What Is The Gongyang Commentary About?

The Gongyang Commentary, also known as the Spring and Autumn Gongyang Commentary, is one of the three classic interpretations of The Spring and Autumn Annals (Chunqiu). Among the three, it was the earliest to gain prominence. Its content spans from the first year of Duke Yin of Lu to the 14th year of Duke Ai of Lu, mirroring the timeline of The Spring and Autumn Annals.

The commentary was authored by Gongyang Gao, a disciple of Zixia from the Warring States period and a native of the State of Qi. Initially transmitted orally, it was later recorded in writing during the reign of Emperor Jing of the Western Han Dynasty. This task was undertaken by Gongyang Shou, a descendant of Gongyang Gao, in collaboration with Humu Sheng.

During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, the Gongyang School gained imperial favor, championed by scholars like Dong Zhongshu. It subsequently flourished and was established as an official school of thought.

The Gongyang School emphasized ideas such as "great unity" (universal unification), the correction of societal chaos, and the formulation of laws for future rulers. It also introduced the Three Eras theory, which presented a model for societal evolution: the Era of Disorder, representing the era of hearsay and transmission; the Era of Equilibrium, reflecting firsthand accounts of life; and the Era of Peace, symbolizing an idealized vision of a harmonious world.