Recorded in the Zuo zhuan, the powerful minister Cui Zhu (崔杼), who had murdered the ruler Duke Zhuang, killed three court historians (Taishi, 太史) because they insisted on recording the event in the official history. The burning of books and burying of scholars in the Qin dynasty is also considered a form of literary inquisition by some Chinese scholars.
This account from the Zuo zhuan describes Cui Zhu's heinous actions, including the murder of Duke Zhuang and the killing of three court historians who sought to record the event. The destruction of books and silencing of scholars during the Qin dynasty is also seen by some Chinese scholars as a form of literary repression.