The Prose in the Pre-Qin Period: Historical prose
describing the spirit and the forms.
The pre-Qin historic works abound in variety . The “Spring-Autumn Annals” completed by the end of the Spring-Autumn Period was the earliest chronicle in China . It kept a record of the major events in different states during the 242 years from year one of the reign of Duke Yin (722 B.C.) to year 14 of the reign of Duke Ai of (480 B.C.) of the Lu state . Its wordings are precise and meticulous . Appreciation or depreciation of a person or an event was often expressed in a single word , the so-called Spring-Autumn style . “Zuo Chuan”, also called the “Zuo Spring-Autumn Annals” , was a book written by Zuo Qiuming , associated with the “Spring-Autumn Annals”.
It is not only an impotent historical work with detailed narration , but also an excellent literary masterpiece . Its narration was dramatic and interesting , and grasped the important links of complicated events . Also it was good at describing personages and campaigns . It is historical prose with the greatest literary attainment . The “stratagems of the Warring States” is another historical work recording the history of the kingdoms in the pre-Qin period one by one , focusing on the speeches and activities of the strategists . The articles contained in this work were eloquent and vivid , with a lot of metaphors . For instance , the article in the “Yan stratagems” chapter of it describing the farewell to Jin Ke on the Yi River , was very passionate and appealing .