詩經

The *Classic of Poetry* (Shijing) is the earliest anthology of ancient Chinese poetry, collecting 311 poems from the early Western Zhou Dynasty to the mid-Spring and Autumn Period (11th to 6th centuries BC). Six of these are *sheng* poems (six poems with titles but no content), known as the "Six Sheng Poems" (Nangai, Baihua, Huashu, Youkang, Chongwu, and Youyi), reflecting the social landscape of approximately five hundred years from the early to late Zhou Dynasty. The authors of the *Classic of Poetry* are anonymous, and the majority cannot be verified. It is traditionally attributed to Yin Jifu for collection and Confucius for editing. During the pre-Qin period, it was simply called *Shi* (Poetry) or, taking its approximate number, *Shi Sanbai* (Three Hundred Poems). During the Western Han Dynasty, it was revered as a Confucian classic and began to be called the *Classic of Poetry*, a name that remains in use today. The *Classic of Poetry* is divided into three parts: *Feng* (Airs of the States), *Ya* (Odes), and *Song* (Hymns). The *Classic of Poetry* (Shijing) comprises several sections: *Feng* (风) refers to folk songs from various regions during the Zhou Dynasty; *Ya* (雅) refers to the refined music of the Zhou people, further divided into *Xiaoya* (小雅) and *Daya* (大雅); and *Song* (颂) refers to the sacrificial songs performed in the Zhou royal court and ancestral temples of nobles, further divided into *Zhou Song* (周颂), *Lu Song* (鲁颂), and *Shang Song* (商颂). Confucius summarized the purpose of the *Classic of Poetry* as "no evil," and instructed his disciples to read it as a standard for their words and deeds. Many pre-Qin philosophers, such as Mencius, Xunzi, Mozi, Zhuangzi, and Han Feizi, frequently quoted from the *Classic of Poetry* to enhance their persuasiveness in their arguments. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, the *Classic of Poetry* was revered as a classic by Confucian scholars, becoming one of the *Six Classics* and one of the *Five Classics*. The *Classic of Poetry* is rich in content, reflecting various aspects of Zhou Dynasty society, including labor and love, war and corvée labor, oppression and resistance, customs and marriage, ancestral worship and banquets, and even celestial phenomena, landforms, animals, and plants. It serves as a mirror of Zhou Dynasty social life.