positive decision. At the same time I may say that the view that Tso was a disciple of the master has very formidable difficulties to encounter. The Classic stops in the 14th year of duke Gae, B.C. 480, but Tso's commentary extends to the 4th year of duke Taou, Gae's successor, B.C. 463. In the last paragraph of it, moreover, there is an allusion to the ruin and death of Seun Yaou or Che Pih, a great officer of Tsin, which took place in 452, 27 or 28 years after the close of the Ch‘un Ts‘ëw. Not only so. The Head of the Chaou family is mentioned in the same paragraph by his posthumous or honorary title, and of course he could not have received it till after his death, which took place in B.C. 424, 56 years after the capture of the lin, and 54 years after the death of the sage. Is it possible to believe that one so much younger than Confucius was among his disciples and possessed his confidence to the extent which the commonly received accounts of the making of the Ch‘un Ts‘ëw suppose?
3. Leaving these speculations about the name and person of Tso, we find that his commentary made its appearance soon after the rise of the Han dynasty. Heu Shin to his account of the discovery of the Ch‘un Ts‘ëw in the wall of Confucius’ house, First appearance and subsequent history of his commentary.quoted on p. 18, subjoins the statement that Chang Ts‘ang, marquis of Pih-p‘ing, presented the commentary of Tso written in the old characters of the Chow dynasty.[1] Now this Chang Ts‘ang had been high in office under the Ts‘in dynasty, in charge, it would appear, of the imperial library. Having joined the party of the duke of P‘ei, the founder of the Han dynasty, he became at last a favourite with him, and was placed in various positions of the greatest trust.[2] His appointment to be marquis of Pih-p‘ing[3] took place in B.C. 200, about fifty years before the discovery of the text in the wall of Confucius’ house. Heu Shin says that ‘Chang presented’ the Work, meaning, I suppose, that he did so to the first emperor of Han, who was too much occupied, however, with the establishment of his dynasty to give much attention to literary matters. But after the time of Chang Ts‘ang we never lose sight of Tso’s commentary. From him it passed to Këa E, of whom we have many notices as a famous
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