The Literary Analysis Of Zuozhuan

As a rare collection of ancient books and records in Pre-Qin Dynasty, the compiling of Zuozhuan is based on the Spring and Autumn Annals but not confined to it, so Zuozhuan is a free stretch of its own. With complete narrative frameworks, vivid portraits of characters, clear trend of thoughts, and beautiful language skills, it wins the privilege of the permanent access to various types of authoritative literary history. When we trace the literary origins of Zuozhuan, we try to restore its sophisticated literary thought, explore its plump literary style, review its special literary rhetorical expression, but also appreciate those heterogeneous men and women with various personalities in the Spring and Autumn Period reproduced proficiently by Zuo Qiu-ming, and witness the endless ingenuity and political tactics behind waving banners and flags in the wind and flashing blades on the battlefields of in the Spring and Autumn Period.In the Spring and Autumn Period when Zuozhuan was compiled, the hereditary preponderant clans which had continued from generation to generation for centuries were slowly dying out in the lingering songs on bronze while in the social thought of selecting and appointing the capable the new gentry were emerging as a result of wide spread of culture and education, as provided a possibility for the emergence of authors of Zuozhuan. The cultural classics represented by the Book of Changes, the Book of History, the Book of Songs etc. were nurturing people moving forward. Fortune telling, composing verses, and ingenious poetic couplet creation had been important literary activities deep into all corners of life in the Spring and Autumn Period, which could be found in imperial courts, senior officials'families, furthermore, on field roads or in the fields. The unique cultural style and colorful reality in the Spring and Autumn Period provide a wealth of writing material for Zuozhuan, and serve as realistic basis of the literary expression of Zuozhuan.The writings in Zuozhuan hold fast to the footsteps of the Spring and Autumn Period, trying to seek immortality by Writing. Zuo Qiu-ming attached great importance to etiquette and morality, clarified his ideas through poetry and was loyal to his most real needs in his bosom. He wrote biographies for the classics in the Spring and Autumn Annals which must be expanded in turn, and supplemented those writings which were not included in the Spring and Autumn Annals but were able to express their own thought."Classics without biography"and"biography without classics"convey a wise choice and independent literary thought of an author. Regarding choice of literary style, linear time and nonlinear narrative are combined perfectly in Zuozhuan which respects time the people then valued and inherits the chronological system from the Spring and Autumn Period, but brings readers into a disconnected world which has never been chronicled by way of a new and special chain structure and excellent multi-dimensional narrative, sorts out sequence of ideas in the events for us and establishes the images of human beings. The argumentative interpretation with"The virtuous man says," as the symbol is one of the most prominent features of Zuozhuan. Every word said by the virtuous man is the most authentic thought of Zuo Qiu-ming which takes the position of ritual and music, is explicit but not implicit, discontent but not resentful. As a great official historian, although Zuo Qiu-ming had talents, capability and the courage of writing the truth without fear or favor when compiling articles, but scholars through the ages have long proven that Zuozhuan is not a collection of historical records in its real sense. In Zuozhuan, the real history and the imaginary literature are integrated just right into the most ingenious, natural and seamless combination which was not a mosaic, not to mention a welded thing.Literature is inseparable from rhetoric."Succinct and implicit narration, the writing style of the Spring and Autumn Period", originating from Zuozhuan, has exerted a very important influence on the wording in various fields of later generations, and its mixed use of parallel sentences and prose, means of artistic expression, reflects the simplest aesthetic pursuit of literary expression. Language Appropriate to the Occasion recorded in Zuozhuan surpasses any collection of previous books and records, and reveals its relatively mature and rich sense of style. All the language is graceful and elegant, what's more, fits the situation, though it comes from all classes and all kinds of characters with different identities. No matter whether it can be admissible by verbal objects, the language serves as an excellent demonstration of unprecedented cultural customs in the Spring and Autumn Period and also shows Zuo Qiu-ming's admiration which can not be concealed. Zuozhuan always distinguishes itself by its description of wars. Zuo Qiu-ming makes his ideological position known explicitly through"People-oriented Thought"and its"Consciousness of Worshiping Overlords"and unfolds the strategies and ingenuity before, after and during wars in front of readers. The technique of"Pursuing Uniqueness in Similarity"gives people the feeling of"layout changes and freshness pursuit in every article". The use of the technique of"Additional Description"leads to the achievement of the style of writing with ease, leisurely rhythm and lingering charm of its semantic models.The presentation of lifelike figures in Zuozhuan is a necessity for literary narration. There is no doubt that the kings, vassals, powerful and imperious officials, nobles and civil and military officials who propped up the chauvinistic sky are the key points in the author's accounts, while Chinese females who influenced historical trend of China ahead of our time in Zuozhuan also show their unique compromise and Comfortableness as a daughter, a sister, a wife or a mother. The description of characters in Zuozhuan are entangled in incidents, which is not done deliberately and almost does not include physical description such as portraits, clothing and facial expression as well as minute and vivid psychological description. But those highly personalized movements and lifelike language both in accent and tone are enough to make them standing out vibrantly and vividly in front of readers and become a unique one among numerous literary images.In short, Zuozhuan establishes its own immortal literary status by way of its unique literary style, which serves as the source of historical and biographical literature, subjects and techniques of prose and the basis of classical novels. Even a gentle touch on it can generate long-lasting enchantment and aftertaste.