Classic of Rites

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The Classic of Rites (traditional Chinese: 禮記; simplified Chinese: 礼记; pinyin: Lǐjì) was one of the Five Classics of the Confucian canon. It described the social forms, ancient rites, and court ceremonies of the Zhou Dynasty. The original text is believed to have been compiled by numerous Confucian scholars during the Warring States Period.

[edit] Compilation

During the 1st century BC, the text was extensively reworked by Dai De (Senior Dai) and his nephew Dai Sheng (Junior Dai). The version of Junior Dai, which was composed in forty-nine chapters, is what we regard as the work today. While the version of the Senior Dai are preserved only in fragments, modern scholars believe that the original title, Lijing ("Classic of Rites"), was dropped so that jing ("classic") would be reserved for works more directly connected with Confucius. By itself, the book includes the Classic of Music (chapter 19), however this version of the work is in a much dilapidated form from the original, which is now lost. In 1993, a chapter of the book, "Black Robes", was found in tombs of Guodian, in Hubei, dated to 300 BC.

The book also includes two other chapters, particularly the Great Learning (chapter 42), and the Doctrine of the Mean (chapter 31), the original text of which is believed to have been compiled by one of Confucius's disciples. Both of these "books" are considered part of another collection known as the Four Books.

The book is sometimes incorporated into the Three Rites with two other documents, the Rites of Zhou and the Etiquette and Ceremonials by the 2nd century AD.

[edit] Contents

Table of Contents

##	Chinese	Pinyin	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	Classic 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
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
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

[edit] External links

• The Classic of Rites (Chinese)
• Confucian Documents (English)

v • d • e The Four Books and Five Classics (四書五經) The Four Books The Great Learning (大學) • The Doctrine of the Mean (中庸) • The Analects (論語) • The Mencius (孟子) The Five Classics Classic of Changes (易經) • Classic of Poetry (詩經) • Classic of Rites (禮記) • Classic of History (書經) • Spring and Autumn Annals (春秋)