Book of Rites

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The Book of Rites or Liji, literally the Record of Rites, is a

collection of texts describing the social forms, Book of Rites
administration, and ceremonial rites of the Zhou dynasty as
they were understood in the Warring States and the early Han
periods. The Book of Rites, along with the Rites of Zhou
(Zhouli) and the Book of Etiquette and Rites (Yili), which are
together known as the "Three Li (San li)," constitute the
ritual (li) section of the Five Classics which lay at the core of
the traditional Confucian canon (Each of the "five" classics is An annotated version of the Book of Rites, dated
a group of works rather than a single text). As a core text of before 907
the Confucian canon, it is also known as the Classic of Rites
Chinese name
(Lijing), which some scholars believe was the original title
before it was changed by Dai Sheng. Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Literal meaning Record of Rites
Contents
Transcriptions
1 History Standard Mandarin
2 Li Hanyu Pinyin Lj
3 Legacy
4 Contents WadeGiles Li3-chi4
5 Translations Yue: Cantonese
6 References
7 Bibliography Yale Romanization Lih-gei
8 External links Jyutping Lai5 gei3
Southern Min
Hokkien POJ L-k
History
Middle Chinese
The Book of Rites is a diverse collection of texts of varied Middle Chinese Lj-k
but uncertain origin and date, lacking the overall structure Old Chinese
found in the other "rites" texts (the Rites of Zhou and the
BaxterSagart (2014) *Rij kr-s
Etiquette and Ceremonial).[1] Some sections consist of
definitions of ritual terms, particularly those found in the Alternative Chinese name
Etiquette and Ceremonial, while others contain details of the Traditional Chinese
life and teachings of Confucius.[2] Parts of the text have been
traced to such pre-Han works as the Xunzi and Lshi Simplified Chinese
Chunqiu, while others are believed to date from the Former Literal meaning Rites Classic
Han period.[3] Transcriptions
During the reign of Qin Shihuang, many of the Confucian Standard Mandarin
classics were destroyed during the 213 BC "Burning of the Hanyu Pinyin Ljng
Books." Fortunately for the preservation of this work, the
Qin dynasty collapsed within the decade: Confucian scholars WadeGiles Li3-ching1
who had memorized the classics or hid written copies Korean name
recompiled them in the early Han dynasty.[4] The Book of Hangul
Rites was said to have been fully reconstructed, but the
Classic of Music could not be recompiled and fragments Hanja
principally survive in the "Record of Music" (Yueji) chapter Transcriptions
of the Book of Rites.
Since then, other scholars have attempted to redact these first Revised Romanization Yegi
drafts. According to the Book of Sui, Dai De reworked the Japanese name
text in the 1st century BC, reducing the original 214 books to
85, and his nephew Dai Sheng reduced this to 46 books. To Kanji
this three were added towards the end of the Han dynasty, Transcriptions
bringing the total to 49.[5] Romanization Reiki
In 1993, a copy of the "Black Robes" chapter was found in
Tomb 1 of the Guodian Tombs in Jingmen, Hubei. Since the tomb was sealed around 300 BCE, the find
reactivated academic arguments about the possible dating of the other Liji chapters by the Warring States
period.[6]

Li
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", "decorum" or "politeness". 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 collapsing Zhou
state. The absolute power of li is displayed in the Book of Rites: "Of all things to which the people owe their
lives the rites are the most important..."[7] The ideas of li were thought to become closely associated with
human nature, ethics, and social order as the population integrated li into their lives. Li is beneficial to society
because it guides people to recognize and fulfill their responsibilities toward others.

Legacy
As a result of the Book 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. Following
the decision of the Yuan dynasty (followed by the Ming and Qing) to make the Five Classics and the Four
Books the orthodox texts of the Confucian traditions, they were the standard textbooks for the state civil
examination, from 1313 to 1905, which every educated person had to study intensively. Consequently, the Book
of Rites and two of its by-products were large integral parts of the Chinese beliefs and industry for many
centuries.

Contents
 Table of Contents

## Chinese Pinyin Translation

01-02 Quli Summary of the Rules of Propriety Part 1 & 2

03-04 Tangong Tangong Part 1 & 2

05 Wangzhi Royal Regulations

06 Yueling Proceedings of Government in the Different Months

07 Zengzi Wen Questions of Zengzi

08 Wenwang Shizi King Wen as Son and Heir

09 Liyun The Conveyance of Rites

10 Liqi Utensils of Rites

11 Jiaotesheng Single Victim At The Border Sacrifices

12 Neize Pattern of the Family

13 Yuzao Jade-Bead Pendants of the Royal Cap

14 Mingtangwei Places in the Hall of Distinction

15 Sangfu Xiaoji Record of Smaller Matters in the Dress of Mourning

16 Dazhuan Great Treatise

17 Shaoyi Smaller Rules of Demeanour

18 Xueji Record on the Subject of Education

19 Yueji Record on the Subject of Music

20-21 Zaji Miscellaneous Records Part 1 & 2

22 Sang Daji Greater Record of Mourning Rites

23 Jifa Law of Sacrifices

24 Jiyi Meaning of Sacrifices

25 Jitong A Summary Account of Sacrifices

26 Jingjie Different Teaching of the Different Kings

27 Aigong Wen Questions of Duke Ai

28 Zhongni Yanju Zhongni at Home at Ease

29 Kongzi Xianju Confucius at Home at Leisure

30 Fangji Record of the Dykes

31 Zhongyong Doctrine of the Mean

32 Biaoji Record on Example

33 Ziyi Black Robes

34 Bensang Rules on Hurrying to Mourning Rites

35 Wensang Questions About Mourning Rites

36 Fuwen Subjects For Questioning About the Mourning Dress

37 Jianzhuan Treatise on Subsidiary Points in Mourning Usages

38 Sannian Wen Questions About the Mourning for Three Years

39 Shenyi Long Dress in One Piece

 40 Touhu Game of Pitch-Pot

41 Ruxing Conduct of the Scholar

42 Daxue Great Learning

43 Guanyi Meaning of the Ceremony of Capping

44 Hunyi Meaning of the Marriage Ceremony

45 Xiangyin Jiuyi Meaning of the Drinking Festivity in the Districts

46 Sheyi Meaning of the Ceremony of Archery

47 Yanyi Meaning of the Banquet

48 Pinyi Meaning of Interchange of Missions twixt Different Courts

49 Sangfu Sizhi Four Principles Underlying the Dress of Mourning

Translations
Legge, James (1885). Sacred Books of the East, volumes 27 (https://archive.org/details/sacredbooksofchi
03conf) and 28 (https://archive.org/details/sacredbooksofchi04conf). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
(in French) (in Latin) Couvreur, Sraphin (1913). Li Ki, ou Mmoires sur les biensances; texte Chinois
avec une double traduction en Francais et en Latin [Li Ji, or Dissertation on Proprieties; Chinese text
with a double translation in French and Latin], volumes 1 (https://archive.org/details/likioummoiress01co
uvuoft) and 2 (https://archive.org/details/likioummoiress02couvuoft). Hokkien: Mission Catholique.

References
1. Riegel (1993), p. 283.
2. Riegel (1993), p. 295.
3. Riegel (1993), pp. 295296.
4. "Annotated Edition of "The Book of Rites" " (http://www.wdl.org/en/item/11379/). World Digital
Library. 11901194. Retrieved 2013-09-04.
5. Mller, Max, ed. (1879). "Preface". The Sacred Books of China (http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Index:Sacr
ed_Books_of_the_East_-_Volume_3.djvu). The Sacred Books of the East. 3. Trans. James Legge.
Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. xviiixix. Retrieved 2011-05-31.
6. Puett, 137 n.19.
7. Dawson (1981), p. 32.

Bibliography
Buckley Ebrey, Patricia. Confucianism and the Family Rituals in Imperial China. New Jersey: Princeton
University Press, 1991, ISBN 978-0-691-03150-7
Confucius; James Legge; Chu Chai; Winberg Chai. Li Chi: Book of Rites. An encyclopedia of ancient
ceremonial usages, religious creeds, and social institutions, New Hyde Park, N.Y., University Books
[1967]. (originally published in 1885)
Creel, H.G. Confucius and the Chinese Way. New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1949
Dawson, Raymond (1981), Confucius, Great Britain: The Guernsey Press, ISBN 978-0-19-287536-5.
de Bary, Wm. Theodore, Wing-tsit Chan, and Buton Watson. Sources of Chinese Tradition. New York
and London: Columbia University Press, 1960, ISBN 978-0-231-02255-2
Holm, Jean, and John Bowker. Sacred Writings. London: Printer Publishers Ltd., 1994
Jingpan, Chen. Confucius as a Teacher. Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 1990, ISBN 978-0-8351-
2240-5
Lin Yutang. The Wisdom of Confucius. New York: Random House, Inc., 1938
Nylan, Michael (2001), The five "Confucian" classics, Yale University Press, ISBN 978-0-300-08185-5.
Puett, Michael. Centering the Realm: Wang Mang, the Zhouli, and Early Chinese Statecraft. in Elman,
Benjamin A. and Kern, Martin, eds., Statecraft and Classical Learning: the Rituals of Zhou in East Asian
 History, pp.129-154.[1] (https://www.academia.edu/4212163/_Centering_the_Realm_Wang_Mang_the_
Zhouli_and_Early_Chinese_Statecraft._)
Riegel, Jeffrey K. (1993), "Li chi ", in Loewe, Michael, Early Chinese Texts: A Bibliographical
Guide, Society for the Study of Early China, pp. 293297, ISBN 978-1-55729-043-4.
Smith, Howard. Confucius. Great Britain: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1973

External links
The Book of Rites (http://ctext.org/liji) (Chinese and English)
Confucian Documents (http://www.sacred-texts.com/cfu/index.htm#tcb) (English)
Liji The Book of Rites (http://www.chinaknowledge.de/Literature/Classics/liji.html), Ulrich
Theobald, Chinese Literature, 24 July 2010.

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This page was last edited on 13 July 2017, at 00:04.

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