A Study Of The Interpretation Of The Spring And Autumn Annals By Yan Ziwan

The Spring and Autumn Annotations,which was compiled by the Ming scholar Yan Ziwan from the commentaries of various schools,is the only copy of the Spring and Autumn Annotations of the Ming dynasty in the collection of the Japanese Cabinet Library,and no one has yet ventured into it.This paper is a study of Yan Zewan’s book,The Essential Interpretation of the Spring and Autumn Period,with the following four main areas of research:The introductory section explains the purpose of the study and the current state of scholarly research on the study of the Spring and Autumn Period in the Ming Dynasty.First,based on local county records and other relevant sources,a detailed examination of Yan Zewan’s family history,life and friendships is conducted.At the same time,a systematic summary of the development and evolution of the study of the Spring and Autumn Period in the Ming Dynasty is also presented,and this period feature is applied to the overall comprehension and grasp of the background of the formation of the book,with the aim of better demonstrating the unique value of the book.Secondly,through an analysis of the macrocosm of late Ming society and in the context of specific texts,we examine in depth the approach to the interpretation of scripture that can be seen in Yan Ziwan’s The Essential Interpretation of the Spring and Autumn Annals,which is mainly characterised by the identification of the words of various schools of thought,the cautiousness and appropriateness of derogation,and the emphasis on the original meaning of the scriptures.Secondly,we examine the succession of Yan Zewan’s book to the Song dynasty’s study of the Spring and Autumn Annals,starting from three aspects: the importance of the various schools of thought,the importance of meaning and the application of the scriptures to the world,and the use of concrete empirical evidence.Yan’s idea of interpreting the scriptures in order to better invent the heart of the sage has greatly facilitated the understanding of the meaning of the Spring and Autumn scriptures by later readers.Thirdly,a study of the "ritualistic interpretation of the scriptures" characteristic of the Spring and Autumn Annals.The Spring and Autumn Annals has the distinctive feature of "interpreting the scriptures through ritual".The method of "interpreting the scriptures with rites" was mostly respected by scholars of the Qing dynasty,but Yan Ziwan’s "interpreting the scriptures with rites" has shown a clear spirit of innovation,which,to some extent,reflects the paradigm of late Ming "Spring and Autumn" studies,and systematically analyses in depth the interpretation of the"Spring and Autumn".The interpretative strategy of the "rites" of the Spring and Autumn Annals can be expressed through three features,namely the importance of institutional norms,the combination of rites and history,and the flexibility of rites.Fourthly,the political ideology embodied in the Spring and Autumn Annals is examined.The political thought of the Spring and Autumn Annals derives from the inheritance of the Confucian tradition on the one hand,and reflects the political reality of the late Ming on the other.An analysis of the political thought of the Spring and Autumn Annals can be summarised in four areas: the preservation of the supremacy of the Son of Heaven,the importance of the righteousness of rulers and ministers,the careful differentiation between Chinese and foreigners,and the focus on the people.These ideas have implications for the examination of the political situation in the late Ming and the regeneration of the meaning of Confucian political thought in the Ming.The concluding remarks synthesise the findings of this paper,summarise the scholarly level of The Essential Interpretation of the Spring and Autumn Period,and assess the value of The Essential Interpretation of the Spring and Autumn Period.