Guoyu (book)
| Language | Classical Chinese | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Subject | History of Spring and Autumn period states | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Publication date | 4th century BC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Publication place | China | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 國語 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 国语 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | state discourses | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Guoyu, usually translated as Discourses of the States, is an ancient Chinese text that consists of a collection of speeches attributed to rulers and other men from the Spring and Autumn period (771–476 BC). It comprises a total of 240 speeches, ranging from the reign of King Mu of Zhou (r. 956–918 BC) to the execution of the Jin minister Zhibo in 453 BC. Compilation of the Guoyu probably began during the 5th century and continued until the late 4th century BC. The earliest chapter of the compilation is the Discourses of Zhou.
The text's author is unknown, but it is sometimes attributed to Zuo Qiuming, a contemporary of Confucius; although as early as Jin dynasty, Fu Xuan objected to that attribution of authorship.