Guoyu (book) explained
| Guoyu |
| Country: | China |
| Language: | Classical Chinese |
| Subject: | History of Spring and Autumn period states |
| Pub Date: | 4th century BC |
| Module: | | Child: | yes | | S: | 国语 | | P: | Guóyǔ | | W: | Kuo-yü | | J: | Gwok3-jyu5 | | Y: | Gwok-yúh | | Tl: | Kok-gí | | Mc: | Kwok-ngjó | | Oc-Bs: | *pronounced as /[C.q]ˤʷək ŋ(r)aʔ/ | | L: | state discourses |
|
The Guoyu, usually translated as 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 to the execution of the Jin minister Zhibo in 453 BC. Compilation of the Guoyu probably began during the 5th century and continued until the late 4th century BC. The earliest chapter of the compilation is the Discourses of Zhou.
The text's author is unknown, but it is sometimes attributed to Zuo Qiuming, a contemporary of Confucius;[1] [2] [3] although as early as Jin dynasty, Fu Xuan objected to that attribution of authorship.[4]
Contents
Guoyu overlaps with the period, people, events in the Zuo Zhuan. And during the end of the Han dynasty it was called the preface of the Zuo Zhuan. Scholars like Xu Gan mention it in their work including the Balanced Discourses though the tradition died out.
It comprises eight books covering the Zhou court and seven of the feudal states, divided into 21 chapters:
| | Pinyin | Translation | Chapters |
|---|
| 1 | 周語 | Zhōu Yǔ | Discourses of Zhou | 3 |
| 2 | 魯語 | Lǔ Yǔ | | 2 |
| 3 | 齊語 | Qí Yǔ | | 1 |
| 4 | 晉語 | Jìn Yǔ | | 9 |
| 5 | 鄭語 | Zhèng Yǔ | | 1 |
| 6 | 楚語 | Chǔ Yǔ | | 2 |
| 7 | 吳語 | Wú Yǔ | | 1 |
| 8 | 越語 | Yuè Yǔ | | 2 | |
References
Sources
- Book: I-jen . Chang . 1 . William . Boltz . Michael . Loewe . Kuo yü 國語 . Michael . Loewe . Michael Loewe . Early Chinese Texts: A Bibliographical Guide . 263–268 . 1993 . Society for the Study of Early China; Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California Berkeley . Berkeley . 1-55729-043-1 .
- Book: Durrant. Stephen. Chapter 13: Histories (Shi 史) . Wiebke. Denecke . Wai-Yee . Li . Xiaofei . Tian . The Oxford Handbook of Classical Chinese Literature (1000 BCE-900CE). 2017. Oxford University Press. New York. 189. e-book.
- Book: Kern, Martin . Early Chinese literature, Beginnings through Western Han . 1–115. Stephen . Owen . Stephen Owen (academic) . . 2010 . Cambridge . . 978-0-521-11677-0 .
- Book: David R. . 1 . Knechtges . David R. Knechtges . Hsiang-lin . Shih . Guoyu 國語 . David R. . Knechtges . Taiping . Chang . Ancient and Early Medieval Chinese Literature: A Reference Guide, Part One. Leiden . Brill . 2010 . 308–311 . 978-90-04-19127-3 .
External links
- Guoyu Original text in Chinese
- Guoyu 《國語》 Chinese text with matching English vocabulary
Notes and References
- Zhou, Jixu (May, 2011) "Confucius and Lao Zi" Their Differing Social Foundations and Cultures", Sino-Platonic Papers 211. p. 2
- Sima Qian, Shiji, "Grand Historian's Autobiographical Postface". quote: "左丘失明，厥有國語"
- 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"
- [Kong Yingda]
