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Han dynasty 136 B.C.E.:
Five Classics:
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A sixth, the Classic of Music was presumably lost during
the burning of books of 213 B.C.E.*
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1. Zhou Yi or Yijing:
Book of Changes
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2. Shang shu or Shujing:
Books of Documents (History)
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3. Shijing: Book of
Odes
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Later Han dynasty: Seven Classics:
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4. Liji: Book of Ritual
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6.
Lunyu (Analects) of Confucius
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5. Chunqiu: Spring
and Autumn Annals
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7. Xiaojing: Classic
of Filial Piety
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Tang Dynasty: 625 C.E.:
Nine Classics:
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5a: Zuo zhuan commentary of the Chun Qiu
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6: Gongyang zhuan commentary of the Chunqiu
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Tang dynasty: 839 C.E.: Twelve
Classics:
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7: Guliang Zhuan commentary of the Chun Qiu
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10. Lunyu
(Analects)
of Confucius
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8: Yili: Ceremonies and Rites
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11. Xiaojing: Classic of Filial Piety
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9. Zhouli: Rites of Zhou
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12. Erya: Approaching Elegance (dictionary)
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Song Dynasty: 1190 C.E.:
Thirteen Classics:
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10. Lunyu
(Analects)
of Confucius
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11. Xiaojing: Classic of Filial Piety
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12. Erya: Approaching Elegance (dictionary)
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13. Mencius
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Zhu Xi's 'Four Masters': 1189 C.E.
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"The 'Four Masters' (Sizi)
was created as a classical catechism for the students in Zhu Xi's
private academy, with instruction in these works intended as a
propaedeutic to the proper study of the 5 Classics. Roughly
a century after Zhu Xi's death, the 'Four Masters' had become
the Four Books (Sishu) and was made the required
syllabus for scholars training for the provincial and national
examinations to enter the Chinese civil service. The Four Books
remained a textual centerpiece of the examination system until
1905." (Jensen)
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1. Analects of Confucius
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2. Mencius
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3. Zhongyong: Doctrine of the Mean◊ |
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4. Daxue: Great Learning◊ |
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◊ extracted from
the Liji
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