The first anthology of poetry in China
Overview
Chinese Name: 诗经
English Name: Classic of Poetry, The Book of Songs,The Book of Odes, Shijing
Other Name:Poems, Three Hundred Poems, MAO Poems, Three Hundred Pieces
Author: Anonymous, passed for Yin Jifu collection, Confucius compiled 佚名，传为尹吉甫采集、孔子编订
Originally Published: 1066 BC (Zhou Dynasty)
Genre: Literature, Poetry
Brief Introduction of Classic of Poetry
The Classic of Poetry 诗经 is the earliest collection of poems from the beginning of the Western Zhou Dynasty 西周初期 to the middle of the Spring and Autumn Period 春秋中叶. According to literature and history experts, the works in Classic of Poetry were created after King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty 周朝 destroyed the Shang Dynasty 商朝 (1066 BC). It was written about the middle of the Spring and Autumn Period. It was originally called Shi. Confucius 孔子 called more than three hundred poems, the Han Dynasty emperor Wudi 汉武帝时期 renamed Classic of Poetry.
There are 311 poems in Classic of Poetry, which are divided into three parts: Feng 风, Ya 雅 and Song 颂. “Feng” is the Zhou dynasty around the ballad. “Ya” is the positive voice of the Zhou dynasty. “Song” is the song of Zhou royal court and noble ancestral temple worship. As a whole, Classic of Poetry is a vivid reflection of China’s social life during the five hundred years of the Zhou Dynasty from prosperity to decline. There were also the banquets and exchanges between the nobles, and the unevenness of work and rest. There are also moving chapters about labor, hunting, love, marriage and social customs. It is a mirror of social life in the Zhou Dynasty.
The “Feng” has 160 chapters and is the core of Classic of Poetry. It includes folk songs from 15 places, including modern Shanxi 陕西, Shanxi 山西, Henan, Hebei and Shandong, and most of them are folk songs from the Yellow River Valley. Most of the embellished folk ballads are called “The Feng of the Fifteen Kingdoms.” “Feng” means local customs and folk songs.
“Ya” is the song of the Zhou Dynasty near the capital, a total of 105 pieces. Including “Small Ya 小雅” and “Big Ya 大雅” , a total of 31. “Big Ya” mainly eulogized the achievements of the ancestors of the Zhou royal family and even the achievements of King Wu and King Xuan etc. Some poems also reflected the tyrannical chaos of King Li and King You and their ruling crisis. The most outstanding works of “Small Ya” are those about war and labor.
“Song” is the song of zhou royal court and noble ancestral temple worship, divided into “Song of Zhou 周颂”, “Song of Lu 鲁颂” and “Song of Shang 商颂”，a total of 40 pieces.
The poems in “Ya” and “Song” are of great value to the study of early history, religion and society.
Author of Classic of Poetry
Classic of Poetry is written by anonymous. Anonymous, is the author did not sign, or due to the long time and other reasons. the author’s real name is no basis, or simply can not know who the author is. Others are written by groups or by working people who have been handed down from a long time ago, and the author of such works is identified as anonymous.
Classic of Poetry was collected by Yin Jifu 尹吉甫 and compiled by Confucius 孔子.
Yin Jifu (852-775 BC) was a native of the State of Yin during the Western Zhou Dynasty. Yin Ji-fu was the gatherer and compiler of Classic of Poetry, China’s first collection of poems. Yin Jifu was the great teacher of King Xuan 宣王 of Zhou dynasty, and a famous sage in the Western Zhou Dynasty. He assisted King Xuan of Zhou to revive the Zhou Dynasty. Because he was the chief editor of Classic of Poetry handed down by later generations, he was honored as the Ancestor of Chinese poetry. He died at the age of 78.
Confucius (September 28, 551 BC — April 11, 479 BC) native of Henan Shangqiu Xiayi, was born in Qufu of Shandong province, and studied Classic of Poetry. Confucius taught his disciples to read Classic of Poetry as a standard for speech and action. Classic of Poetry was regarded as a classic by Confucianism and became one of the six Classics 六经 and the Five Classics 五经.
Excerpts From Classic of Poetry
桃之夭夭，灼灼其华。之子于归，宜其室家。
THE PEACH BLOSSOMS WERE IN FULL BLOOM, BRIGHT AS FIRE. THE GIRL WILL MARRY AND BRING HARMONY TO HER HUSBAND’s FAMILY.
关关雎鸠，在河之洲。窈窕淑女，君子好逑。
JUJIU IS SINGING AND THE BOAT IS IN THE RIVER. A VIRTUOUS AND BEAUTIFUL GIRL IS A GOOD MATE THAT A MAN PURSUES.
昔我往矣，杨柳依依；今我来思，雨雪霏霏。
RECALL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CAMPAIGN,WILLOWS FLUTTERING WIND BLOWING; NOW ON THE WAY BACK SNOW IS FLYING.
Evaluation of Classic of Poetry
” Classic of Poetry “is the most ancient Chinese poetry, “Feng” is the folk love poems;，”Ya” is the music of the court，”Song” is the music of the Temple.