Pi Xirui's "Spring And Autumn General Theory" Research

Pi Xirui,master of Confucian classics at late Qing dynasty, specialized in studying The Spring and Autumn Annals and Gong Yang,whose General Theory of The Spring and Autumn Annals comprehends The Spring and Autumn Annals in a macroscopic angle of view and makes comprehensive monographic research on the important problems of the studying history of The Spring and Autumn Annals, which mainly are The Spring and Autumn Annals, Zuozhuan, Gongyang Zhuan and Guliang Zhuan. Pi Xirui holds the view that The Spring and Autumn Annals belongs to the category of Confucian classics, which contains the saint's condescension to teach, the saint wrote The Spring and Autumn Annals through the way of understanding principles by specific examples. Pi Xirui interpreted Confucian classics by the way of Gongyang, made new interpretation of the old study of Gongyang while denied Zuozhuan's value in the fields of Confucian classics.This paper takes General Theory of The Spring and Autumn Annals as the research object, interprets it from the perspective of Confucian classics intensively and comments the gain and loss of this book. This paper will be divided into four parts:The first chapter, Pi Xirui's lifetime and General Theory of The Spring and Autumn Annals. This chapter is divided into five sections. The first section, Pi Xirui's lifetime and his writings: sketching Pi's lifetime in reference to Chronicle of Mr Pi Lumen and Master of Confucian Classics understanding and practicing: research of Pi Xirui's lifetime and thoughts, and classifying Pi's works in reference to Universal Set of Pi Xirui. The second section, publishing and spreading of General Theory of The Spring and Autumn Annals, which is only a brief introduction due to the full and accurate historical records of its publication time, version and spreading. In the third section, the inheritance and development towards Reading and Definition of The Spring and Autumn Annals:analyzing the similarities and differences of these two books and making comparative research. In the fourth section, his monograph method of treating and researching Confucian classics. General Theory of The Spring and Autumn Annals is composed of 56 dissertation, in which Pi took the lead in studying Confucian classics through the way of making monograph papers. The fifth section, the macroscopic perspective of The Spring and Autumn Annals: Pi held a view broad enough to research the thesis in the studying history of The Spring and Autumn Annals.The second chapter, Pi Xirui's view of The Spring and Autumn Annals. This chapter is divided into three sections. The first section, the new expression of the definition of Confucian classics and history. Pi Xirui think that Confucius composed The Spring and Autumn Annals just to explicit its Confucian classics nature and Pi makes rigorous demonstration. In the second section,the new definition of sublime words with deep meaning: first, he defines the deep meaning of The Spring and Autumn Annals as punish and suppress rebels and traitors, and sublime words as reconstitution of legality to create peace and prosperity. In the third section: the explication of the method of understanding hidden principles through specific matters. He proposed clearly that Confucius wrote his classics by the way of understanding hidden principles through specific matters.The third chapter, Pi Xirui's new interpretation of Gongyang Zhuan learning. This chapter is divided into four sections. The first section, The Spring and Autumn Annals is the one and only summary of Li and Yi. Through the exposition of The Spring and Autumn Annals to boost Dong Zhongshu's study of The Spring and Autumn Annals. The second section, elaboration of the restructuring meaning of The Spring and Autumn Annals through Dong's the Three Series and Uncrowned King. In the third section, he combines Zhang's theory of three generations and differs domestic and foreign to interpret the meaning of resisting the invasion of other nations. He made a new expression of Gongyang's meaning of resisting the invasion of other nations. In the fourth section, demonstrating Gongyang and Guliang's method of praise or criticize with a single word. He holds the view and demonstrates through the method of praise or criticize with a single word that The Spring and Autumn Annals implies the meaning of the saint's condescension to teach.The fourth chapter, Pi Xirui's criticism of Zuozhuan. This chapter is divided into two sections. The first section, the distinction of Confucian classics and history: Zuozhuan misunderstood Confucian classics, which means Zuozhuan is mainly about history, not about the understanding of The Spring and Autumn Annals. The second section, confusion of Confucian classics: criticism against Duyu's theory on Zuozhuan, which accuses that Duyu, who has misunderstood Confucian classics, was the sinner of Zuozhuan, and proposed comprehensive criticism against Duyu's interpretation of The Spring and Autumn Annals by Zuozhuan.