Zuo Zhuan

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The Zuo Zhuan (Chinese: 左傳; Wade-Giles: Tso Chuan, pinyin: zuǒ zhuàn), translated as the Chronicle of Zuo or the Commentary of Zuo, is the earliest Chinese work of narrative history and covers the period from 722 BCE to 468 BCE. It was traditionally attributed to Zuo Qiuming, as a commentary to the Spring and Autumn Annals, although many scholars believe it was an independent work that corresponded chronologically to the Annals and was later spliced into it. Most notable modern scholars of this book, such as Yang Bojun (楊伯峻) hold that the work was compiled during the period of Warring States, and given the compilation of the date no later than 389 BCE. It is one of the most important sources for understanding the history during the Spring and Autumn period.

The book also contains the earliest reference to weiqi (the go board game) under the section of 25th Year of Duke Xiang of Lu in Gregorian year of 548 BCE.

With its vivid and concise language, Zuo Zhuan is also a gem of classical Chinese prose. This work and Shiji were regarded as the ultimate models by many generations of prose stylists in ancient China.

the book is also the source of the name Yasukuni Shrine (靖国神社), the controversial Shinto memorial in Japan. Chosen by the Meiji Emperor from a quotation of the text, Yasukuni (靖国 or 靖國) literally means "Pacifying the Nation".

[edit] References

• Yang Bojun (1990). The Annotation of Zuozhuan Chunqiu: On Preface. Beijing: Zhonghua Shuju. ISBN 7-101-00262-5. 
• Burton Watson (1989). The Tso chuan : selections from China's oldest narrative history. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-06714-3. 

[edit] External links

• Zuo Zhuan Fully searchable text (Chinese)
• The Zuozhuan Digital Concordance. by St. John Page and Isabel García Hidalgo, the English data is based on the full translation published by the 19th century English sinologist-missionary James Legge. Missing sections not covered by Legge were translated by Page and added to cover the full text.

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