Zuo Qiuming facts for kids

Zuo Qiuming (born 556 BC, died 451 BC) was an important Chinese historian. He lived a very long time ago, during a period called the Spring and Autumn period in ancient China. This was a time when China was made up of many smaller states. Zuo Qiuming lived in a state called Lu.

He was a friend and student of Confucius, a very famous Chinese teacher and philosopher.

Who Was Zuo Qiuming?

Zuo Qiuming was known for writing about history. He lived at the same time as Confucius, which means they were "contemporaries." This was a busy time in Chinese history, with many changes happening.

Some old stories say that Zuo Qiuming might have been blind, like the famous Greek poet Homer. But we don't know for sure if this is true.

His Important Writings

Zuo Qiuming is traditionally believed to have written a very important historical book called the Zuozhuan. This book is also known as the Commentary of Zuo. It tells us a lot about the events and people of the Spring and Autumn period.

He might also have helped write another book called Guoyu. Both of these books are very important for understanding ancient Chinese history.

What Confucius Thought of Him

Confucius thought very highly of Zuo Qiuming. In a famous book called the Analects, Confucius talks about Zuo Qiuming as a great example of good behavior.

Confucius said that Zuo Qiuming disliked people who:

• Used fancy words and fake smiles to trick others.
• Pretended to be very polite but weren't sincere.
• Hid their anger towards someone but acted friendly to them.

Confucius said he also disliked these things, just like Zuo Qiuming. This shows that Zuo Qiuming was seen as a person with strong morals and honesty.