For over two thousand years, The Spring and Autumn Annals has stood as a cornerstone of Chinese thought—a spare, enigmatic chronicle of the state of Lu that generations of scholars read as a moral compass for rulers and citizens alike. This modern-English edition renders its terse entries into clear, flowing prose while preserving the original's structure and spirit. Here you will meet dukes and ministers, battles and alliances, famines and eclipses, all recorded with a deliberate brevity that invites reflection. An illuminating introduction and appendices provide context, explaining how Confucian tradition found profound ethical lessons in what first appears as a simple list of events. Whether you are new to the classics or returning to them, this edition makes an ancient masterpiece accessible without losing its depth. Part of The Founding Texts Library.