Romance of the Eastern Zhou States (New Version)

Author: (Ming) Feng Menglong (compiler), (Qing) Cai Yuangang (commentator), Zhu Shaohua (proofreader)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-08-01
Features: This book narrates the history of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods over five hundred years, with a total of 108 chapters. It was printed in the late Ming Dynasty and is one of the most widely circulated and influential historical romance novels from the mid-Ming Dynasty, deeply loved by people. Based on the collection of Tongshi Shanfang, it has been collated with other versions and carefully edited by experts from Yuelu Book Society, resulting in an extremely low error rate, making it suitable for to read and collect. The names of books are numerous, but in essence, they can be categorized into two types: classics and history. Classics carry the way, while history records events. The "Six Classics" set the foundation, with later additions. Works of admonition, argumentation, and discussion belong to classics, while those of reflection, chronicles, biographies, and annals belong to history. However, the "Six Classics" are the books of sages. Words must serve a purpose, and purpose must be embodied. The "Book of Changes," the "Book of Rites," and the "Book of Music" are the classics within classics, yet they also record events. The "Book of Songs," the "Book of Documents," and the "Spring and Autumn Annals" are the history within classics, yet they also reveal the way. Later generations, with limited knowledge, had to distinguish between them, and such distinction inevitably led to contradictions. Thus, those who speak of names and principles are often outshone by those with broad knowledge, while those who pride themselves on comprehensiveness may err in their judgments against the sages. However, principles are consistent, so books that discuss the way, though numerous, are ultimately only expanding on hidden meanings, serving as supplementary annotations. The inferior ones are mere dross and waste. If taken too far, they become forced interpretations and fragmented, disjointed. As for events, they are different every day, with countless forms and states, beyond what the sages' books can fully encompass. Therefore, classics cannot be added to, while history grows daily. History indeed records the rise and fall, success and failure, prosperity and decline. Events have already happened, but their underlying reasons are principles. Principles are invisible, revealed through events, and nothing is more complete than history in recording events. The influence of heaven, the rewards of human actions, the distinctions between wisdom and folly, loyalty and treachery, virtue and wickedness—all can be found in history. Thus, history can support classics and serve as their practical application, and it can also embody the principles of classics. Since the invention of imperial examinations, classical studies have declined. However, those who focus on exams still memorize their passages. As for officials' studies, the texts are vast and the language obscure, with no relevance to advancement, so few specialize in them. Scholars often abandon them, and even when they open them, they are easily drowsy. As for beginners, if forced to read history, they may suffer headaches and blurred vision, viewing it as a torment. The "Three Commentaries" on the "Spring and Autumn Annals," especially the "Zuo Zhuan," are the most detailed, yet even specialists struggle to grasp their meanings, let alone others! Yet most people cannot read history but can read unofficial histories. Unofficial histories are indeed branches of history, but they elaborate on the stories. Those who read unofficial histories well can progress to reading history, which is why the ancients did not abandon them. The "Records of the Warring States" is one of the most authentic unofficial histories. Since the Eastern Zhou period, from the relocation of the Zhou capital to the rise of the Qin, spanning over five hundred years, with dozens of states and countless events, the affairs are complex, and the figures numerous—making it even harder to read than other histories. But when transformed into an unofficial history, even children can read it. If even children can read history, is that not a joyous and fulfilling matter? Yet many read unofficial histories but fail to gain the benefits of history. Why? Because unofficial histories merely record events. While they list the actions of the wise and foolish, the loyal and treacherous, the virtuous and wicked, and the rise and fall of states, they fail to reveal the underlying reasons—the influence of heaven, the rewards of human actions, the distinctions between wisdom and folly, loyalty and treachery, virtue and wickedness, and the causes of their success and failure. Thus, readers remain ignorant of the origins and endings, the details and context of events, and how can such reading benefit their studies? If it offers no benefit to studies, then reading it is no different from not reading it—it is an useless book. Why waste paper and ink on it? My friend Zhou, deeply concerned about this, has repeatedly urged me. During the years of Yin and Mao, with ample free time at home, I began to review and critique it, analyzing its strengths and weaknesses and uncovering its subtleties. Though not entirely in line with the original intent, based on theoretical reasoning, the judgments are not far from the sages' views, nor do they invite ridicule from the knowledgeable. It is hoped that this will enlighten readers' minds and, in the study of history, provide some small benefit. Therefore, I have not only reviewed it but also elaborated on it in this manner.