The Integration Of Confucian Classics,Historiography And Literature:A Research On Liu Xie’s Study Of Chunqiu

As one of Liu Xie’s important knowledge resources,Chunqiu deeply influenced his literary theory and thought of Confucian classics and historiography.Firstly,from the Han Dynasty to the Southern and Northern Dynasties,the influence of Zuozhuan gradually expanded,while the influence of Gongyangzhuan and Guliangzhuan gradually declined.The conflict between Gongyangzhuan,Guliangzhuan and Zuozhuan was gradually replaced by the difference between advocating Du Yu in the Southern Dynasties and advocating Fu Qian in the Northern Dynasties.Liu Xie’s orientations towards Chunqiu and Zuozhuan was consistent with the academic mainstream of the Southern Dynasties.Secondly,influenced by the independence and development of historiography in the Wei,Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties,Liu Xie paid much attention to the historical nature of Chunqiu.He not only regarded Chunqiu and Zuozhuan as representatives of historical records of the Spring and Autumn Period,but also specifically studied their features of rhetoric,stylistic rules,respect for the wise and esoteric writing of potentates.Thirdly,Liu Xie consciously transformed propositions of Chunqiu into literary propositions.Influenced by the tradition of scholars’ emphasis on stylistic rules in Chunqiu,especially Du Yu’s theory of "three stylistic rules and five layouts",he emphasized the importance of stylistic rules in writing.And he used the theory of "to be immortal by writing"in Zuozhuan to elaborate the meanings of speculative and literary writings.Besides,praise and criticism in Chunqiu inspired him to pay attention to the moral value of writing.In addition,he discussed the relationship among ideas,words and literary forms with records in Zuozhuan.Fourthly,Liu Xie fully explored genre resources in Chunqiu.In order to support the thought of "upholding classics",he constructed the theory that all genres were derived from the Five Confucian Classics.Based on the historical nature of Chunqiu and the fact that it recorded oaths and war proclamations far more than the other four classics,he proposed that chronicle,biography,oath and war proclamation had their roots in Chunqiu.Additionally,he made full use of genre resources in Zuozhuan to discuss the characteristics,development and requirements of various genres.