The Book of Documents

The Book of Documents (Shujing) or Classic of History, also known as the Shangshu, is one of the Five Classics of ancient Chinese literature. It is a collection of rhetorical prose attributed to figures of ancient China, and served as the foundation of Chinese political philosophy for over 2,000 years. It is traditionally attributed to Confucius although it is more likely to be a composite work. It is reproduced here in its entirety in large, clear characters.