The Research Of Zuo Zhuan’s Euphemism

The art of linguistic demonstrated in Zuo Zhuan,sometimes translated as the Commentary of Zuo, has always been praised and recognized, especially for the use of euphemisms. Euphemisms shows its significance on the political stage of Spring and Autumn period, not only due to the worship and taboos embodied in the culture, but also due to its necessity for diplomacy. At the same time, the overwhelming development of euphemisms in the era is based on the increasing pant for debonair manner and pursuance for poetic verbalism, as well as the concern and reflection on etiquette. The effective exertion of politeness, circumbendibus and camouflage functions of euphemism in Zuo Zhuan is closely related to the mature rhetorical level of the age. Skillful usage of rhetorical devices such as simile, citation, exaggeration, indirectness, irony, metaphor, argot etc. illustrate the rhetorical awareness in people of Spring and Autumn period and their characteristic during conversations. This common usage of euphemism also represents and revealed the specialness in utterance during the time.