Guoyu (book)

The Guoyu (Chinese: 國語), usually translated Discourses of the States, is an ancient Chinese text that consists of a collection of speeches attributed to rulers and other men from the Spring and Autumn period (771–476 BC). It comprises a total of 240 speeches, ranging from the reign of King Mu of Zhou (r. 956–918 BC) to the execution of the Jin minister Zhibo in 453 BC.[1] Guoyu was probably compiled beginning in the 5th century BC and continuing to the late 4th century BC. The earliest chapter of the compilation is the Discourses of Zhou.[2]

Guoyu
Authorunknown
Original title國語
CountryZhou dynasty China
LanguageClassical Chinese
SubjectHistory of Spring and Autumn period states
Publication date
4th century BC
Guoyu
Traditional Chinese國語
Simplified Chinese国语

Guoyu's author is unknown, but it is sometimes attributed to Zuo Qiuming, a contemporary of Confucius;[3][4][5] although as early as Jin dynasty, Fu Xuan objected to that attribution of authorship.[6]

Contents

Guoyu overlaps with the period, people, events in the Zuo zhuan.[7] It comprises eight books covering the Zhou court and seven of the feudal states, divided into 21 chapters:

#ChinesePinyinTranslationChapters
1周語Zhōu YǔDiscourses of Zhou3
2魯語Lǔ YǔDiscourses of Lu2
3齊語Qí YǔDiscourses of Qi1
4晉語Jìn YǔDiscourses of Jin9
5鄭語Zhèng YǔDiscourses of Zheng1
6楚語Chǔ YǔDiscourses of Chu2
7吳語Wú YǔDiscourses of Wu1
8越語Yuè YǔDiscourses of Yue2

References

Citations
  1. Shih & Knechtges (2010), p. 308.
  2. Chang, Boltz & Loewe (1993), p. 264.
  3. Zhou, Jixu (May, 2011) "Confucius and Lao Zi" Their Differing Social Foundations and Cultures", Sino-Platonic Papers 211. p. 2
  4. Sima Qian, Shiji, "Grand Historian's Autobiographical Postface". quote: "左丘失明，厥有國語"
  5. Sima Qian, "Letter to Ren An", in Book of Han "Vol. 62 - Account of Sima Qian" quote: "左丘失明，厥有國語"
  6. Kong Yingda, True Meaning of Chunqiu Zuozhuan "vol. 60" p. 20 of 146, quote: "傅玄云：《國語》非丘明所作。凡有共說一事而二文不同，必《國語》虛而《左傳》實，其言相反，不可強合也。" translation: "Fu Xuan said: '′Discourses of the States′ was not authored by Qiu Ming. Wherever they both narrate one thing yet their wordings differ, certainly ′Zuo tradition′['s narrative] is authentic while ′Discourses of the States′['s narrative] is spurious. The contradictory wordings cannot be forcibly reconciled.' "
  7. Durrant (2017), p. 189.

Sources
  • Chang, I-jen; et al. (1993). "Kuo yü 國語". In Loewe, Michael (ed.). Early Chinese Texts: A Bibliographical Guide. Berkeley: Society for the Study of Early China; Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California Berkeley. pp. 263–268. ISBN 1-55729-043-1.
  • Durrant, Stephen (2017). "Chapter 13: Histories (Shi 史)". In Denecke, Wiebke; Li, Wai-Yee; Tian, Xiaofei (eds.). The Oxford Handbook of Classical Chinese Literature (1000 BCE-900CE) (e-book ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 189.
  • Kern, Martin (2010). "Early Chinese literature, Beginnings through Western Han". The Cambridge History of Chinese Literature, Volume 1: To 1375. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 1–115. ISBN 978-0-521-11677-0.
  • Shih, Hsiang-lin; et al. (2010). "Guoyu 國語". Ancient and Early Medieval Chinese Literature: A Reference Guide, Part One. Leiden: Brill. pp. 308–311. ISBN 978-90-04-19127-3.
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