Abstract: Historians usually divide literature of the pre-Qin Dynasty into three stylistic types of quotation,conversation,and monograph,regarding that they evolve this way accordingly.This induction generally illustrates the stylistic development of the pre-Qin literature;however,the new material may give a new interpretation for the specific stylistic development.Confucius’ speech and behavior are mainly recorded in Analects of Confucius,and they are also scattered in other literature similar to it.In Analects of Confucius,texts recording Confucius’ speech are dominant,which can be divided into three styles of maxim,conversation,and Shiyu (literature recording wandering scholar’s speech),and long texts are rarely found except in Shiyu style.Literature similar to Analects of Confucius carries on these styles on the one hand,and on the other hand develops the type of quotation into lengthy and monograph texts.Therefore,the types and stylistic changes in the Literature of pre-Qin Dynasty are complicated,with a multiple path,and the previously dominant idea of direct evolution may not be true.

Key words: literature similar to Analects of Confucius, style of conversation, style of monograph, style of pre-Qin scholars