From the ancient Zhuangzi, Sima Qian, and Ban Gu to the contemporary Fan Wenlan, Zhou Yutong, and Kuang Yaming, it is believed that Confucius compiled the Six Classics. The compilation of the Six Classics by Confucius (551-479 BC) is an epoch-making event in the history of Chinese culture, academic thought, education, historiography and even archival undertakings. Then, people will ask: Why did Confucius compile the Six Classics? Why can I compile the Six Classics? How to compile the Six Classics? What are the guidelines he followed in compiling the Six Classics? Although these problems have been discussed by the sages and the sages of the time, there are still needs for further sorting out these problems, but there are still many differences in the opinions of the people, each with its own advantages, and there is still a need for further sorting out.
I. The reasons for the compilation of the Six Classics
One of the reasons why Confucius compiled the Six Classics was that he regarded the survival of the literature as his responsibility, and the second reason was that he wanted to use the Six Classics as teaching materials.
Confucius recognized the role of literature in understanding the past, learning from the past, and precepts, and therefore attached importance to literature. He said, "Xia Li, I can say it, but it is not enough to sign it." Yin Li, I can say it, Song is not enough to sign also. Insufficient literature so also. Enough is enough for me to sign. (Note: The Analects of the Eight Nobles) he also said, "I am the one who is still alive and the Que Wen ye of history." (Note: The Analects of Wei Linggong) also said: "If there is a person who does not know what he does, I am nothing." (Note: Analects, Shuer) The "literature" and "literature" mentioned by Confucius are document archives and historical materials. He believes that the adequacy or inadequacy of the literature is the key to correctly understanding the past. When Studying the Xia Shang Zhou, Confucius, who was "faithful and good at ancient times", deeply felt that the literature was insufficient, and there were many places where the existing literature was missing or "did not know". This shows Confucius's deep concern about the inadequacy of literature and the lack of literature and the phenomenon of wearing chisels. He also said: "The profit and loss of Yin because of The Xia Li can be known; the profit and loss of the Zhou because of the Yin Li can also be known; or the successor of the Zhou, although the hundred generations can also know." (Note: The Analects of the Analects for Government) Confucius's "rituals" include literature, indicating that literature can play a role in learning from the past. He once commented on the Jin Taishi Donghu book "Zhao Dun killed his king" and "shown to the dynasty", praised "Dong Hu, the ancient liangshi also, calligraphy is not hidden" (Note: "Zuo Chuan" Xuangong 2nd year, Zhaogong 3rd year, Dinggong 4th year, Min Gong year, Ai Gong 11th year, Xianggong 29th year, Zhao gong 2nd year, Wengong 7th year, Yin Gong 6th year, Zhaogong 17th year, Chenggong 14th year (2 articles), 6 years of The Duke of Lai, 28th year of the Duke of Lai (2 articles), the year of the Duke of Zhao, the year of the Duke of Zhao, the year of the 29th year of the Duke of Zhao), fully affirming the role of Dong Hu's records in the precepts. According to the Analects of the Xiang Dang, Confucius was "a negative versioner" of the style. It is said that Confucius was riding outside, and when he met a person holding a national map (map household registration), he would lean over to show deep respect. These are enough to show that Confucius attached great importance to literature. However, Confucius coincided with the struggle for hegemony among the princes and the "Ji Dynasty" of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (Note: The Second Year of the Reign of the Left Dynasty, the Third Year of the Duke of Zhao, the Fourth Year of the Duke of Ding, the Year of the Ming Dynasty, the Eleventh Year of the Duke of Ai, the Twenty-ninth Year of the Duke of Xiang, the Second Year of the Duke of Zhao, the Seventh Year of the Duke of Wen, the Sixth Year of the Duke of Yin, the Seventeenth Year of the Duke of Zhao, the Fourteenth Year of the Duke of Cheng (Ertiao), the Sixth Year of the Duke of Ai, the Twenty-eighth Year of the Duke of Zhao, the Year of the Duke of Zhao, the Year of the Duke of Zhao, the Twenty-Ninth Year of the Duke of Zhao): the Son of Heaven was weak, the office was weak, the doctors were annexed, the liturgy was abolished, and the poems and books were lacking; moreover, the positions of historical officials were not stable, some were lost, and some were lost "Do not know", and even hold the scriptures and go into exile in other countries. Therefore, the erudite Confucius said proudly and confidently: "King Wen is neither, nor is Wen in zihu?" (Note: "Analects, Zihan") Faced with the risk of scattered and vain literature in various countries, he had to shoulder the heavy historical responsibility of surviving and extinguishing the literature, so he compiled "Poems" and "Books", fixed "Rituals", "Music", praised "Zhou Yi", and wrote "Spring and Autumn".
Originally, in the Xia and Shang Dynasties, the canonical books (document history books) were written and mastered by the officials (mainly various historians) under tianzi, princes, and qing dafu, and non-officials could not control or study. To learn in the government, there must be a teacher, and the teachers are all aristocratic officials, who refuse to pass on their knowledge to people of non-aristocratic origin. In the late Spring and Autumn period, social upheavals, aristocratic lingyi, gradually moved political power, class structure changed, the scholar class rose rapidly, and literature and scholarship were also opened up on a wider scale. In the past, the nobility monopolized culture and education, but now the best elements of the chinese people can also gain knowledge and become the scholar class.
To meet the needs of the times, Confucius initiated private lectures and devoted most of his life and energy to education and documentation. The private schools he founded include: a wide range of training objects, low charging standards, a considerable scale of running a school, a clear teaching purpose (detailed later), the stereotyped teaching materials and teaching content led by moral education and the secondary knowledge and skills, and achieved excellent school running results through flexible and diverse teaching methods. The object of its cultivation is "teaching without class" (Note: Analects of Wei Linggong). The charging standard is "self-restraint above, I will taste nothing." Sima Qian summed up the scale and effectiveness of his running of the school: "There are two out of seventy disciples (pressed, successively) who cover three thousand yans and are proficient in the six arts (according to the academic point of view, that is, the six classics; from the perspective of skills, it refers to the ritual, music, shooting, imperial, book, and number). Confucius broke the monopoly of shiqing shilu and academic education for more than a thousand years, cultivated a large number of talents of all kinds, enabled many people without traditional status to contact documents that were impossible in the past, obtained the most advanced and cutting-edge knowledge and skills at that time, and joined the scholar class to meet the growing demand for talents from princes and qing doctors of various countries.
As for the teaching materials and teaching contents adopted by Confucius, according to the Analects and the Records of History, "The Son teaches in four ways: literature, action, loyalty, and faith." Confucius divided his disciples into four subjects: "Virtue", "Speech", "Political Affairs", and "Literature" (Note: "Analects and Advanced"), and used "Yayan" when teaching. "Zi So Ya Yan, "Poetry", "Book", And Zhi Li (press, should contain "Le", "Yi", "Spring and Autumn"), all Ya Yan ye." (Note: The Analects of shuer)" Confucius taught in poems, books, rituals, and music. (Note: "History of Confucius's Family") The so-called "literature" and "literature" here are academics, which are actually classics (the Six Classics). This shows that confucius taught the students that the content was moral education first, followed by the imparting of knowledge and skills, and the teaching materials used were the Six Classics, which he carefully sorted out and compiled, and spoke "Yayan", that is, Jingyin, in the Mandarin of the time, in order to communicate with students from all over the world.
2. The purpose of teaching the Six Classics
In general, Confucius's purpose in teaching the Six Classics to his disciples is quoted in the Book of Rites and Commentaries as saying, "Confucius said... He is also a man, gentle and generous, and the "poetry" teaches also; the alienation is far away, the "book" teaches also; the broad and easy liang, the "music" teaches also; the clean and subtle, the "Easy" teaches also; the frugality and solemnity, the "Ritual" also teaches; the genus circumscribes this matter, and the "Spring and Autumn" teaches also. Sima Qian also quotes "Confucius Yue: Six Arts in Zhi Yi Ye: "Li" to jieren, "Le" to fa he, "Shu" to Daoshi, "Poetry" to achieve meaning, "Yi" to deify, "Spring and Autumn" to righteousness. Both sources illustrate that Confucius taught the Six Classics in order to enable students to cultivate moral and intellectual education and master the ability to govern the country.
In other words, Confucius taught the Six Classics, and each course had its own purpose.
"Poetry" ("Book of Poetry")," is China's first poetry collection, which is a literary work from the beginning of the Western Zhou Dynasty to the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, but some chapters are indeed epic. Confucius discussed the purpose of the poems from a utilitarian point of view. First of all, from the aspect of moral cultivation, the importance of studying "poetry" is explained. He said: "Flourishing in the Poems" (Note: "Analects of Tabor"), "Man is not for the Zhou Nan and Zhao Nan, and it is like standing on the wall". Confucius pointed out that people should first learn "Poetry" in self-cultivation, and he warned his son Kong Li (Zi Boyu) that if he did not study "Poetry", he would be isolated, no different from standing on the opposite wall. According to the Analects of The Advanced, "Nan Rong Sanfu Bai Gui, Confucius took his brother's son and wife." Disciple Nan Rong repeatedly recited the "Bai Gui Zhi Jie" of the Daya Or, Shang Ke Mo Ye. Don't do anything about it. Confucius admired Nan Rong's cautious words and married his niece to him. Second, from the perspective of rhetorical response, the utility of studying "poetry" is explained. He said, "If you don't study poetry, you can't say anything." (Note: "Analects of the Ji Clan)" "Recite the three hundred poems, give them the government, and do not reach them; so that in the four directions, you cannot focus on them: although there are many, they also think!" Confucius pointed out that studying "Poetry" can be done from politics and diplomacy. Zigong, who worked on verbal expression, was good at diplomatic activities, and Confucius praised him for "being able to communicate with the poetry of words, and telling those who know the future." (Note: "Analects of Learning") Again, the broad social role of studying "poetry" is emphasized. He said: "The poems can be flourished, can be observed, can be grouped, and can be complained; the father of the things that are far away, the kings of the distant things; and the names of birds, beasts, plants and trees are known more." Confucius believed that the study of "Poetry" can make people invigorate their spirits, from which they can examine the gains and losses of their predecessors and observe customs and folk feelings, establish mutual understanding (gentleness and thickness), and use it to satirize the gains and losses of current politics, and can also expand the knowledge of animals and plants at home.
The Shu (Shang Shu and Shu Jing) are basically selected political documents, many of which are transcripts and proclamations of the Shang and Zhou rulers, as well as some chronicles. As Sima Qian said, the Book "records the political affairs of the previous kings, so it is better than the government." Therefore, Confucius used the Book as a political history textbook, which can be seen from the Analects' "For The Government", "Xian Qing" and "Yao Yue" that Confucius quoted the "Shang Shu" "Jun Chen", "Wuyi", "Da Yu Mo", "Tang Yu" and "Tai Oath" fragments of the "Shang Shu", which show that he was using ancient metaphors to explain how to practice politics. Looking at Confucius's words must be called Yao Shunyu, the poems and books repeatedly praise the Kings of Shang Tang, Zhou Wen, and Zhou Gong, the purpose of which is to make students familiar with the words and deeds of the two emperors and three kings in ancient times, and to set a political model for them.
The "Rites" is a general term for various canonical systems formulated to adapt to the patriarchal hierarchical society of the Zhou Dynasty. Confucius first explained the Ritual to students as a political and legal document, and secondly, he taught them ritual skills as rituals. Confucius said: "Qi Zhi yi li" (Note: "Analects for the Government"); "For the country to serve the country" (Note: "Analects, advanced"), and admonished his son: "If you do not study the "Li", you will not be able to stand." In Confucius's view, to study the Rites is to understand the statutes of the founding of the country and the laws governing the country; to understand the norms that people should follow in their words and deeds, and the norms for standing in the world.
The content of the Music (The Book of Music) includes ceremonial music, court dance music, vocal music, instrumental music, etc. It should be noted that the relationship between "music" and "etiquette" is inseparable, "etiquette" belongs to the external regulatory constraint system, and "music" belongs to the internal emotional art system. The Book of Rites and Music says, "The musicians are the same, and the ceremonial ones are different." That is, "pleasure" is used to seek common ground, to make the upper and lower levels harmonious and smooth, and to alleviate contradictions; "ritual" is used to distinguish between differences and to distinguish between inferiority and inferiority. That is to say, with music to accompany the ceremony, "music" is to balance and reconcile the "ceremony". Therefore, Confucius integrated the "Rites" and "Music" into one and taught them to the students. He said: "Standing in the "Li", becoming in the "Music" (Note: "Analects of Tabor"), he believes that the liturgy helps to stand in the world, and the music helps to perfect the emotions, and highly praises the role of music in the cultivation of personal morality. According to the Analects of Shuer, "The son and the man sing and be good will make the opposite, and then reconcile." That is to say, Confucius used the "Music" as a teaching material and taught his disciples to sing, and they themselves should also sing along with it.
Yi (I Ching, Zhou Yi) is both a divination book about yin and yang gossip, and a philosophical book about change. Confucius mainly studied Yi and taught Yi from the perspective of exploring the unpredictable changes of things and their causes, and he said to himself: "If you add me for a few years and learn Yi for fifty years, you can be no big deal." Because he was familiar with the subtleties of the Yi, he had many insightful views on history and nature in life, and was able to achieve "fifty and know the Mandate of Heaven, sixty and obedient, seventy and do what the heart desires, and not exceed the rules" (Note: "Analects for The Government"), and there is no major fault in words and deeds. Confucius once quoted the Yi Heng Gua Jiu San Jie saying: "Not to be virtuous, or to bear the shame" (Note: "Analects of the Zilu"), to educate students to be virtuous, and those who have impermanent and capricious virtue will be humiliated.
The Spring and Autumn Period (Spring and Autumn Classics) is a modern chronicle compiled by Confucius two years before his death, recording simple events of 242 years of political events, character activities, and natural phenomena from the year of Lu Yin (722 BC) to the fourteenth year of the Duke of Ai (481 BC). I think that Confucius edited and taught the Spring and Autumn For two purposes: in a small way, it was to give people a demonstration of how to "belong to the words and compare things" (detailed later); in general, it was through the revision and teaching of the Spring and Autumn Period to achieve the purpose of text propaganda, in an attempt to do as Sima Qian revealed: "The righteous deeds of the Spring and Autumn Period are feared by the world's chaotic courtiers and thieves." (Note: "History of confucius's family") I hope that the disciples and future generations will all fight against the chaotic courtiers and thieves and become loyal and filial pieties, and restore the dream of the "yu yu Wen Zhao" (Note: "Analects , Eight Tongs") of the Western Zhou Dynasty.
3. Conditions for the compilation of the Six Classics
Confucius was able to compile the Six Classics because both objective and subjective conditions were already in place.
Confucius successfully revised the Six Classics and had close relations with the Song and Lu states, mainly the Lu state. The Song dynasty was a descendant of the Shang Dynasty, Lu was the fiefdom of the Duke of Zhou, and at the end of the Spring and Autumn period, all the countries went to Song and Lu to "observe the ceremony" because they preserved the Shang and Zhou culture more completely.
Legend has it that in the sixth year of King Cheng of Zhou (1058 BC), the Duke of Zhou "made ceremonies and made music" (Note: "The Great Biography of Shangshu"), and when the eldest son of the Duke of Zhou went to Lu, he received a reward from the Son of Heaven for "blessings, sects, bu, history, preparations, and canons." (Note: The Zuo Chuan Xuan Gong 2nd year, Zhao Gong 3rd year, Ding Gong 4th year, Min Gong Yuan year, Ai Gong 11 years, Xiang Gong 29 years, Zhao Gong 2 years, Wen Gong 7 years, Yin Gong 6 years, Zhao Gong 17 years, Cheng Gong 14 years (2 articles), 6 years of Lai Gong, 28 years of The Duke of Zhao ,28 years of the Duke of Zhao, 29 years of the Duke of Zhao, until the year of Lu Min Gong (661 BC), Lu "Yu Bing Zhou Li" (Note: The Second Year of Xuan Gong, the Third Year of Zhao Gong, the Fourth Year of Ding Gong, the Year of Min Gong, the Eleventh Year of Lai Gong, the Twenty-ninth Year of Xiang Gong, the Second Year of Zhao Gong.) , the seventh year of The Duke of Wen, the sixth year of the Duke of Yin, the seventeenth year of the Duke of Zhao, the fourteenth year of the Duke of Cheng (Erjiao), the sixth year of the Duke of Ai, the twenty-eighth year of the Duke of Ai(二条), the year of the Common Era of the Emperor, the twenty-ninth year of the Duke of Zhao), and Confucius also said that "the canon of the Duke of Zhou is in (Lu)". (Note: The Zuo Zhuan Xuan Gong 2nd year, Zhao Gong 3rd year, Ding gong 4th year, Min Gong Gong year, 11 year of Wai Gong, Xiang Gong 29 years, Zhao Gong 2 year, Wen Gong 7 years, Yin Gong 6 years, Zhao Gong 17 years, Cheng Gong 14 years (2 articles), 6 years of Lai Gong, 28 years of Gong Gong (2 articles), 28 years of Gong Gong (2 articles), 29 years of Gong Zhao, 29 years of Zhao Gong) Legend says: "The Duke of Lai asks the government, the son knows: the government of Wen Wu, and the cloth in Fang Ce. (Note: The Book of Rites, Zhongyong) The so-called blessings, sects, and fortunes are in charge of sacrifice and divination, acting as intermediaries for gods and men; shi (dashi and taishi) have been inherited from generation to generation, assisting the kings in handling government affairs, advising the kings, preparing advisers, faithfully performing their own work according to certain calligraphy, recording the lineage of the first princes and kings, the actions of the kings and princes, speeches and state events, and celestial calendars. That is to say, when the bird was in the country, he brought with him the canonical relics and ceremonial, musical, and historical officials. At the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, Ji Zha, the Prince of Wu, visited the State of Lu and "asked you to observe Zhou Le" (Note: Zuo Chuan, the second year of Xuan Gong, the third year of Zhao Gong, the fourth year of Ding Gong, the year of Min Gong, the eleventh year of Duke Ai, the twenty-ninth year of Xiang Gong, the second year of Zhao Gong, the seventh year of Wen Gong, the sixth year of Yin Gong, the seventeenth year of Zhao Gong, the fourteenth year of Cheng Gong (two articles), the sixth year of Lai Gong, the twenty-eighth year of Gong Gong (二条), the year of Gong Gong of Zhao, the year of Gong Zhao, and the twenty-ninth year of Zhao Gong), Lu was invited to watch because of the music and dance of Zhou Yu Xia Shang on Thursday. So the musicians sang the poems of the wind, ya, and song parts, as well as the music and dance of Shunyu Tangwu. Later, Han Xuanzi of the Jin Dynasty also visited Lu, "Guan Shu (According to the Literature and Archives) of the Great Shi Clan, see Yi, Xiang Wei (according to Xiang Wei, that is, the decrees of the Lu Dynasty) and Lu Chunqiu (according to the press, not repaired in the Spring and Autumn Period) said: 'Zhou Li is all in Lu Yi. (Note: The Zuo Chuan Xuan Gong 2nd Year, Zhao Gong 3rd Year, Ding Gong 4th Year, Min Gong Gong Year, 11th Year of Duke Ai, Xiang Gong 29th Year, Zhao Gong 2nd Year, Wen Gong 7th Year, Yin Gong 6th Year, Zhao Gong 17th Year, Cheng gong 14th Year (2 Articles), 6th Year of Lai Gong, 28th Year of Duke Zhao, Year 28 of Duke Zhao, Year 29 of Duke Zhao), these are enough to show that the ceremonial music canons formulated by Zhou Gong and the state history "Lu Chunqiu" recorded by successive historians, as well as the documents they kept, such as Poems, Yi, and Elephants, were relatively completely preserved in the State of Lu. The State of Lu was one of the political and cultural centers of the Western Zhou Dynasty, and until the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, it was still one of the most complete preserved cultural relics and classics at that time. Confucius, who served as a photographer for Zhongdu Zai, Sikong, and Dasikou, must have seen the ancient ritual music system and read rare classics in his traditional capacity. This provided him with a unique prerequisite for the compilation of the Six Classics.
As we all know, Confucius was a descendant of the nobles of the Song Dynasty. His seventh ancestor Zheng kao's father successively assisted Song Daigong, Wu Gong and Xuan Gong, who was humble and frugal, familiar with ancient documents, and he wrote the "Shang Song" in the Book of Poetry. "Chinese Lu Yuxia" Yun: "The twelve articles of the Ode (according to the press, five of which are now preserved) in the name of the former Zheng Examination father Shang were written by Zhou Taishi, headed by "That". In addition, Confucius was strictly taught by his mother from an early age, "playing for his children, always showing beans, and setting up ceremonies" (Note: "History of Confucius's Family"), that is, practicing rituals. Confucius was influenced by the Songlu culture (in essence, the Shangzhou culture) and had a family culture inheritance, so he "was determined to learn at fifteen and stood at thirty", that is, at the age of 30, he began to accept apprentices to teach. In order to provide textbooks for his students, he put the compilation of the Six Classics on his agenda.
In addition, in the late Spring and Autumn period, the official documents popular in various countries within a certain range provided Confucius with the convenience of using them for compiling the Six Classics.
For example, "Books". Jin cited the Book of Xia (Note: The Second Year of Xuangong, the Third Year of Zhao gong, the fourth year of Dinggong, the year of Min Gong, the eleventh year of Duke Ai, the twenty-ninth year of Xianggong, the second year of Zhaogong, the seventh year of Wengong, the sixth year of Yingong, the seventeenth year of Zhaogong, the fourteenth year of Chenggong (二条), the sixth year of Duke Ai, the twenty-eighth year of Gong Gong (二条), the year of Gong Gong of Zhao, the year of Gong Zhao, the twenty-ninth year of Gong Zhao, and the "Junzi Yue" of Zuo Chuan cites the Book of Shang (Note: "Zuo Chuan" Xuangong 2nd year, Zhaogong 3rd year, Dinggong 4th year, Min Gongyuan year, Aigong 11th year, Xianggong 29th year, In the second year of Zhao gong, the seventh year of Wen Gong, the sixth year of Yin Gong, the seventeenth year of Zhao Gong, the fourteenth year of Cheng Gong (Er tiao), the sixth year of Duke Ai, the twenty-eighth year of Gong Gong (Ertiao), the year of Gong, the year of Zhao Gong twenty-nine), the father of Jin Xunlin (Zhonghuan Huanzi) and Chu Zuo Shi Yixiang each quoted the Book of Zhou (Note: "Zuo Chuan, Xuan Gong Six Years", "Chinese Chu Yu Shang"), Chu Dafu Shen Shu mentioned the "Order", "Yu" (the good language of governing the country), the "Gu Zhi" (record the success or failure of previous lives) and the "Xundian" (Book of the Five Emperors) (Note: "Chinese · Chu Language Shang"). The above documents are likely to be collected by Confucius when he selected and compiled the Book.
Another example is "Easy". Guan Zhong mentions "Yi" (Note: "Guan Zi Shan Quan Number"), and Han Xuanzi saw "Yi" in Lu. In fact, "Yi" was already very popular in the time of Confucius. I searched through the "Zuo Chuan", from the twenty-second year of the Duke of Luzhuang (627 BC) "The history of Zhou has seen Chen Hou (according to Chen Ligong) with "Zhou Yi", to the ninth year of the Duke of Lai (486 BC) "Yang Hu with "Zhou Yi" Zhengzhi", there are 120 records about "Zhou Yi". This shows that at least 70 or 80 years before Confucius's birth, the Zhou Yi was already in the world, and gradually spread widely in Zhou, Chen, Jin, Lu, Qin, Zheng, Qi, Wei and other countries. Then it is not surprising that Confucius can praise "Yi" and teach "Yi".
Another example is "Spring and Autumn". "Spring and Autumn" is originally the common name of the history books of the nations. Qi Guan Zhongyue: "Those who have "Spring and Autumn", so remember success or failure" (Note: "Guan Zi • Mountain Quan Number"), Jin Yang Tongue (Shu Xiang) "accustomed to "Spring and Autumn" (Note: "Chinese • Jin Yu VII"), Han Xuanzi saw "Lu Chunqiu", Chu Shen Uncle suggested "Teach (Press, Prince) "Spring and Autumn" (Note: "Chinese Chu Language"), Mozi mentioned Zhou's "Spring and Autumn", Yan's "Spring and Autumn", Song's "Spring and Autumn", Qi's "Spring and Autumn" (Note: "Mozi Ming Ghost"), and the Hundred Kingdoms "Spring and Autumn" (Note: "Mozi · Non-Hit"). Mencius said: "Jin's "Multiplication", Chu's "Han Zhuo", Lu's "Spring and Autumn", Yiye. Confucius mainly based on the Lu Shi "Spring and Autumn" and other similar historical books from various countries to cultivate the "Spring and Autumn". Later, the "Spring and Autumn" of various countries gradually declined, but the "Spring and Autumn" compiled by Confucius was handed down and became the proper name of the history book of the Lu Kingdom.
In addition to making full use of the objective conditions given to him by the times, Confucius's revision of the Six Classics is inseparable from his erudition and good thinking.
Confucius never regarded himself as a very high-minded person, and never boasted of being a saint who was born to know or know everything. He said, "If it is holy and merciful, how dare I?" (Note: The Analects of shuer) also said: "I am not born to know, good ancient, sensitive to the seeker." Confucius believed that his own advantages and characteristics were "learning without tiring, teaching people tirelessly", "angry and forgetful, happy to forget worries, not knowing that old age will come to Yun'er." (Note: The Analects of ShuEr) He is diligent and never satisfied in his studies, and he is selfless and never tired in teaching. Confucius was not only diligent in his studies, but also good at learning, and paid great attention to the method of learning. He said: "Learn and learn from time to time", "Learn from the past and learn the new", "Learn without thinking is reckless, and thinking without learning is ruined" (Note: "The Analects of the Analects are the government"); "The three-person line will have my teacher, choose the good and follow it, and change the bad" (Note: "See the wise and think together, see the unwise and introspect within." (Note: "Analects of Li Ren") "Sensitive and studious, not ashamed to ask." Zigong commented, "The Master does not learn, and what is the constant teacher?" What is even more valuable is that Confucius did: "To know is to know, not to know is not to know, and to know is to know ." In short, Confucius's way of learning is to repeatedly self-study, think independently, innovate, often discuss with the same tune, be good at extensively learning from all those who have strengths, be honest and serious, modest and prudent, and never end.
The following is only to take liturgy and music as examples to see how Confucius learned.
Confucius learned the ritual from an early age, and when he became an adult, he visited, visited, collected, studied, and practiced the ritual. According to the literature, "Zi entered the Taimiao Temple, asking everything" (Note: "Analects, Eight Tong"), Confucius entered the Zhou Gong Temple and asked questions whenever people asked and learned the rituals; "Zhongni Wenzhi was seen in Tan Zi and learned" (Note: "Left Transmission" Xuangong 2nd year, Zhaogong 3rd year, Dinggong 4th year, Min Gongyuan year, 11th year of Laigong, Xianggong 29th year, Zhaogong 2nd year, Wengong 7th year, Yingong 6th year, Zhaogong 17th year, Chenggong 14th year (2 articles), 6th year of Laigong, 28th year of Gong Gong (2 articles), 29th year of Gong Zhaogong), Learn from the emperor of the Tanzi kingdom the shaohao clan since the official system; "ask the courtesy to the old man" (Note: "Confucius Family Language Guan Zhou"), "Suitable Zhou Greeting Ceremony, Cover To See Lao Zi Yun" (Note: "Shi Ji Confucius Family"), learn the ritual from The Eastern Zhou Royal Family Pillar Shi LaoZi, learn quite effectively, Zeng Zi asked Confucius, Confucius said four times that "I heard the old man" (Note: "Li Ji Zeng Zi Asked"); "With the disciples to learn the etiquette under the big tree" (Note: "Shi Ji Confucius Family"), Confucius traveled around the world on the road to the Song Dynasty, He once practiced etiquette with his disciples under a big tree. In addition, an Analects contains the words and deeds of Confucius and his disciples discussing rituals, abounding.
As for Confucius's learning of music: he personally heard the music of the music official Master in luguo (Note: "Analects of the Analects of Taibo"), often interacted with the music official Shimian (Note: "Analects of Wei Linggong"), talked to the master of music about his experience in learning music (Note: "Analects of the Eight Circles"), learned to play the piano and chimes from the musician master Xiang, learned to play the "Wen Wang Cao" composed by King Wen of Zhou (Note: "History of confucius family"),, went to the State of Qi, talked about music with Qi Taishi, and listened to the performance of Shun's "Shao" to the point of drunkenness, according to the "Analects of the Analects of Shu'er": Zi was smelling "Shao" in Qi, and March did not know the smell of meat. He said, "Don't be happy as far as Siye is concerned." When Confucius traveled around the world, "in Chen Zhiliang, from the sickness of the people, Mo Nengxing" (Note: "Analects, Wei Linggong"), the situation was very embarrassing, the disciples were hungry and sick, but Confucius still "preached the string song without fading" (Note: "History of the Confucius Family"), which shows the extent to which he was obsessed with music.
Because Confucius was diligent and good at learning, he was erudite and versatile. Because Confucius loved ancient times and was proficient in ancient texts, namely the so-called "Zhongni Zu Shu Yao Shun, Charter Wen Wu" (Note: Li Ji Zhongyong), "Shu San (Emperor) Five (Emperor) Law, Ming Zhou (Gong) Summoning (Gong) Karma" (Note: "History of Confucius Family"), from the age of 15 onwards, he began to search and explore it diligently and astutely, so the task of sorting out and compiling the Six Classics was none other than him.
Anon. Statue of Confucius
4. The process of compiling the Six Classics
Confucius went through twists and turns, prepared hardships, racked his brains, and managed dismally, and finally completed his historical mission and compiled them into the Six Classics
(1) Selected poems.
Before Confucius compiled the Poems, there were already a variety of manuscripts popular, totaling about 3,000 pieces. Due to the excessive number of articles, it is not suitable for teaching students as a textbook. Sima Qian said: "The ancients' more than three thousand poems, as well as Confucius, go to their weight, take the liyi that can be applied, Shangcaiqi, Houji, Zhongshu Yin, Zhou Zhisheng, Zhiyou, Li Zhifeng, began with The Seat, so it is said: 'The chaos of "Guan Ju" began with "Wind", "Lu Ming" began with "Xiao Ya", "King Wen" began with "Daya", and "QingMiao" began with "Ode". The three hundred and five pieces of Confucius are all strings and songs, in order to match the sounds of "Shao", "Wu", "Ya", and "Ode". This shows that Confucius has repeatedly proofread and checked, carefully sorted out and edited, removed the repetitive or unseemly poems in different versions, and broadcast them one by one on the orchestra, with the ancient music of "Shao" and "Wu" singing and dancing, and then adjusting the order of the chapters according to the correct tone of the wind, elegance, and ode music, and finally selected more than 300 of them as textbooks to teach to students. Therefore, there are many examples of teachers and students appreciating the poems in the Analects.
(2) Selection and compilation of the Book.
Regarding Confucius's selection and compilation of the Book, authoritative scholars of the Han and Tang Dynasties have discussed it. Sima Qian said that Confucius "prefaced the "Book Biography", on the occasion of Tang Yu in the upper age, down to Qin Miao, and compiled his affairs... So the "Biography of the Book"... Since Kong' own. Ban Gu said: "The Book of Books is far from the beginning, to Confucius, to Yao, down to Qin, and to the Hundred Chapters, and for the preface, to the meaning." Wei Zheng and others said: "Confucius viewed the Zhou Room of the Book of Books, obtained the canon of the Four Dynasties of Yu Xia And Shang, deleted his good deeds, from the top to the Yu, down to the next, for the hundred, compiled and prefaced. Kong Yingda quoted the Shang Shuwei as saying: "Confucius asked for the Book of The Book, and obtained the Book of emperor Kui of the Yellow Emperor Xuansun, up to the Duke of Qin Mugong, where there were 3,240 articles. If you cut off the far and take the near, you will certainly be able to write one hundred and twenty articles for the worldly Law. One hundred and two articles are "Shang Shu" and eighteen are "Zhonghou". (Note: Kong Yingda's "Shang Shu Zhengyi Shang Shu Preface") This shows that Confucius's "Book" was in the Zhou Room, and also collected more than 3,000 Yuxia Shang Dynasty Classics collected by historians from Qi songlu and other countries, and after screening, the hundred articles of "Magnificent to the Tao" and "Enough to Establish a Religion in the World" (Note: Kong Yingda's "Shang Shu Zhengyi Shang Shu Preface" were sparse), starting from the "Yao Dian" and ending with the "Qin Oath", compiled into the "Book", and prefaced to it. In short, there is no doubt that Confucius has compiled and expounded the Book. As for the ancient scriptures in the present "Book of Shang" that were forged by the Jin people, and the classics and present texts also have places where Confucians in the Warring States, Qin and Han Dynasties have entered or tampered with them, which are far from the original appearance, they are not within the scope of this article, and will not be repeated.
(3) Fix the "Rites".
Ritual culture ruled the Western Zhou Dynasty, and the so-called "three hundred rites and three thousand prestige" (Note: "Etiquette , Moderation") is really red tape. At the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, confucius was distraught, and seventeen rituals that the disciples had to learn were specially selected, called the "Rituals" ("Ritual Rites", "Scholar Rites", and "Ritual Classics"). According to the literature: "The mourning of the mourners, the mourning of Confucius, the funeral of the bachelor, the funeral of the soldiers, the funeral of the scholars. This information reveals the information in Confucius's compilation of the Rites. Sima Qian and Ban Gu believe that Confucius collected the etiquette systems of the various princely states at that time and compiled them into seventeen chapters of the Book of Rites. (Note: See the Records of Confucius, the Book of Han, Yiwenzhi, ;) the Rites of Etiquette, including the ceremonial procedures for crowning, marriage, funerals, sacrifices, and court banquets, were the norms of the nobles' actions.) Confucius attached great importance to etiquette, as can be seen from the 74 appearances of the word "ritual" in the Analects, and he made the study of teaching etiquette a primary task. After The death of Confucius, his disciples followed the teachings of the teacher and taught them in a different way. Xun Zi said, "Learning, evil begins?" Evil ending? A: The number begins with the recitation of the sutra and ends with the reading of the Rites" (Note: Xunzi Persuasion). Therefore, the Warring States to the Western Han Dynasty Confucians compiled the Zhou Guan (Zhou Li), the former about the Official System of Zhou, and the Book of Rites, the latter discussing the ritual system, ritual instruments, and customs. In short, the three rites, namely the "Liturgy", the "Zhou Li" and the "Book of Rites", are all related to Confucius.
(4) Positive "Music".
Confucius was good at ancient music, and was good at appreciating and commenting on ancient music: "Zi said that "Shao" is perfect and perfect; it is said that "Wu" is perfect, but it is not perfect. He believes that the Shunle Dance "Shao" is perfect in content and form, while the Zhou Wu Wang Music and Dance "Wu" is only beautiful in form but not very good in content. However, how did Confucius correct the Music? He said: "I defend myself against Lu, and then I am happy, and Ya and Ode have their own place." (Note: "Analects of Zihan") Confucius returned to Lu in self-defense, and he was 68 years old. At that time, Dao was in decline and music, but he had rich experience, profound music theory, and superb acting skills, so he took on the work of "Music". When he selected and compiled the "Poems", he started from the nature of the music, matched them with musical scores one by one, and then sorted them according to wind, elegance, and praise, so that they could play and sing. But unfortunately, the "Music" that was sorted out and processed by Confucius has long been dead. Shen Yue said: "Qin burned the classics, and the Book of Music was used to die. However, the Zhou Li Dasi Le and the Li Ji Le Ji retain some of their contents. In fact, at that time, ancient music and new music coexisted. The ancient music is slow in rhythm, solemn and solemn, and the atmosphere is dull; the new music is blown and sung, haiku acrobatics, lively and witty. Therefore, ancient music makes people "afraid to lie down", and new music makes people "tireless". (Note: "Li Ji , Music" ) New music is bound to replace old music, and old music will inevitably eliminate the fate. It seems that Confucius focused on "Shao" and "Wu" and rejected "Zheng Sheng" (Xin le), and his musical view was conservative.
(5) Praise "Easy".
Praise the Mingya. Confucius had an in-depth study of yi and also elaborated on the teaching of yi. Sima Qian said: "Confucius was late and liked Yi, and the preface was "Yan", "System", "Elephant", "Saying Gua", and "Wen Yan". Read "Yi", Wei (press, Wei Tongwei) edited three absolutes. (Note: "History of confucius's family") also said: "Confucius passed on the "Yi" to Yu Qu", after passing on the teaching, the eighth passed to Yang He, "He Yuanshuozhong to rule the "Yi" as the Hanzhong doctor. (Note: "Shi Ji Zhongni Disciple Biography") Bangu also has a similar record (Note: "Hanshu Rulin Biography"), from the omission. This shows that Confucius not only liked "Yi", but also devoted great efforts to studying the "Yi" words and words. Due to repeated reading of "Yi", the weft rope (weft rope tied into silk and hemp, not cooked cowhide) was broken many times. Confucius explained the teaching records of yi (supplemented by several generations of yi masters), collectively known as yi chuan (ten wings), including the Yi Ci (unified theory of the general theory of one gua general), the "System Of Words" (general theory of all "Yi" theory, explaining the "way of change"), "Xiang Ci" (explaining the gua ci, 爻辞), "Saying Gua" (explaining the nature and symbols of the bagua), and "Wen Yan" (specifically on Qian, Kun Er Gua), and so on. Confucius gave the Yi to Shang Qu, and the subsequent lineage of teachers and successors was passed down to Yang He, the zhongfu of the Han Wu Emperor Yuan Shuo (128 BC to 123 BC), and Sima Qian's father Sima Tan "received the Yi from Yang He" (Note: "Shi Ji Tai Shi Gong Self-Introduction"). In ancient times, when great importance was attached to the origins of family learning, the account of Sima Qian should be credible.
(6) Compose "Spring and Autumn".
Both Mencius and Sima Qian believed that the Spring and Autumn Classics were written by Confucius. Mencius said, "The world is in decline, and heresy and atrocities are committed." There are those who kill their kings, and those who kill their fathers. Confucius was afraid and wrote "Spring and Autumn". Sima Qian said: "Zi Yue: 'Fu Hu Fu Hu, a gentleman who is sick and has no name. If I can't do it, why should I see myself in the hereafter? 'It is because of the history of "Spring and Autumn". Mencius from the background of the times, Sima Qian from the creative motivation, indicating Confucius's "Spring and Autumn". Below, I will try to analyze the process of composing "Spring and Autumn" in five comments.
First, extensive collection of information. Sima Qian said that Confucius "looked at the Zhou Room in the west, discussed the old story of the history, and flourished in Lu Erci's "Spring and Autumn"" (Note: "Chronicle of the Twelve Princes"); the Eastern Han He Xiu's "Spring and Autumn Ram Biography Commentary" volume 1 quotes Min Yin's "Shu" Yun: "In the past, Confucius was ordered by Duanmen to make the righteousness of "Spring and Autumn", so that Zixia and fourteen other people asked for the history of Zhou and obtained the book of one hundred and twenty national treasures." The latter is inevitably exaggerated. This is enough to show that Confucius's Spring and Autumn is mainly based on the old text of the Lu Shi and refers to the chronicles of the Zhou royal family and other princely states.
Second, to examine, choose, organize materials, tidy up calligraphy, or copy the old history, or modify the old history, or delete the complicated and simplify, or cut and not use. As Sima Qian said, Confucius's "Spring and Autumn" was "about his words, to remove his troubles" (Note: "Chronicle of the Twelve Princes Chronology"); Du Pre said: "Zhongni because lu Shi Ce wrote a book, examining its authenticity and falsity, and Zhiqi ceremony" (Note: Du Pre's "Spring and Autumn Zuo Clan Biography Sequence").
Third, define the purpose. Zhuangzi said, "'Spring and Autumn' is named after the Tao. Confucius's Spring and Autumn was based on the strict standards of the Zhou Li in an attempt to achieve the goals of "correct name and distinction, not to be noble and lowly, to praise and degrade, not to punish evil and persuade good" (Note: "Left Transmission" Xuangong 2nd year, Zhaogong 3rd year, Dinggong 4th year, Min Gongyuan year, 11th year of Aigong, 29th year of Xianggong, 2nd year of Zhaogong, 7th year of Wengong, 6th year of Duke Of Cai, seventeenth year of Zhaogong, fourteenth year of Chenggong (2 articles), 6th year of Duke Ai, 28th year of Gong Gong (2 articles), year 29 of Duke Zhao, and 29th year of Duke Zhao).
Fourth, determine the style ("compared to the matter"). Sima Qian said: "Confucius because of Shi Wenci's "Spring and Autumn", the first year of the era, the right time and the sun and the moon, cover its details. Du Pre said that the Spring and Autumn Chronicles "chronicle the day of events, the month of the day, the month of the month, the time of the month (press, the quarter), and the year of the time." This shows that the Spring and Autumn Period is a chronicle of historical events arranged in a clear and continuous chronological order.
Fifth, attitudes and wording. When Confucius specifically composed the Spring and Autumn Period, "the pen is pen, the cutting is sharp, and the disciples of Zixia cannot praise (according to, Sasuke)" (Note: "History of confucius's family"), and the attitude is extremely serious; the use of words to construct sentences ("genus words") is also extremely careful, just as the "Zuo Chuan" quotes Junzi: "The title of "Spring and Autumn" (press, using words to make sentences), small and obvious, ambitious and obscure, elegant into chapters, and not dirty" (Note: "Zuo Chuan" Xuangong 2nd year, Zhao Gong 3rd year, Dinggong 4th year, Min Gong Gong year, 11th year of The Duke of Ai, 29th year of Xianggong, 2nd year of Zhaogong, The seventh year of the Duke of Wen, the sixth year of the Duke of Yin, the seventeenth year of the Duke of Zhao, the fourteenth year of the Duke of Cheng (two articles), the sixth year of the Duke of Lai, the twenty-eighth year of the Duke of Ai (two articles), the year of the Common Era of the Emperor, the twenty-ninth year of the Duke of Zhao). Like "Spring and Autumn" records that Qi Xianggong and his sister (Lady Lu Huan) committed adultery, Lu Zhuanggong forgot to kill his father's revenge, indulged in his mother's adultery, and Shuai Shi followed Qi's conquest to seek flattery, exposing the hidden subtleties, and the words were concise and obvious; like ji Wengong's eight years, "The Heavenly King collapsed", Lu Guo mourned the envoys or went to meet the Jin people, Rongren, or turned back in the middle of the way, Lu Jun did not add a reprimand, insulted Zhou Tianzi, and remembered the righteousness of the deep; like the eleventh year of the Hidden Duke: "Ten January, Gong Xue", no words are said, no book burial, showing that it is not a good ending, readers can understand that the Hidden Gong was killed by Huan Gong, The expression is euphemistic and logical; like remembering dozens of things like Qi Huan and Jin Wen, remembering their things without defiling them. This shows that Confucius used words solemnly and cautiously, and expressed the twists and turns of historical events with a small word.
5. Guidelines for the Codification of the Six Classics
In general, Confucius followed the following four guidelines for compiling the Six Classics:
(1) From the perspective of world outlook, Confucius's criterion for compiling the Six Classics is "not to speak strangely, forcefully, chaotically, and divinely."
Confucius was suspicious and distant from ghosts and gods, and attached great importance to human affairs. He "does not speak strangely, forcefully, chaotically, and divinely" (Note: The Analects of the Analects of Shuer), believing that "if you fail to do anything to others, can you do things to ghosts?" "Unknown birth, unknown death?" (Note: "Analects of the Zilu") Therefore, he advocated: "Serve the righteousness of the people, and worship ghosts and gods and stay away." He also pointed out: "The nature of heaven and earth is precious to man" (Note: "Filial Piety, Sacred Rule"), "The three armies can seize the marshal, and the pifu cannot seize the zhiye" (Note: "Analects of Zihan"). Confucius basically had a negative attitude toward the old concept of gods and ghosts, neither talking about ghosts and gods, nor wanting students to talk about ghosts and gods with him, but affirming that ordinary people have their own personalities. Moreover, the "heaven" in Confucius's mind is only natural, which is different from the conscious "heaven" in the Shang Zhou Dynasty. Therefore, he "did not complain about the heavens" (Note: "Analects and Constitutional Questions"), and praised the King of Chu Zhao, who both opposed the sacrifice of the Yellow River and did not advocate the sacrifice of the Yellow River: "The King of Chu Zhao knows the great road, and it is also appropriate for him not to lose the country!" (Note: Zuo Chuan: The second year of Xuangong, the third year of Zhaogong, the fourth year of Dinggong, the year of Min Gong, the eleventh year of Duke Ai, the twenty-ninth year of Xianggong, the second year of Zhaogong, the seventh year of Wengong, the sixth year of Yingong, the seventeenth year of Zhaogong, the fourteenth year of Chenggong (Erjiao), the sixth year of Laigong, the twenty-eighth year of Gong Gong (Erjiao), the year of Gong Gong, and the twenty-ninth year of Zhaogong) Although Confucius affirmed sacrifice in the Rites, he believed that "the sacrifice of gods is like gods" (Note: Analects, Eight Tongs). Since it is "as God is present," it is not really "being." It can be seen that he affirms the sacrifice and does not think that the ghost god really exists, but only seeks the psychological comfort and satisfaction of the sacrificer, which is consistent with his attitude of doubting and alienating the ghost god. Although Confucius believed in "destiny" and "mandate of heaven", what he said about "fate" is helpless, which is different from the "mandate of heaven" that is traditionally enshrined as the supreme personality of God.
Under the guidance of this materialistic world view, Confucius's "Spring and Autumn" mainly records personnel such as dynastic appointments, alliances, conquests, funerals, etc., and does not have contact with ghosts and gods, although it records natural variations, such as eclipses, comets, earthquakes, floods and droughts, and locust plagues, but only records from the perspective of "different", and does not do much appendage. A large number of records of ghosts and gods in ancient literature were removed by Confucius in accordance with the principle of "no strangeness, force, chaos, and gods", so that the Six Classics rarely have absurd and complicated chapters such as ghosts and gods dominating. Since then, the Six Classics have laid the foundation for the humanistic tendencies of traditional Chinese culture.
(2) From the perspective of political outlook, Confucius regarded the basic spirit of Zhou Li's relatives and respect as the criterion for compiling the Six Classics.
Confucius, who regarded the Zhou Li as the guideline, often proceeded from the basic spirit of the Zhou Li to respect and respect, advocating that the relatives, sages, and His Holiness be kept secret. For example, Confucius believed that if the father stole someone else's sheep and the son knew, he could not not only report it, but also conceal its truth. He said, "The Father is hidden for the Son, and the Son is hidden by the Father." Straight in the middle. (Note: "Analects of the Zilu") This is called the secret of relatives. Another example is that Lu Zhaogong knew that it was "indecent" to marry with the same surname, but still married Wu Ji with the same surname, but Confucius insisted that he "knew the etiquette". (Note: "Analects of the Analects" This is for His Holiness. Confucius put this theory into the practice of historiography, and there were such strokes as "The Heavenly King Hunts in Heyang". Incidentally, as mentioned above, Confucius praised Dong Hu for daring to write straight, but there are only a few historians in Chinese history who have really written straight. There are countless historians who insist on bending pens or writing against their hearts, and the initiators of them cannot but be said to be Confucius's "Spring and Autumn".
Originally, the alliance of practicing the land was actually "the Marquis of Jin summoned the king, and the princes saw it", and the King of Zhou did not dare not be summoned. Whether it is "summoning the king with a subject" or a king answering the summons of the subject, it is "not allowed to be trained" (Note: The Second Year of the Xuangong, the Third Year of the Duke of Zhao, the Fourth Year of the Dinggong, the Year of the Min Gong, the Eleventh Year of the Duke of Ai, the Twenty-ninth Year of the XiangGong, the Second Year of the ZhaoGong, the Seventh Year of the Duke of Wen, the Sixth Year of the Duke of Cai, the Seventeenth Year of the Duke of Zhao, the Fourteenth Year of the Duke of Cheng (Two Articles), the Sixth Year of the Duke of Lai, the Twenty-eighth Year of the Duke of Zhaogong (Two Articles), the Year of the Duke of Zhao, the Year of the Duke of Zhao, the Twenty-Ninth Year of the Duke of Zhao), is not in line with the Zhou Rites. Confucius not only had to be secretive for His Holiness, not to blame King Xiang of Zhou, but also to be secretive to the sages, not to blame The Duke of Jin, and to conceal the loss of the Jin Wen summoning the king, and to know the virtue of his diligent king, so he had to write "The King of Heaven Hunts in He Yang." (Note: Zuo Chuan: The second year of Xuangong, the third year of Zhaogong, the fourth year of Dinggong, the year of Min Gongyuan, the eleventh year of Duke Ai, the twenty-ninth year of Xianggong, the second year of Zhaogong, the seventh year of Wengong, the sixth year of Yingong, the seventeenth year of Zhaogong, the fourteenth year of Chenggong (two articles), the sixth year of Duke Ai, the twenty-eighth year of Gong Gong (two articles), the year of Gong Gong of Zhao, the year of Zhao Gong, the twenty-ninth year of Zhao Gong)
Another example is the "Spring and Autumn Ram Biography" ding a common year: "Ding, mourn more micro words." Sima Qian also said: "Kong Shi's "Spring and Autumn", between yin and Huan, is prominent, and when it is fixed and mourned, it is slight, and it is praised for its relevant worldly texts, and taboo words are also taboo. Confucius's main political and academic activities were in the ding and mourning worlds, and he adhered to the principle of "concealing the evil of the country and li also" (Note: The second year of Xuangong, the third year of Zhaogong, the fourth year of Dinggong, the year of Min Gong, the eleventh year of Duke Ai, the twenty-ninth year of Xianggong, the second year of Zhaogong, the seventh year of Wengong, the sixth year of Yingong, the seventeenth year of Zhaogong, the fourteenth year of Chenggong (two articles), the sixth year of Laigong, the twenty-eighth year of Gong Gong (二条), the year of Gong Gong, and the twenty-ninth year of Zhao Gong), and because he was well aware of the lessons of Qi Taishi's direct killing, The writing is somewhat taboo, and it is inconvenient to record and praise contemporary events, so the "Spring and Autumn" records many obscure words on the occasion of mourning.
In addition, the Spring and Autumn Period opposes all acts of transgression that violate the Zhou rites, so Wu Chuzhijun calls himself "King", while "Spring and Autumn" degrades "Son", which is for the sake of "justifying the name".
In short, Confucius regarded Zhou Li as a criterion for commenting on history and praising and disparaging characters, often starting from "etiquette" and "incivility" to decide "book", "no book" and "how to book", just as Du Pre summarized this as the "Fifty Mortals" of "Spring and Autumn" calligraphy. Sima Qian said: "The Person of Spring and Autumn, the Great Emperor of Li Yi" (Note: "History of Taishi Gong Self-Order"), is really a broken word.
(iii) From an academic point of view, Confucius's guideline for compiling the Six Classics is that "attacking heresy is over, and the harm is already over."
Confucius said, "Attacking (pressing, ruling) is a heresy, and the harm is already over." He advocated the study of the Six Classics and the Right Path, opposed the study of heretical and heretical paths, and his banner was clear and his attitude was resolute. Like Zaiyu who opposed the "three-year mourning", he was accused by Confucius: "It is not benevolent to give!" (Note: "Analects of Yang Goods") And like Fan Su asked Confucius about planting vegetables and planting crops, Confucius thought that it was enough to learn etiquette, righteousness, and faith. And rebuked it as "Little man, Fan Su also!" (Note: The Analects of zilu) It can be seen that Confucius rejected words and deeds that were contrary to or different from his own views. It was precisely with the task of overcoming "heresy" and taking "righteousness" and "etiquette" as the criterion to organize and compile the Six Classics.
Confucius said, "The three hundred poems, in a word, say: 'Thinking is innocent.' This shows that when Confucius compiled the Poems, he selected beneficial "positive" poems and removed harmful "evil" poems.
When Confucius compiled the Book, he also left "good" to "evil". Later, someone actually collected the chapters that Confucius deleted and did not use to compile a "Book of Zhou" ("Yi Zhou Shu"). According to the Book of Han and Yiwen Zhi, "Seventy-one Zhou Shu, Zhou ShiJi. Yan Shigu's ancient note quoted Liu Xiangyun: "Zhou Shi swore an oath to be present, and Gai Confucius discussed a hundred articles." ”
Moreover, in the winter of the twenty-ninth year of Lu Zhaogong (513 BC), Zhao Martin and Xun Yin of jin "gave the Jin state a drum of iron to cast a penal ding, and wrote (according to, inscribed) fan Xuanzi's penal book." Confucius believed that "casting punishment" belonged to heresy and heresy, violating the "legal degree" (etiquette) accepted by the Jin state from the King of Zhou, and would make the Jin "noble and unruly disorderly" and "Jin qi perished!" (Note: The Zuo Zhuan Xuan Gong 2nd year, Zhao Gong 3rd year, Ding Gong 4th year, Min Gong Gong year, Ai Gong 11 years, Xiang Gong 29 years, Zhao Gong 2 years, Wen Gong 7 years, Yin Gong 6 years, Zhao Gong 17 years, Cheng Gong 14 years (2 articles), 6 years of Lai Gong, 28 years of The Duke of Zhao ,28 years of the Duke of Zhao, the year of the Duke of Zhao, the year of zhao gong 29) Therefore, it resolutely opposed the publication of the legal documents formulated by Fan Xuanzi, so that the Spring and Autumn Period was "not written". Fortunately, the "Zuo Zhuan" recorded this matter in more detail, otherwise, this major event in the history of Chinese legal science would be obscured.
(iv) From the perspective of specific implementation, the criterion followed by Confucius in compiling the Six Classics was "to say but not to do."
Confucius's epistemology has no shortage of materialistic views. He said: "Many smells and doubts", "many see que que" (Note: "Analects for Government"), "A gentleman does not know what he does not know, and covers the gap as well." (Note: The Analects of the Zilu) also says: "Listen to the Tao and speak, and the virtue is abandoned." Confucius advocated listening more and seeing more, and generally adopting a reserved attitude toward suspicious unreliable things that he did not understand, and not expressing opinions casually; opposing hearsay, because hearsay, there will be more absurdity. Therefore, "The Son of the Fourth: No Will, No Will, No Solidity, No Me." Confucius advocated that there should be no subjective speculation, no arbitrariness, no stubbornness, no self-righteousness, and opposition to arbitrariness, absoluteness, rigidity, and self-sufficiency.
Proceeding from this epistemology of his own, Confucius advocated that in the process of sorting out and compiling the old documents, we should follow the criterion of "describing but not doing, believing in the ancient" (Note: "Analects and Narratives"), that is, the original appearance of the old documents (original text, original content, original style) must be retained, and it is not allowed to tamper with the old documents slightly. Confucius's "Poems", "Books", "Rituals", "Music", and "Yi" are selected, edited, and interpreted, maintaining the words of the old literature. And his "Spring and Autumn", although there are many obscure songs, but basically to write for clear things, to take a reserved attitude towards suspicious things. As The Tale of Liang of the Spring and Autumn Valley, Huan Gong's fifth year, said: "The righteousness of "Spring and Autumn" is to be believed to be transmitted, and doubt to be doubted." ”
We think that Confucius's "saying but not doing" is relative, not absolute. Mencius said: "Its (according to the Spring and Autumn Period) is Qi Huan and Jin Wen, and its literature is history, confucius said: 'Its righteousness is stolen by Qiu.'" This is true of the Spring and Autumn Classics, and the other Five Classics also have "righteousness" in them. In short, the compilation of the Six Classics has historical meanings and cuts, and it is not impossible to say that they are all the works of Confucius.
6. Concluding remarks
Confucius was the greatest educator and philologist of the Spring and Autumn Period, and his great historical merit lies in breaking the shackles of "learning in the official palace" and creating a situation of private lectures and private compilation for the first time in the world. In particular, the Six Classics (the Five Classics that he has compiled, selected, compiled, and personally taught) preserved the "Yuan Classics" for the long-standing traditional Chinese culture, became a classic guiding the political and spiritual life of the entire feudal society in China, and became the ideological and theoretical basis of feudal society, which had a far-reaching positive or negative impact on China's politics, economy, and culture (literature, history, philosophy, religious ethics and moral concepts) for more than two thousand years. At the same time, the Six Classics preserve the xia and Shang dynasties, providing us with valuable materials for studying this period of history. If Confucius did not organize and compile it in time, future generations would not be able to know the deeds of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou (including the Spring and Autumn) era, and their contribution to preserving ancient documents and spreading culture will never be indelible.
However, we must realize that Confucius's life coincided with the great transition from slavery to a feudal society, and due to the personal limitations of the times, his ideological undertakings reflected the contradictions between the old and the new. As the historian Guo Moruo and others said more than 40 years ago: "He sometimes restores the new on the one hand, and on the other hand, he is also retro and driving backwards." In an era of change, he straddled the front of the times with one foot and dragged behind the times with one foot. (Note: Guo Moruo edited the first volume of the "Chinese History Manuscript", page 194, the People's Publishing House, 1962 edition) Also as the philosophical historian Zhang Dainian and others recently said, Confucius stood in the position of "conservative and new, retro and enlightened, such a dual position, so that Confucianism can reach out to the past with one hand and one finger to the future under the premise of maintaining etiquette and morality" (Note: Zhang Dainian et al., "Introduction to Chinese Culture (Revised Edition)" 65 pages, Beijing Normal University Press, 2004 edition. ）。 Therefore, the Six Classics contain both democratic essences and patriarchal dross, as well as technical deficiencies (such as the Spring and Autumn Chronicle is too simple, and the Shang Shu does not have a date). Today, when we study, we should treat it rationally, seek truth from facts, and criticize inheritance.
bibliography:
[1] [Qing] Ruan Yuan proofread "Thirteen Commentaries on the Thirteen Classics", Zhonghua Bookstore, 1980 edition
[2] Yang Bojun' Notes on the Left Transmission of Spring and Autumn, Zhonghua Bookstore, 1981
[3] Fan Wenlan' Compendium of General History of China, Revised Edition, Part I, Chapter 3, Section 9, Section 10, People's Publishing House, 1961 Edition
[4] Zhou Yutong, "The Relationship between the Six Classics" and Confucius," Fudan Journal, Social Science Edition, No. 1, 1979
[5] Kuang Yaming's Commentary on Confucius, QiluShu, 1985 edition
[6] Cao Xichen and Han Baohua, "Historical Outline of the Compilation of Chinese Archival Documents", Chapter 1, Higher Education Press, 1999