The Classic of Rites (simplified Chinese: 礼记; traditional Chinese: 禮記; pinyin: Lǐjì), also known as the Book of Rites, Book of Customs, the Record of Rites, was one of the Chinese Five Classics of the Confucian canon. It described the social forms, governmental system, and ancient/ceremonial rites of the Zhou Dynasty (c. 1050–256 BCE). The original text is believed to have been compiled by Confucius himself, whilst the edition usually referred to today was edited and re-worked by various scholars during the Han Dynasty (202 BCE – 220 CE).
The work is not to be confused with two other classical texts on rites: The Rites of Zhou (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.
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The Confucian Classics, such as the Classic of Rites, have had a significant influence on Chinese 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 of the Qin Dynasty, many of the Confucian Classics were destroyed. The destruction of Confucian classics is referred to as the "The Burning of the Books." 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, 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 (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 (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 (戴圣, Junior Dai) to 46 books, to which three were added towards the end of the Han Dynasty, bringing the total to 49.[1]
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, Hubei. Modern scholars believe that the original title was Lijing, which literally means "Classic of Rites," but this title was later changed by Dai Sheng.
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.
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.
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.
| ## | 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 | 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 |
| 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 |
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