The Chunqiu Annals ("Spring and Autumn", called so like the short headers for the entries of every season) are a very bare outline of internal events of the old state of Lu 魯 (the annals of Chu 楚 had been called Taowu 檮杌, the annals of the state of Jin 晉 Cheng 乘; both are lost), combined with shortest reports of inter-state relationships with other feudal states and records of natural disasters in the period of 722 to 481 B.C (hence called the Chunqiu period 春秋時代). The authors seem to have very neutrally written down only the outer features of every event and only the insider knows what really happened during the conferences, meetings and feuds between the different lords of the disintegrating Zhou kingdom 周. If we say "the autors", it should be noticed that Confucius (Kongzi 孔子) who was told to have been the author of it, had at least a deep knowledge about the contenct of the oldest chronicle of China that has survived. Mengzi 孟子 was the first to claim Confucius' authorship of the book.
The two commentaries Gongyang 公羊 and Guliang 穀梁 are two surviving of a whole of four. The two lost commentaries were written by Master Zou 鄒氏 and Master Xia 夾氏. The commentaries have a very different interpretation of the sometimes obscur entries in the annals. The authors of the Gongyang and Guliang commentaries represent the New Text School and follow a Mengzi scheme to praise and blame (baobian 褒貶) the rulers and actors in history. In their eyes, every single word in the original annals has its own meaning in judging the times past and to give a moral lessen to the present ruler. The Gongyang Commentary is said to have been written by a master called Gongyang Gao 公羊高 but it can be traced back to late Warring States times (Zhanguo 戰國). The author of the Guliang Commentary was called Guliang Xi 穀梁喜 or Guliang Shu 穀梁淑. The Zuozhuan book - often referred as another commentary - is a different report of the same events as the Chunqiu annals with a few significant differences. First, it covers a longer period than the Chunqiu, that is until 463 B.C. The second, even more eye-catching, is the more narrative character of the Zuozhuan who makes a quite readable anecdote collection out of the dry, enigmatic charactered Chunqiu Classic. There are many events in the Zuozhuan that are not mentioned in the Chunqiu and vice versa, so one can barely say the Zuozhuan is a commentary to the old annals. Originally stated to be an opus written by Zuo Qiuming 左丘明, a contemporary of Confucius, we can learn that Liu Xin 劉歆 was the Han times 漢 discoverer of the Old Text Zuozhuan, some scholars say he forged a new version of the text to please the usurper Wang Mang 王莽. The Annals cover the reigns of twelve dukes of the state of Lu and end abruptly in the year 481 BC when a fabulous beast (qilin 麒麟) was killed. It is told Confucius was thus disappointed he decided to give up all educational work.
The Dukes of the Chunqiu Annals of Lu are:

魯隱公 Duke Yin the Hidden 722-712 魯桓公 Duke Huan the Effector 711-694 魯莊公 Duke Zhuang the Dignified 693-662 魯閔（湣）公 Duke Min the Grievable 661-660 魯僖（釐）公 Duke Xi the Joyful 659-627 魯文公 Duke Wen the Cultured 626-609 魯宣公 Duke Xuan the Propagator 608-591 魯成公 Duke Cheng the Completer 590-573 魯襄公 Duke Xiang the Accomplisher 572-542 魯昭公 Duke Zhao the Prominent 541-510 魯定公 Duke Ding the Settler 509-495 魯哀公 Duke Ai the Lamentable 494-467

The following examples the first year of Duke Yin shall give an impression of the short character of the Chunqiu Annals, the exegetic character of the Gongyang and Guliang Commentaries and of Zuo's Tradition (in color). the latter, we can see that it is indeed partially an own line of tradition, but partially a real commentary to the Chunqiu. Of the Gongyang and Guliang commentaries, only the first, second, and seventh entry of the first reign year are translated; nevertheless their interpretation is incorporated into the translation of the Annals text.

隱公元年(722 BC)
First year of Duke Yin the Hidden of Lu

經：元年．春．王正月．
Spring and Autumn Annals 1.1:
First year, spring, first month of the royal year (of Zhou).
傳：惠公元妃孟子．孟子卒．繼室以聲子．生隱公．宋武公生仲子．仲子生而有文在其手．曰為魯夫人．故仲子歸于我．生桓公而惠公薨．是以隱公立而奉之．
元年．春．王周正月．不書即位．攝也．
Zuo's Tradition 1.1:
Duke Hui the Benevolent had a primary consort named Mengzi. When Mengzi died, her rooms were inherited by Shengzi who gave birth to later duke Yin. Duke Wu the Martial of Song had a daughter named Zhongzi who held a writing in her hand when she was born. The writing said: "Make me a lady in the state of Lu." Thus, Zhongzi came to Lu and gave birth to later Duke Huan the Effector. When Duke Hui died, duke Yin ascended the throne and showed reverence to Duke Hui.
First year, spring, first month of the royal year of Zhou. The throne accession in not recorded in the Annals because Duke Yin did only act as Prince Regent, not as ruler.

• （公羊傳）元年者何？君之始年也。春者何？歲之始也。王者孰謂？謂文王也。 曷為先言王而後言正月？王正月也。何言乎王正月？大一統也。公何以不言即位？成公意也。何成乎公之意？公將平國而反之桓。曷為反之桓？桓幼而貴， 隱長而卑，其為尊卑也微，國人莫知。隱長又賢，諸大夫扳隱而立之。隱於是焉而辭立，則未知桓之將必得立也。且如桓立，則恐諸大夫之不能相幼君也， 故凡隱之立為桓立也。隱長又賢，何以不宜立？立適（＝嫡）以長不以賢，立子以貴不以長。桓何以貴？母貴也。母貴則子何以貴？子以母貴，母以子貴。
  Gongyang's Commentary 1.1:
  What does "first year" mean? It is the first year of Duke Yin's reign. What does "spring" mean? It is the begin of the year. Who is called "king"? King Wen of Zhou. Why do the Annals first say "king", and then "first month"? It means, that the Annals are oriented to the Zhou calendar established by King Wen. Why is this calendar with its begin of the year being used by the Annals? The Zhou calendar is used as an instrument of the world's unity. Why is Duke Yin's accession to the throne not recorded? To fulfil the Duke's wishes. What does this mean? The Duke should govern the state of Lu as Prince Regent and then hand the throne over to Duke Huan, his younger brother. Why should the throne be handed over to Huan? Huan was the younger but worthier, and Yin was the elder but of lower social status. But the common people in the state of Zhou did not know that the ranks of the two persons were slightly different. Because Duke Yin was the elder and was of capable character, the noblemen of Lu installed him as their ruler. At that time Yin refused to assume rulership, because he did not know if his younger brother would be able to follow him on the throne. But if Huan would have been selected as ruler, there would be the danger that the noblemen would not be willing to obey the minor ruler. Therefore, the throne accession of Duke Yin can be understood as throne accession in place of Duke Huan, as Prince Regent. Why was is not correct to install Yin as a regular ruler, although he was the older and more capable? The (son) of a legal wife is installed as ruler because of his age, not because of his capability. A son of a ruler in general is installed as follower because of his worthiness, not because of his age. Why was Duke Huan the worthier? Because his mother was worthy. Why is a son worthy if his mother is worthy? A son is worthy by the worthiness of his mother, and vice versa.
• （穀梁傳）雖無事，必舉正月，謹始也。公何以不言即位？成公志也。焉成之？言君之不取為公也。君之不取為公，何也？將以讓桓也。讓桓正乎？曰：不正。 《春秋》成人之美，不成人之惡。隱不正而成之，何也？將以惡桓也。其惡桓， 何也？隱將讓而桓弒之，則桓惡矣；桓弒而隱讓，則隱善矣。善則其不正焉， 何也﹖《春秋》貴義而不貴惠，信道而不信邪。孝子揚父之美，不揚父之惡。先君之欲與桓，非正也，邪也；雖然，既勝其邪心以與隱矣。己探先君之邪志，而遂以與桓，則貴成父之惡也。兄弟，天倫也。為子受之父，為諸侯受之君。 己廢天倫，而忘君父，以行小惠，曰小道也。若隱者，可謂輕千乘之國。蹈道，則未也。
  Guliang's Commentary 1.1:
  Although nothing happened, the first month has to be recorded to indicate the begin of the Duke's rule. Why then is the Duke's accession to the throne not recorded? To fulfil the duke's intention. What does this mean? Because he did not want to become duke and only acted as Prince Regent. Why this? He should cede the throne to Huan. Was this correct? No. The Annals want to complete the beauty of a person, not to support the faults of a person. Although Duke Yin did not behave correct, why then is he described in this formal and complete way? It is, to make clear that Duke Huan, his successor, was bad. Why was Duke Huan bad? After Duke Yin ceded the throne to Duke Huan, Duke Huan should murder him and therefore has been bad. Duke Yin was a good man because he was murdered by Duke Huan, although he had ceded the throne to him. What means, he was "good", but not behaved correct? The Annals esteem socially correct behaviour and not simple benevolence, they believe in the well guided and not in misbehaviour. A son which behaves with filial piety spreads the beauty of his father, not the evilness of his father. That the former duke gave preference to Huan and wanted him to become duce, was not correct. But this bad-minded intention was defeated, when the throne was occupied by Duke Yin. When Duke yin followed the bad-minded intention of his predecessor and wanted to hand over the throne to his younger brother Huan, he esteemed and fulfilled the bad side of his father. The relationship and sequence among older and younger brother is a heavenly order. A son has to follow his father, a nobleman his lord. Duke Yin's disrespect of the heavenly relationships was that he forgot the King's enfeoffment and his father's intention when he handed over the throne to his yonger brother, Duke Huan; it means to run upon the path of small-minded people, (not the Great univeral Way). A person like Duke Yin, you can say, does underesteem the importance of a state of a thousand chariots, like the state of Lu. We must first step on the Great Way before we can speak about other things.

經：三月．公及邾儀父盟于蔑．
Spring and Autumn Annals 1.2:
3rd month; the Duke hastened together with Yifu  (the small state of) Zhu to form a coalition at Mie.
傳：三月．公及邾儀父盟于蔑．邾子克也．未王命．故不書爵．曰儀父．貴之也．公攝位．而欲求好於邾．故為蔑之盟．
Zuo's Tradition 1.2:
3 month. The Duke hastened together with Yifu  Zhu to form a coalition at Mie. "Yifu Zhu" is Zhu Kezi. Because he was not yet enfeoffed with a title by the King of Zhou, he is not entitled here, but instead he is called with his honorific style Yifu "Father of Normative Appearance". The coalition with Zhu was founded because Duke Yin acted as Prince Regent (for the later Duke Huan) and was searching for good relationship with other states.

• （公羊傳）三月．公及邾婁儀父盟于眛．及者何？與也．會及暨．皆與也．曷為或言會？或言及，或言暨．會，猶最也．及，猶汲汲也．暨，猶暨暨也．及，我欲之．暨，不得已者．儀父者何？邾婁之君也．何以名？字也．曷為稱字？褒之也．曷為褒之？為其與公盟也．與公盟者眾矣．曷為獨褒乎此？因其可褒而褒之．此其為可褒奈何？漸進也．眛者何？地期也．
  Gongyang's Commentary 1.2:
  Third Month. The Duke hastened together with Zhu Lou "Yifu" to form a coalition at Mei (!).
  What does "hasten together" (ji 及) mean? It means "participate". Both "come together" (hui 會) and "meet" (jih 暨) mean "participate" too; but why do the Annals sometimes say "come together", sometimes "hasten together", and sometimes "meet"? (Note: although the text does not use these two words, the Gongyang Commentary explains all three terms here.) "Come together" (hui)
  means "assemble"; "hasten together" (ji) means "urgently"; "meet" (jih)
  means "find together". "Hasten together" (ji) means that both sides are willing to meet; "find together" (jih) means that there is no other way. Who is Yifu? He was the Lord of Zhu (or Zhulou). Why is he recorded with his style and not with his name? It is, to honour him. Why is he honoured here? Because he formed a coalition with the Duke. There are many nobles forming a coalition with the Duke; why then is only Yifu especially honoured here? Because he is worth being honoured. Why? Because his coalition with the Duke had the effect that he gradually made steps into the direction of the right cause. What is Mei? It is the point of meeting.
• （穀梁傳）三月．公及邾儀父盟于眛．及者何？內為志焉爾．儀，字也．父，猶傅也．男子之美稱也．其不言邾子，何也？邾之上古微，未爵命於周也．不日，其盟渝也．眛，地名也．
  Guliang's Commentary 1.2:
  Third month. The Duke hastened together with Yifu  Zhu to form a coalition at Mei (!).
  What does "hastened together" mean? It means that the state of Lu was willing to meet with the state of Zhu. "Yi" is only the style of Yifu. "Fu" means, "mentor", and it is a beautiful addressing for a lower aristocrate. Why do the Annals not say "Viscount of Zhu"? Because he was at that stime still a small person and not yet enfeoffed by the King of Zhou. The day of the meeting is not recorded because the coalition treaty was changed later. Mei is the name of a place.

傳：夏四月．費伯帥師城郎．不書．非公命也．
Zuo's Tradition 1.3:
Summer, 4th month; the Count of Fei, a vassal of Lu, fortified the city of Lang with some troops. This event it not recorded in the Annals because it was he was not charged by the Duke.
經：夏.五月.鄭伯克段于鄢.
Spring and Autumn Annals 1.3:
Summer, 5th month; the Count of Zheng (Duke Zhuang of Zheng 鄭莊公) killed his younger brother Gongshu Duan 共叔段 at Yan.
(Zuo's Tradition 1.4 gives a lengthy account of the background of this entry.)
經：秋.七月.天王使宰咺來歸惠公仲子之賵.
Spring and Autumn Annals 1.4:
Autumn, 7th month, the Heavenly King of Zhou sent Chancellor Xuan to the court of Lu to present carriages and horses as burial offerings for the interment of late Duke Hui and Zhongzi, the mother of future Duke Huan (the Guliang Commentary falsely writes: mother of Duke Hui and second wife of Duke Xiao 孝公).
(Zuo's Tradition 1.5 explains some matters of mourning ritual.)
傳：八月．紀人伐夷．夷不告．故不書．有蜚．不為災．亦不書．惠公之季年．敗宋師于黃．公立．而求成焉．
九月．及宋人盟于宿．始通也．
Zuo's Tradition 1.6:
8th month; the people of Ji attacked the southern Yi barbarians. This event is not recorded in the Annals because the Yi did not make an official war declaration. The locust plague during this month is not recorded too, because it is not considered as a calamity. During the last reign year of late Duke Hui, we defeated the army of Song at Huangtu. After the enthronement of Duke Yin, we drew our attention to a peaceful relationship with Song.
In the 9th month, therefore, the Duke hastened together with the people of Song to form a coalition at Su. This was the begin of a friendly approach between Lu and Song.
經：九月.及宋人盟于宿 .
Spring and Autumn Annals 1.5:
9th month, some officials of Lu hastened together with the people of Song to form a coalition at Su.
傳：冬十月．庚申．改葬惠公．公弗臨．故不書．惠公之薨也．有宋師．太子少．葬故有闕．是以改葬．
Zuo's Tradition 1.7:
Winter, 10th month, day gengshen; the Duke did not attend the deferred burial of Duke Hui. This is also the reason why this event is not recorded in the Annals. During the original burial date, we had war with Song, and the Prince was still young, why the burial rites could not be performet correctly, and were deferred.
傳：衛侯來會葬.不見公.亦不書.
Zuo's Tradition 1.8:
The Marquis of Wei came to attend the burial of late Duke Hui. This event is not recorded in the Annals because the Marquis had no audience with Duke Yin.
(Zuo's Tradition 1.9 gives a short account about the war in Zheng.)
傳：新作南門．不書．亦非公命也．
Zuo's Tradition 1.10.:
The Southern Gate was newly erected. This event is not recorded in the Annals because it did not follow an offical command of the Duke.
經：冬.十有二月.祭伯來.
Spring and Autumn Annals 1.6:
Winter, 12th month, the Count of Cai came to the court of Lu.
傳：十二月．祭伯來．非王命也．
Zuo's Tradition 1.11.:
12th month; the Count of Cai came to the court of Lu without having received an official command by the King.
經：公子益師卒．
Spring and Autumn Annals 1.7:
The Duke's son, Yishi, died.
傳：眾父卒．公不與小斂．故不書日．
Zuo's Tradition 1.12.:
Zhongfu died. The day is not recorded because the Duke did not dress up his head in preparation for the funeral service.

• （公羊傳）公子益師卒．何以不日？遠也．所見異辭，所聞異辭，所傳聞異辭．
  Gongyang's Commentary 1.7:
  The Duke's son, Yishi, died. Why is the day not recorded? Because he was far away home. Different people see different things, different people hear different things, and different people report different things.
  
• （穀梁傳）公子益師卒．大夫日卒，正也．不日卒，惡也．
  Guliang's Commentary 1.7:
  The Duke's son, Yishi, died. It is normal to record the day of an aristocrat's dead. The missing of the day in the Annals expresses the faults of Yishi.

Translated by Ulrich Theobald