On the Analysis of Xu Zhong-shu's Study of Zuo Zhuan

On the basis of the systematic investigation of the circulation of Zuo Zhuan in the Western Han Dynasty,Xu Zhong-shu further identified the credibility of Zuo Zhuan as Confucian classic,which forcefully refuted the fallacy that it was forged by Liu Xin,a neo-classic scholar,which has been in popular since the Late Qing Dynasty. Under the influence of Confucian studies' evolution into historiography,and on the basis of Zhang Xue-cheng's view that Confucian classics all belonged to history,he also regarded The Spring and Autumn Annals and Zuo Zhuan as history,by which he not only attempted to solve the argument whether Zuo Zhuan belonged to Confucian classic or history fundamentally,but also laid theoretical foundation for it to return to its original study state at the new academic background. As a result,he re-investigated its relationship with The Spring and Autumn Annals and Guoyu,proposing a series of original opinions. According to its different dates from The Spring and Autumn Annals and its predictions,he inferred that it was created during the Wei State,about from 375 BC to 351 BC,and its possible author was one of Zixia's students. To some extent,his inference was a reasonable hypothesis,some of which have been proved by Remarks on the Spring and Autumn Annals unearthed from the Han tomb in Mawangdui and the slips about the Chu State,as a result of which his conclusion has drawn increasing attention from the academic fields. At the same time,the academic value of his study of Zuo Zhuan has been becoming more and more prominent in the long term's academic study.