later. The author of Zuo Zhuan, Sima Qian and Ban Gu, both stated that it was written by Zuo Qiuming, a historian of the State of Lu. Some believe this Zuo Qiuming is the same as the one mentioned in The Analects who lived contemporaneously with Confucius. However, doubts arose after the Tang Dynasty, and it is now generally considered the work of an anonymous author from the early Warring States period. Its chronology of events is roughly the same as that of Chunqiu, but it extends seventeen years later. Unlike the outline-style Chunqiu, Zuo Zhuan systematically and specifically records major political, military, and diplomatic events of various states during this period. As a historical work, Zuo Zhuan exhibits a clear political and moral bias. Its ideas are closer to Confucianism, emphasizing hierarchical order and patriarchal ethics, valuing distinctions between elders and juniors, and also demonstrating a "people-centered" philosophy. Although there are still many references to heaven, deities, and spirits in the book, their importance is secondary to that of the "people." For example, in the text for the sixth year of Duke Huan, Ji Liang is quoted as saying, "The people are the masters of gods. Therefore, wise rulers first ensure the well-being of the people before turning their attention to deities." In the thirty-second year of Duke Zhuang, Shi Yan is quoted as saying, "A state will rise by listening to the people; it will fall by listening to deities." Such arguments reflect the author's approval. Similar discussions appear in the prose of the Hundred Schools of Thought (especially Mencius), showing that this was an important intellectual advancement during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. However, it should be noted that the "people-centered" philosophy had a specific context. During the large-scale mergers of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the "people" served as the source of tax revenue and soldiers, and their population size directly affected the strength of a state. At that time, northern states were still sparsely populated, and there were no sealed borders between states, allowing the "people" to migrate freely. Therefore, winning the support of the people was even more crucial than occupying land. Mencius records that King Hui of Liang was anxious about "the people of neighboring states not decreasing and my people not increasing," illustrating this point. Ultimately, this still reflects the's interests. The author's principles are consistently reflected in the evaluation of historical events and figures, with clear praise and criticism. The book reveals the tyrannical and extravagant behavior of certain ruling-class figures in many places while also commending many loyal, upright, and visionary statesmen. Overall, the author demands that rulers who bear the responsibility of governing a state not indulge in personal desires but consider the long-term interests of the ruling group and the state. These aspects reflect Confucian political ideals. However, attempting to evaluate complex history with simple moral concepts inevitably leads to difficulties. Clearly, when it comes to the frequent wars between states, the author always first clarifies the moral right and wrong of both sides and directly links this to the outcome, trying to demonstrate that just armies must win. In reality, most wars at that time were caused by competition for land and people. If judged strictly by Confucian moral standards, as Mencius said, "there were no just wars in the Spring and Autumn period"; and the victory or defeat of a specific battle is hard to attribute solely to moral reasons. Therefore, the author's forced evaluations often seem outdated and laughable. For example, in the Battle of Chengpu between Jin and Chu, Duke Wen of Jin deliberately feigned retreat "three sheaths" to lure the enemy deeper and foster their arrogance and complacency. This was a clever tactic, but the book blames the commander of Chu, Zi Yu, for advancing step by step, accusing Duke Wen of "a ruler retreating while his minister advances, making him the party at fault," and thus inevitable defeat. This is not only illogical but also cannot be applied to other similar situations. Although Zuo Zhuan is not a literary work, broadly speaking, it can still be considered a large-scale narrative work in Chinese. Compared to any previous work, its narrative ability shows remarkable development. Many complex and ever-changing historical events are handled in an orderly manner without chaos. Among them, the descriptions of war are particularly praised by later generations. The most outstanding are the five famous battles of the Spring and Autumn period. The author skillfully places each battle against the backdrop of the struggle for dominance among major states, clearly explaining the distant and immediate causes of the wars, the relationships and changes among states, pre-war strategies, the course of battles, and their impacts in concise yet literary language. This narrative ability holds great significance for both later historical and literary works. The diplomatic dialogues recorded in Zuo Zhuan are also brilliant. Such texts should logically be based on original official records but must have been reprocessed by the author to appear refined, rigorous, and powerful. Compared to the speeches recorded in Shangshu and Yan Yu, the differences are obvious. A prominent example is the section "Zhu Zhiwu Persuades Qin to Retreat." The entire speech is less than 200 words but skillfully captures Qin's desire to expand eastward and its dependence on the State of Jin's obstruction. It analyzes the geopolitical situation among Qin, Jin, and Zheng, demonstrating that Qin's greatest interest lies in preserving Zheng as a base in the Central Plains, thereby easily undermining the alliance between Qin and Jin and saving the seemingly doomed State of Zheng. Even today, the speech remains flawless. This is an early and outstanding example of the use of geopolitics in world diplomatic history. From a literary perspective, what makes Zuo Zhuan particularly noteworthy is its focus not only on historical value but also on the liveliness of the stories. It often uses detailed and vivid plots to portray characters. These are significant literary elements. Generally, in historical records, the more detailed and vivid the plot, the lower its credibility. Such details have little value as historical material and were unlikely to be accurately recorded at the time or shortly after. Especially the so-called "private affairs of the bedroom" or "secret chamber consultations" are certainly not verbatim records. From this, we can infer that the materials used by the author of Zuo Zhuan, though primarily based on official records, also included historical stories circulating in society in various forms, some of which already contained fictional elements. During the writing process, the author added many contents based on their own imagination and understanding of history. Of course, this kind of fiction and speculation differs from the fiction in novels and dramas; it is entirely dependent on history, serving to better present history and the author's historical perspective. However, it cannot be said that there was no underlying desire to pursue a "sense of storytelling" to satisfy the author and readers' curiosity. Interest in stories is one of the basic driving forces behind literature; story plots and character descriptions are also fundamental elements of novels and dramas. In the history of Chinese literature, novels and dramas emerged relatively late, but the literary elements related to them did not appear until much later. They simply took a long time to develop within the womb of historical works before separating. Zuo Zhuan is precisely such a historical work rich in literary elements, directly influencing the writing style of Zhuangzi Ce and Shiji, establishing the tradition of combining literature and history. This tradition provided experience and rich material for later novels and dramas. The author of Zuo Zhuan, Sima Qian and Ban Gu, both stated that it was written by Zuo Qiuming, a historian of the State of Lu. Some believe this Zuo Qiuming is the same as the one mentioned in The Analects who lived contemporaneously with Confucius. However, doubts arose after the Tang Dynasty, and it is now generally considered the work of an anonymous author from the early Warring States period. Its chronology of events is roughly the same as that of Chunqiu, but it extends seventeen years later. Unlike the outline-style Chunqiu, Zuo Zhuan systematically and specifically records major political, military, and diplomatic events of various states during this period. This book selects over 300 fascinating historical stories from Zuo Zhuan and narrates them in an accessible and engaging manner, conveying the wisdom, courage, spirit, and charm of ancient sages, guiding young readers to appreciate the immense wealth, pride, and dignity left by the distant civilization for modern people. Renowned painters have provided exquisite illustrations for the stories, vividly capturing the essence and spirit of the original work.