《太史公书》入《六艺略·春秋》家说辩

Why Tai Shi Gong Shu was Recorded in Chunqiu Category Liu Yi Lue of Record of Literature and Arts in Hanshu

《太史公书》著录在《汉书·艺文志·六艺略·春秋》家。前人对此多有解说,或认为“刘氏之世,史书甚寡”,或认为当时“史家亦未别为一类也”,或认为“经史同源”“六经皆史”。然三说均不得其要。《太史公书》著录在《春秋》家之下,本质上是因为《春秋》与《太史公书》是源与流的关系,《太史公书》的写作理念继承自《春秋》,司马谈的临终嘱托和自身经历也是司马迁继承《春秋》写作理念的重要原因。《太史公书》的写作方式继承自《春秋》,司马迁在写作中使用了《春秋》事、文、义相结合的方式。《太史公书》的春秋时期的史料继承自《左传》,但是《左传》是为解说《春秋》而作的,显然《太史公书》也间接继承了《春秋》。著录在《春秋》家下的其他史书,它们与《太史公书》也具有源流关系,散在其他门类下的史书则与《春秋》并无源流关系。

Tai Shi Gong Shu was recorded in Chunqiu category in Liu Yi Lue of Record of Literature and Arts in Hanshu.There are many explanations for this by the predecessors.Some thought that“in Liu’s time,there were few historical books”,some thought that at that time“historians were not in the same category”,and some thought that“classics and history were the same origin”and“all six classics were history”.However,none of the three statements was accurate.Why was Tai Shi Gong Shu recorded in Chunqiu category?It is because Chunqiu and Tai Shi Gong Shu had a relationship of source and course.The writing idea of Tai Shi Gong Shu originated from Chunqiu.Sima Tan’s last words and his own experience were the important reasons for Sima Qian inheriting the writing idea of Chunqiu.The writing style of Tai Shi Gong Shu is inherited from Chunqiu.The historical materials of the Spring and Autumn period in Tai Shi Gong Shu were inherited from Zuozhuan,but Zuozhuan was written to explain Chunqiu.Obviously,Tai Shi Gong Shu also indirectly inherited Chunqiu.Other historical books recorded in Chunqiu category also had a relationship of source and course with Tai Shi Gong Shu,while those historical books scattered in other categories had no such relationship with Chunqiu.