The Classic of Rites also known as the Book of Rites, Book of Customs, the Record of Rites, was one of the Chinese Five Classics of the Confucian

Confucianism

Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...

 canon. It described the social forms, governmental system, and ancient/ceremonial rites of the Zhou Dynasty

Zhou Dynasty

The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...

 (c. 1050–256 BCE). The original text is believed to have been compiled by Confucius

Confucius

Confucius , literally "Master Kong", was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period....

 himself, whilst the edition usually referred to today was edited and re-worked by various scholars during the Han Dynasty

Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...

 (202 BCE – 220 CE).

The work is not to be confused with two other classical texts on rites: The Rites of Zhou

Rites of Zhou

The Rites of Zhou , also known as Zhouguan, is one of three ancient ritual texts listed among the classics of Confucianism. It was later renamed Zhouli by Liu Xin to differentiate it from a chapter in the Classic of History which was also known as Zhouguan.Though tradition ascribed the text of the...

 (周礼) and the Book of Etiquette and Ceremonies (仪礼/儀禮). On the relationship between the three books see history of etiquette and ceremonies.

History

The Confucian Classics, such as the Classic of Rites, have had a significant influence on Chinese

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

 history. Among these texts are those in which Confucius recorded his thoughts, ideas and teachings in an attempt to restore social and political order during a tumultuous time in history. During the Warring States Period (475-221 BCE), China was forced to face a time of brutal wars and political upset. Immediately following this period, under the rule of the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang

Qin Shi Huang

Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC...

 of the Qin Dynasty

Qin Dynasty

The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...

, many of the Confucian Classics were destroyed. The destruction of Confucian classics is referred to as the "The Burning of the Books

Burning of books and burying of scholars

Burning of the books and burying of the scholars is a phrase that refers to a policy and a sequence of events in the Qin Dynasty of Ancient China, between the period of 213 and 206 BC. During these events, the Hundred Schools of Thought were pruned; legalism survived...

." This occurred in 213 BCE when most traditional books were burned with the exception of books on war, medicine, astrology, agriculture, and divination. A year later, in 212 BCE, 460 Confucian scholars were buried alive for criticizing the builder of the Great Wall of China

Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built originally to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire against intrusions by various nomadic groups...

, Qin Shi Huang. This Emperor's dynasty collapsed five years after these events. Some Confucian scholars had memorized the Classics and transmitted the Classics to their disciples who in turn recorded them in manuscripts. These disciples recorded each of the Classics from memory but the Classic of Music

Classic of Music

The Classic of Music is sometimes referred to as the sixth "Chinese classic text". It was lost by the time of the Han Dynasty.A few traces remain and can be found in other ancient Chinese classics like Zuo Zhuan , Zhou li , and the Classic of Rites...

 (Yuejing) could not be recompiled. However, Confucius' disciples included a chapter in the Classic of Rites, the Record of Music (Yueji) that is clearly derived from the lost Classic.

The Classic of Rites was originally rewritten and edited by Confucius' disciples after the "Burning of the Books." Since then, other scholars have attempted to redact these scripts, including Dai De

Dai De

Dai De , also known as Da Dai, , birth and death unknown, was a Confucian scholar of the Former Han Dynasty. He was active during the reign of Emperor Yuan of Han .He was the son of Dai Ren and the elder brother of Dai Sheng...

 (戴德, also called Senior Dai) who reworked the text in the 1st Century BCE, reducing the original 214 books to 85, which was further reduced by his younger brother Dai Sheng

Dai Sheng

Dai Sheng , also known as Xiao Dai, , birth and death unknown, was the Scholar of Rituals to Emperor Xuan of the Former Han Dynasty. He was the son of Dai Ren and the younger brother of Dai De...

 (戴圣, Junior Dai) to 46 books, to which three were added towards the end of the Han Dynasty, bringing the total to 49.

Dai De's copy of the text was thought lost until 1993, when a copy of a chapter of Dai De's book, "Black Robes", was found within Tomb no. 1 of the Guodian Tombs in Jingmen

Jingmen

Jingmen is a prefecture-level city in Hubei province of the People's Republic of China. Jingmen is within an area where cotton and oil crops are planted. The population of the city is approximately 2,984,000 . The urban area of Jingmen City has a population of about 350,000...

, Hubei

Hubei

' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...

. Modern scholars believe that the original title was Lijing, which literally means "Classic of Rites," but this title was later changed by Dai Sheng.

Li (rites)

Confucius described Li as all traditional forms that provided a standard of conduct. Li literally means "rites" but it can also be used to refer to "ceremonial" or "rules of conduct". The term has come to generally be associated with "good form" or "decorum". Confucius felt that Li should emphasize the spirit of piety and respect for others through rules of conduct and ceremonies. As outlined in the Book of Rites, Li is meant to restore the significance of traditional forms by looking at the simplicity of the past. Confucius insisted that a standard of conduct that focused on traditional forms would be a way to ease the turmoil of the Warring States Period. The absolute power of Li is displayed in the Classic of Rites: "Of all things to which the people owe their lives the rites are the most important..." (Dawson 32). The ideas of Li became closely associated with human nature, ethics and social order as the population integrated Li into their lives. Li was beneficial to society because it forced people to recognize and fulfill their responsibilities toward others.

Previous influences

During the life of Confucius, not only did Five Classics exist, there were actually Six Classics. The sixth classic was known as the Classic of Music, Book of Music, or Yuejing, and as was previously mentioned has been completely lost and destroyed. The focus of the book was believed to be the selected 305 songs personally chosen and performed by Confucius himself to ensure that they all properly fit together. The Classic of Music was divided into four separate and distinct categories all having a different focus; the song (ceremonial anthems), the great ya (classical music), the little ya, and the feng (popular and traditional music). Upon the recompilation of the Confucian classics what the disciples were able to remember of the Book of Music was redacted as chapter 19 of the Book of Rites.

Legacy

As a result of the Classic of Rites chapters, using a syncretic system and combining Daoist and Mohist beliefs, later scholars formed both The Great Learning and The Doctrine of the Mean. These two books were both believed to be written by two of Confucius' disciples one specifically being his Grandson. The great Neo-Confucian Zhu Xi and his edited versions of The Great Learning and The Doctrine of the Mean influenced the Chinese society to place much more attention on these and two other books creating the Four Books. Throughout Chinese history the Five Classics and the Four Books were very important theoretical works, but also were the standard textbooks for the state civil examination, from 1313 to 1905, which every educated person had to learn by heart. Consequently, the Classic of Rites and two of its by-products were large integral parts of the Chinese beliefs and industry for many centuries.

Contents

Table of Contents

##	Chinese	Pinyin Pinyin Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...	Translation
01-02	曲禮上下	Quli	Summary of the Rules of Propriety Part 1 & 2
03-04	檀弓上下	Tangong	Tangong Part 1 & 2
05	王制	Wangzhi	Royal Regulations
06	月令	Yueling	Proceedings of Government in the Different Months
07	曾子問	Zengzi Wen	Questions of Zengzi
08	文王世子	Wenwang Shizi	King Wen as Son and Heir
09	禮運	Liyun	The Conveyance of Rites
10	禮器	Liqi	Utensils of Rites
11	郊特牲	Jiaotesheng	Single Victim At The Border Sacrifices
12	內則	Neize	Pattern of the Family
13	玉藻	Yuzao	Jade-Bead Pendants of the Royal Cap
14	明堂位	Mingtangwei	Places in the Hall of Distinction
15	喪服小記	Sangfu Xiaoji	Record of Smaller Matters in the Dress of Mourning
16	大傳	Dazhuan	Great Treatise
17	少儀	Shaoyi	Smaller Rules of Demeanour
18	學記	Xueji	Record on the Subject of Education
19	樂記	Yueji	Record on the Subject of Music
20-21	雜記上下	Zaji	Miscellaneous Records Part 1 & 2
22	喪大記	Sang Daji	Greater Record of Mourning Rites
23	祭法	Jifa	Law of Sacrifices
24	祭義	Jiyi	Meaning of Sacrifices
25	祭統	Jitong	A Summary Account of Sacrifices
26	經解	Jingjie	Different Teaching of the Different Kings
27	哀公問	Aigong Wen	Questions of Duke Ai
28	仲尼燕居	Zhongni Yanju	Zhongni at Home at Ease
29	孔子閒居	Kongzi Xianju	Confucius at Home at Leisure
30	坊記	Fangji	Record of the Dykes
31	中庸	Zhongyong	Doctrine of the Mean Doctrine of the Mean The Doctrine of the Mean , is both a concept and one of the books of Confucian teachings. The composition of the text is attributed to Zisi the only grandson of Confucius, and it came from a chapter in the Classic of Rites...
32	表記	Biaoji	Record on Example
33	緇衣	Ziyi	Black Robes
34	奔喪	Bensang	Rules on Hurrying to Mourning Rites
35	問喪	Wensang	Questions About Mourning Rites
36	服問	Fuwen	Subjects For Questioning About the Mourning Dress
37	間傳	Jianzhuan	Treatise on Subsidiary Points in Mourning Usages
38	三年問	Sannian Wen	Questions About the Mourning for Three Years
39	深衣	Shenyi	Long Dress in One Piece
40	投壺	Touhu	Game of Pitch-Pot
41	儒行	Ruxing	Conduct of the Scholar
42	大學	Daxue	Great Learning Great Learning The Great Learning was one of the "Four Books" in Confucianism. The Great Learning had come from a chapter in the Classic of Rites which formed one of the Five Classics. It consists of a short main text attributed to the teachings of Confucius and then ten commentary chapters accredited to one...
43	冠義	Guanyi	Meaning of the Ceremony of Capping
44	昏義	Hunyi	Meaning of the Marriage Ceremony
45	鄉飲酒義	Xiangyin Jiuyi	Meaning of the Drinking Festivity in the Districts
46	射義	Sheyi	Meaning of the Ceremony of Archery
47	燕義	Yanyi	Meaning of the Banquet
48	聘義	Pinyi	Meaning of Interchange of Missions twixt Different Courts
49	喪服四制	Sangfu Sizhi	Four Principles Underlying the Dress of Mourning

External links

• The Book of Rites (Chinese and English)
• Confucian Documents (English)