What are the thirteen Confucian classics?

The Confucian classics mainly refer to the Thirteen Confucian Classics. The Thirteen Classics are the basic works of Confucian culture. As far as the traditional concept is concerned, Yi, Shi, Shu, Rites, and Spring and Autumn Annals are called "Jing", Zuo Zhuan, Gongyang Zhuan, and Guliang Zhuan belong to the "Biography" of the Spring and Autumn Annals, and Rites of Passage The Book of Rites, the Book of Filial Piety, the Analects of Confucius, the Mencius are "records", "Er Ya" is the Han Dynasty, the exegetical work of the scribe. These thirteen kinds of literature, when the "scripture" of the highest status, "biography", "record" second, "Er Ya" and second.

The content of the "Thirteen Classics" is extremely broad, "Zhouyi" is a book of divination, the outer layer of its mysterious, and the underlying philosophy of the deepest to Hong. The Shangshu is a compilation of historical documents from the ancient times, the main contents of which are the king's documents and records of conversations between the king and his ministers. The Book of Songs is a collection of poems from the beginning of the Western Zhou Dynasty to the middle of the Spring and Autumn Period, which is divided into three parts, namely, "Winds", "Elegance" and "Songs". The "Winds" are the songs of the local winds, and the "Elegance" is the elegant music of the Western Zhou kings. The "Ode" is a dance and song for the rituals of the upper class in the ancestral temples of the Zhou Dynasty. The Rites of the Zhou (Zhouli) is a compilation of the official system of the Zhou royal family and the systems of the Warring States period. The Rites of Passage is a record of the rituals of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. The Book of Rites is a compilation of treatises on various rituals before the Qin and Han Dynasties. The three biographies of the Spring and Autumn Annals are writings formed around the Spring and Autumn Annals, with the Zuo Zhuan focusing on the presentation of historical events, and the Gongyang Zhuan and Guliang Zhuan focusing on discussion. The Analects is a record of the words and deeds of Confucius and his disciples. The Classic of Filial Piety is a treatise on feudal filial piety. Mengzi (Mencius) is devoted to the words, thoughts and deeds of Mencius. The "Er Ya" is a collection of words and meanings and interpretations of names and objects, and is used by many scholars as a basis for interpreting the scriptures.

Thirteen Confucian literature to achieve the status of "Jing", after a long period of time. In the Han Dynasty, to the "Yi", "poetry", "book", "ritual", "Spring and Autumn" as "five", the official attention, standing in the school officials. In the Tang Dynasty, there were "Nine Classics", which were also set up in the school officials and were used to take students. The so-called "Nine Classics" included "Yi", "Poetry", "Book", "Zhouli", "Rites", "Rites" and "Spring and Autumn Annals". Tang Wenzong Kai Cheng years in the state school engraved stone, the engraved content in addition to the "nine classics", but also benefit from the "Analects of Confucius", "Er Ya", "Xiaojing". Five Dynasties, Shu Lord Meng Chang engraved "eleven scriptures", excluding "Xiao Jing", "Er Ya", income "Mengzi", "Mengzi" for the first time among the list of scriptures. Zhu Xi, a Confucian scholar of the Southern Song Dynasty, juxtaposed the University of the Book of Rites and the Medieval Times with the Analects of Confucius and Mencius, forming what is known today as the Four Books, which were officially recognized, and Mencius formally became a "scripture". Thus, the thirteen Confucian literature established its classical status. Qing dynasty qianlong period, engraved "thirteen scriptures" scriptures in stone, ruan yuan and co-carved "thirteen scriptures," from now on, "thirteen scriptures" and its revered position in the Confucian canon more y rooted in people's hearts. At first, there were only six sutras, and then the Lejing was lost, leaving five sutras. With the development of history, there were seven sutras, thirteen sutras, ten sutras, and other names.

Confucianism was the dominant culture in the feudal era, and the Thirteen Classics, as the classics of Confucianism, were incomparable to any other texts in terms of their reverence and influence. The supreme ruler not only looked for the policy of ruling the country and leveling the world, but also regulated the thoughts of his subjects, established ethics and morals, and oriented the people's manners and customs, all of which were based on the Confucian classics. The influence of the Confucian classics on society was ever-present and omnipresent. To understand and study all aspects of Chinese feudal society, one cannot help but read the Thirteen Classics.