New Manuscript Evidence on the Formation of the <i>Analects</i> : The Warring States Anhui University * <i>Zhongni Said</i> and the Wangjiazui * <i>Kongzi Said</i>

Abstract The textual history of the Analects (論語) has long been based on narratives according to which disciples of Confucius (tr. 551–479 bce ) recorded his sayings after his death. During the Western Han (206 bce –9 ce ), three textual traditions of the Analects circulated: the Lu 魯, the Qi 齊, and the “old script” (古文). The Lu Analects in 20 chapters would eventually become the only one transmitted. Early textual losses have been offset in the last decades by recoveries of several ancient manuscripts. In this paper, we examine two manuscripts produced around 300 bce with a close connection to the Analects : the Anhui University * Zhongni said (仲尼曰) and the Wangjiazui * Kongzi said (孔子曰). Their dating makes them of particular importance to cast new light on traditional narratives. By looking at parallels and linguistic evidence of these manuscripts, we argue that * Zhongni said and * Kongzi said confirm the existence by ca. 300 bce of a tradition of collecting sayings attributed to Confucius. We define these manuscripts as “ Analects -like materials,” which are characterized as lists of sayings, with little to no context, attributed to Confucius. This label separates them from Warring States narratives about the figure of Confucius.