先秦是多种文体的萌芽产生时期,“说体”就是其中之一。本文将先秦文献中以“说”名篇的文章定义为说体文。从“说”的本义及引申义出发，探讨说体形成的原因，说体的形态及说体文的特征。 本文以“中国古代的文体分类是从对不同文体的行为方式及其社会功能的指认中衍生出来的”为立论的理论基础。 通过相关的文献和理论佐证，笔者认为“说”的本义为谈说、愉悦。随着语言的发展，其意义又延伸为解说、游说、解脱、学说。 说体有两种形态，一是解经体，它的产生于先秦的说书行为。“说书”行为是指口头传诵并解说经典的行为，是先秦的一种特定的言说方式。“说书”行为主要出现在邦交活动和教学活动中，“说书”者是对古代经典相当熟悉的文化群体，遵循阐释义理的解说原则。当口头的“说书”书面化以后就形成了解经体。解经体文本包括 《说卦》、《墨子·经说上》《墨子·经说下》和《韩非子·储说》。 “说体”的另一种形态是论说体，它产生于先秦游说、辩难行为。游说、辩难是战国时代主导性的言说行为,由诸侯争霸的政治氛围和百家争鸣的文化氛围催生，存在于游说诸侯和学术辩论的活动中。随着诸子著述高潮的出现，这种口头行为的言说方式逐渐被应用到书面语中，形成另一种形态的说体，笔者将其定名为论说体。论说体的文本主要有《庄子·说剑》《韩非子·说难》、《韩非子·说疑》、《吕氏春秋·顺说》、《商君书·说民》。

Pre-qin period was the sprout of variety of styles,“Shuo”style is one of them.This paper defines the the well-known articles named “Shuo”in pre-qin dynasty documentation as ‘Shuo” style articles.It explored the formation of “Shuo”from the angle of its original and extended meaning. This paper use the theroy as “Ancient Chinese style classification derivatives from the designation of different stylistic behavior and With relevant literature and theory serving as evidences, the writer thinks the original meaning of “shuo”is something related to happy and pleasure.Along with the development the language, its meaning also extends to commentary ,lobbying and theory. The “Shuo”style has two kinds of forms,one is “jiejing”style,It was emerged in Pre-qin “Shuo shu”activity.It means oral told and commentator classic.It was a particular way of expression in Pre-qin.“Shuo shu”activity appeared in diplomatic activities and teaching activities.The persons who maked the “Shuo shu”behavior were familiar with ancient classical.They followed the principle of Interpretation theory.When the oral “Shuo shu” became written language,the “jie jing”style formed.The articles of “jiejing”style include shuogua mozi ·jingshuoshang mozi·jingshuoxia and hanfeizi·chushuo. The other is “lunshuo”style,It was cmerged in Pre-qin lobbying and argumentation behavior. This two behaviors were dominanted in warring states period and ecboliced by the political atmosphere hegemony and the cultural atmosphere.They existed in the activities of lobbying governors and Academic debates. With the emergence of zhuzi writings climax, verbal behavior way of expression in gradually to be applied to the written language and then formed another form of “Shuo”style.The author names it “lunshuo”style.The articles include zhuangzi·shuojian hanfeizi·shuonan hanfeizi*shuoy lvshichunqiu·shunshuo and shangjunshu·shuomin.