大一統

In the original context of the Gongyang as exegesis of the Spring and Autumn Annals, the character 大 (dà) was typically used as a verb meaning "to magnify; to aggrandize; to praise", as in the following passage:

「元年春王正月。」……何言乎王正月？大一統也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]

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「元年春王正月。」……何言乎王正月？大一统也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

From: Commentary of Gongyang, c. 206 BCE– 9 CE

“yuánnián chūn wáng zhēngyuè.”...... Hé yán hū wáng zhēngyuè? Dà yītǒng yě. [Pinyin]

(It is written) "Year One, spring, The King's First Month." … What is meant by the very mentioning of "The King's First Month"? To magnify Unity.

In current usage 大 is re-analysed as the modifier of 一統.

大一統

1. unification (of a nation)

   大一統王朝／大一统王朝  ―  dàyītǒng wángcháo  ―  dynasties of great unification (in Chinese history)

   • 《春秋》大一統者，天地之常經，古今之通誼也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     《春秋》大一统者，天地之常经，古今之通谊也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: The Book of Han, circa 1^st century CE

     “Chūnqiū” dàyītǒng zhě, tiāndì zhī cháng jīng, gǔjīn zhī tōng yì yě. [Pinyin]

     The notion of “great unity” which underlies The Spring and Autumn Annals is the constant norm applicable equally to past and present.

   • 豈非天造地設，以俟大一統之君，而開千萬世之偉觀者歟？ [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     岂非天造地设，以俟大一统之君，而开千万世之伟观者欤？ [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: 1374, 宋濂 (Song Lian), 《閱江樓記》

     Qǐfēi tiānzàodìshè, yǐ sì dàyītǒng zhī jūn, ér kāi qiānwànshì zhī wěi guān zhě yú? [Pinyin]

     Is this not something crafted by heaven and earth, awaiting a ruler of grand unification to inaugurate a magnificent spectacle for myriad generations henceforth?

2. any large-scale unification (Can we add an example for this sense?)
3. (physics) (～理論) alternative form of 大統一 / 大统一 (dàtǒngyī)

• 大統一 / 大统一 (dàtǒngyī)