The Sacred Books of China, Part 1

What It's About

This volume contains English translations of three foundational texts of ancient Chinese civilisation. The Shû King (Book of Documents) is a collection of documents and speeches attributed to rulers and officials of early Chinese history, and is one of the oldest surviving Chinese texts. The Shih King (Book of Songs) is an anthology of ancient Chinese poetry, comprising folk songs, ritual hymns, and court odes. The Hsiâo King (Classic of Filial Piety) is a short Confucian text presenting a dialogue between Confucius and his disciple Zengzi on the virtue of filial piety — respect for one's parents and ancestors — as the foundation of moral life.

Key Concepts

All three texts are central to Confucian thought and were historically regarded as part of the Chinese classical canon. Key themes across them include ritual propriety, moral governance, the duties owed to family and rulers, and the relationship between personal virtue and social order. The Shih King also preserves a rich record of daily life, nature, and emotion in early Zhou dynasty China.

About the Author

James Legge (1815–1897) was a Scottish sinologist and missionary who spent decades in China and Hong Kong. He became one of the foremost Western scholars of classical Chinese texts in the nineteenth century, and was later appointed the first Professor of Chinese at Oxford University.

About This Edition

This is an 1879 translation by James Legge.