Chapter 21 Section 3 "Small Words and Great Meanings" of "Three Biography"

In addition to supplementing historical facts, "Zuo Zhuan" interprets scriptures, and there are many explanations of scriptures.For example, the sentence "Yuannian, spring, Wang Zhengyue" in the quotation of the first section of "Spring and Autumn" above, "Zuo Zhuan" has the following explanation: "Yuannian, spring, Wang (Zhou)'s first month. Do not write 'enthronement', Photo also." "Zuo Zhuan" put a word "Zhou" in "Wang Zhengyue", which is intended to explain that "Spring and Autumn" uses Zhou Wang's calendar. "King" refers to Zhou Wang.The history book of our country. The "epoch" is important.In the past, every feudal dynasty established had to determine its own calendar, and January 1 of the calendar was the beginning of the era.Obeying the era of this dynasty means submitting to this dynasty, which is called "Fengzheng Shuo".The State of Lu was the successor to the Duke of Zhou, and had the closest relationship with the Zhou Dynasty, so "Zuo Zhuan" specifically explained that "Wang Zhengyue" means Feng Zhou Wang Zhengshuo.

In addition, according to the record style of "Spring and Autumn", the first year of each monarch should be written "Grand Enthronement", but Yin's first year was not written. "Zuo Zhuan" explained: "Regent also." This is to tell readers: Duke Yin did not officially ascend the throne, but was regent on behalf of his younger brother (later Duke Huan).Because the younger brother's mother is a wife, her status is higher than his own mother's. The younger brother has been established as the prince, but he is too young to govern.Some textual explanations like this help to understand the scriptures, so they are very necessary.

There is also an explanation of the wording of the scriptures.For example, "Zuo Zhuan" has the following passage after "Zheng Boke Duan Yuyan": The book says "Zheng Boke Duan Yu Yan".Duan is not a brother, so he does not say "brother".Like the two monarchs, it is called "Ke".Called "Zheng Bo", ridiculed for being uneducated, and called Zheng Zhi.It is difficult not to say "run away". [General idea and explanation] The scriptures use the wording "Zheng Boke Duan Yu Yan" because: Gongshu Duan does not behave like a younger brother, so he is not called a "brother".Two people are like two monarchs fighting, and Zhuang Gong won, so the word "ke" is used according to the record style of "Spring and Autumn".Calling Duke Zhuang "Bo Zheng" is to criticize him not only for not educating his younger brother, but also deliberately letting him go to this dead end.Duke Zhuang was sorry for Gong Shuduan, so he didn't call him "brother", but only the title of noble.It would be difficult for historians not to write about Gong Shuduan's "fleeing" (fleeing).Because according to the example of "Spring and Autumn", the word "run away" can only be used for guilty people.Both of them are responsible for this internal strife.The official historian felt that if he wrote "departure", it would be unilaterally condemning the Communist Party, so he didn't mention it at all.

This discussion tells us that historians must express their views while recording events.The duty of a historian requires him to make an evaluation of loyalty, good and evil, right and wrong, right and wrong, and straightness of events and characters' behaviors based on the "status" of the characters (that is, a person's patriarchal status such as dignity, high and low, and concubine and concubine) before recording things. (Confucian scholars call it "American thorn", "praise and criticism"), and then determine what to emphasize, what to avoid, from which angle to write, what words to choose, etc., there are many things to pay attention to.These exquisite writing and wording are called "calligraphy" by Confucian scholars, and the principles of "beautiful thorns" and "praise and criticism" contained in them are called "great righteousness", which together are called "righteousness" or "righteousness", also called "righteousness" or "righteousness". "Small words and big righteousness". "Weiyan" is a simple and subtle wording, and "Dayi" is a great principle.In addition, there are sayings such as "Chunqiu Dayi", "Chunqiu Brushwork", "One-word Praise and Criticism", etc., which basically mean this.

It is said that Confucius wrote "Spring and Autumn", so the "subtle words and great righteousness" in it all reflect the intention of Confucius. "Historical Records Biography of Scholars" said: "Xi hunted Lin, (Confucius) said: 'My way is poor!' Therefore, because of the historical records, the "Spring and Autumn" was written, and the method of being a king was used. Scholars have many records." "Ci Wei" means "Wei Yan". "Zhibo" means "righteousness".Later, Liu Xin said in "Yirang Taichang Doctor's Book" that "when the master is gone, he will say nothing, and when the seventy sons die, they will be righteous and righteous." The ultimate goal of "Spring and Autumn" scholars' lifelong research.

People can't get rid of the constraints of subjective cognition when they write books and even narrate things, so the choice of words and expressions will always reveal the author's subjective evaluation, and this evaluation is always a reflection of certain social consciousness.For example, in feudal society, killing the emperor and father is called "killing", and killing rebellious officials and thieves is called "killing".The meaning of these two words is not only "killing", "killing" also has the color of "rebelling against the Dao", and "zhu" also means "punishing evil".These differences in meaning reflect the social consciousness of feudal society.Historiographers claim to be "bright and straightforward", but they actually express their social awareness through certain wording.Therefore, it is not surprising that "Spring and Autumn" itself has tendentious writing and terminology that reflect certain social consciousness, and show certain regularity.From today's point of view, the study of these issues belongs to the task of sociolinguistics.But traditional Confucian classics is not the study of language, but the study of politics.The old Confucian classics followed the "Spring and Autumn" as a political textbook. "Mencius Teng Wengong Xia" said: "Confucius completed the "Spring and Autumn", and the officials and thieves were afraid." It is close to "Spring and Autumn".It can be seen that the purpose of studying "Spring and Autumn" in the old classics is to "govern people" and then "govern the world".Understanding the problem from this perspective, we will understand why the old Confucianism regards "small words and great meaning" so important that it is not a Confucian classics if it does not talk about "small words and great meaning".Let's take Yin Gong's "Yuannian, Chun, Wang Zhengyue" as an example, and take a look at the explanation of "Three Biography":

"Zuo Zhuan": Huigong concubine Mencius.Mencius died, and his successor was Shengzi, who gave birth to Duke Yin.Song Wugong gave birth to Zhongzi.Zhongzi was born with a document in his hand, saying: "For Mrs. Lu", so Zhongzi belongs to me, was born Huan Gong and Hui Gong died, so he was enshrined as a public servant. (This passage should have been together with "the first year, spring, and the first month of the king (Zhou), he ascended the throne without a book, and took pictures". This "Zuo Zhuan" is placed before the scriptures) "Gongyang Biography": Who is "the first year"?The first year of the king. What is "spring"?The beginning of the year also. Who is the "king" (referring to whom)?It is also called King Wen.Why (why) talk about the king first and then the moon?Wang Zhengyue also.What did you say (why did you say) Wang Zhengyue?Great unity also.Why don't you speak up?To achieve public will (fulfill Yingong's wishes).What is the meaning of Cheng Hugong (what is the wish of Yin Gong)?The Duke will Pingguo (govern the country well) and Huan (return to Duke Huan).What is the opposite of Huan?Huan was young and noble, while Yin (Yin Gong) was long and humble.Its status is also low, and the people of the country don't know (neither of them was born by a righteous wife, the difference in status is not big, and the common people don't understand).Yin is long and virtuous, and all the big officials pulled Yin and established him (invite Yin Gong to come out and make him king).If Yin therefore resigns from the establishment, it is unknown that Huan will be established.And like Huan Li, I am afraid that the big officials will not be able to assist (assistant) the young monarch.Therefore, the establishment of Fan Yin is Huan Li.Yin is long and virtuous, why should he not be established?Li Shi (commonly known as "妈", the son of Mrs. Li Zheng) is not valued for being good, and Li Zi (the son of Li Ji's concubine) is valued for being expensive and not being good.Why is Huan so expensive?Mother is expensive too. (Duke Huan's mother has a higher status than Duke Yin's mother) Why is the son more expensive than the mother?A child is more valuable than a mother, and a mother is more valuable than a son. (According to "Gongyang", Yin Gong, Huan Gong and mother are all concubines)

"Guliang Biography": Although there is nothing to do, the first month must be celebrated, and I would like to begin.Why didn't the prince say "ascension"?Cheng Gongzhi also.How can it be achieved?It is also said that the king does not want to be a public (Yin Gong does not want to be a king).If the king does not take it as the public, why?Will let Huan also.Let Huan Zhenghu (Give it to Duke Huan, right)?Said: not correct. "Spring and Autumn" is the beauty of adults, but the evil of non-adults.Why is it made by concealing injustice? (Yin Gong's actions are wrong, but he still has to fulfill his wishes, why?) I will use Evil Huan also (to show Huan Gong's evil).What's wrong with it?If Yin will give way and Huan kills him, then Huan will be evil.If Huan kills and conceals surrender, then concealment is good.If it is good, then it is not right, why (good but not right, how to understand)? "Spring and Autumn" values ​​righteousness rather than benefit, trustworthiness rather than evil ("Spring and Autumn" values ​​justice rather than self-interest, and believes in the right way and not in the unrighteous way).A filial son exalts his father's beauty, not his father's evil.The desire of the first emperor (referring to Duke Hui) and Huan were neither righteous nor evil.Although (even so), it is the evil of becoming a father to overcome his evil intentions and hide, and to explore the evil ambitions of the predecessors and then to marry Huan.Brother, Tianlun also.For the son, the father of receiving; for the princes, the king of receiving.Having abolished the ties of heaven and forgotten the ruler and father, in order to do small favors, it is said that it is a small way.If one is a hermit, it can be said that the country of a thousand chariots is underestimated;

Comparing the interpretation of the "Three Biography": "Zuo Zhuan" basically did not exceed the allowable scope of the scriptures.It only shows that although Duke Yin was long, he was a concubine, and Duke Huan was a son of a concubine, although he was young, so Yin Gong was only a regent and did not "ascend to the throne". "Gongyang Biography" believes that Duke Yin and Duke Huan are both descendants of concubines, and Duke Huan's mother has a high status, so the "Ascension to the Throne" is not written in order to fulfill Duke Yin's original intention of giving the throne to Duke Huan after governing the country well.This already contains speculative words.In "Guliang Biography", it goes a step further, saying that the "accession to the throne" is the official historian criticizing Duke Huan and commending Duke Yin.But Yin Gong should not be praised, because his intention of abdicating the throne is not justified at all.So although he is good, he is not righteous.As a result, the truth gets bigger and bigger, and the topic gets farther and farther away.

After the Han Dynasty, Jinwen Confucian scholars followed this way of free play, hollowed out and weaved, and then theorized, such as the "three subjects and nine purposes" of the "Gongyang" scholars, etc., greatly (almost Inflated without limits), in fact, they each rely on their own feudal ethical concepts to catch wind and shadows, intending to put all political and ethical concepts such as "monarch, minister, father, son", "respecting the king and rejecting barbarians", etc. Even the later Confucian teachings of "loyalty, filial piety, righteousness and righteousness" were incorporated into the political textbook "Spring and Autumn", in order to sanctify and even legalize them in the name of "sages", so as to serve the rule of the monarchy.Therefore, for two thousand years, the ruling authority of the "Spring and Autumn Days", tinged with law, has been ruling people's thinking until the May 4th Movement.

People in the Song Dynasty had a sharp criticism of this kind of "subtle words and great righteousness" of the scholars of "Spring and Autumn". "Tongzhi · Disaster Xianglue" said: "Everyone who talks about "Spring and Autumn" says that Confucius puts praise and criticism in one word", "This is called the study of deception". In fact, "Spring and Autumn" is not so sacred, and it does not contain "great righteousness" everywhere.There is an obvious fact: the "Spring and Autumn Annals" refers to the killing of kings in other countries as "killing", but the killing of kings in Lu State itself does not call it "killing".It can be seen that in the face of the swords and axes of the powerful, the historians also ignored the "righteousness" and changed from Quanda.Moreover, this kind of change from power to authority is also in line with the "spring and autumn righteousness", which is called "taboo for the venerable".This is just to see its hypocrisy. "Gongyang Zhuan" was handed down orally before the Han Dynasty, and it was written in the early Han Dynasty.He Xiu's "Gongyang Zhuan" Annotation for the second year of Yingong said: "Confucius was afraid of time and harm, and he also knew that Qin Jiangfan's "Poetry" was passed down from generation to generation. In the Han Dynasty, the Gongyang family and his disciple Hu Wusheng were the first. Recorded in bamboo and silk." There are traces of quoting "Gongyang Zhuan" in "Guliang Zhuan", so we can know that it was written after "Gongyang Zhuan". The two biographies of "Gong" and "Gu" also have some supplementary historical facts, which are not contained in "Zuo Zhuan" and some are detailed in "Zuo Zhuan", but there are not many, and they mainly talk about "small words and great meaning".Therefore, the predecessors said that "Zuo Zhuan" passed on stories but not scriptures, and "Gong" and "Gu" passed on scriptures but not stories.Zhu Xi said: "Zuoshi is historiography, Gong and Gu are Confucian classics. Scholars of history remember things in detail, so they are not good at reasoning; scholars of Confucian classics are good at righteousness, but they make many mistakes in remembering things." is the traditional view.In fact, "Spring and Autumn" is crowned with a history book and a classic book, so the "three biographies" are all about history and scriptures.However, "Zuo Zhuan" focuses on historical facts; "Gong" and "Gu" focus on historical theory.Regardless of historical facts and historical theories, it is a very useful material for the study of China's political history, cultural history, academic history, and intellectual history.