Historical Discourses from the Star Pavilion

Xingge Shilun takes "historical commentary" as its form, using the name of the Xingge (Star Pavilion) to set forth judgments on historical figures and political affairs; it belongs to the traditional genre of historical criticism. The author, Zhao Qingli, writes with an edge, often stating gains and losses outright after a concise narrative, so that readers can see the standards and concerns with which ancient scholars weighed history and judged people. This book preserves the appearance of the original, with emphasis on keeping the true and transmitting the intent, offering readers a text through which to observe how traditional historical criticism took shape. Its value lies not in providing definitive conclusions but in displaying a mode of argument that takes history as a mirror and distinguishes praise from blame. As you read, note which historical events the author selects and by what standards he makes his judgments; this self-awareness of "commentary" is precisely where the vitality of traditional historiography lies. For readers who want to understand how people in earlier times read and discussed history, this book is a fairly concrete sample; read alongside relevant chapters of the standard histories, it better reveals the tension between historical commentary and historical fact.