se history. The Shu Ching depicts history as a process of change, much like the I Ching. History is also regarded as a way for humanity to reflect on past events and learn from them (Chang, 69) The Shu Ching introduces the concept of the Mandate of Heaven, which would be important from then on in Chinese history. The Mandate of Heaven is the idea that Heaven chooses who is worthy to rule according to virtue. Even though it is usually unwise to upset the order of things, if a ruler is lacking in virtue it is acceptable for a more virtuous dynasty to rise and take over. The Mandate of Heaven could have been the Zhou Dynasty's way of justifying their taking power from the previous Shang Dynasty. A religious system is also set down in the Shu Ching, placing Heaven above, the Earth below, and humans as the link in between. Omens from the past are recorded, as are pilgrimages and sacrifices. The Shih Ching or Book of Poetry is an anthology of ancient poems (Chang, 96). The Shi jing, commonly known as the Book of Songs, Book of Odes, and Book of Poetry is the earliest literary tradition of China. It is a collection of songs and poetry. These were both formal and informal. They are from imperial poets and farming peasants. The songs range from political protests to love poems to drinking songs, but in the Confucian tradition many are interpreted to be illustrations of the people's feelings towards the government (Chang, 278).The Li Chi deals with the principles of conduct, including the rules to be observed at public and private ceremonies. It was destroyed in the third century B.C., but presumably much of its material was preserved in a later collection, the Record of Rites. The Book of Rites stems from Confucius' near-obsession with ritual. Ritual was central to Confucianism, and the Book of Rites is the etiquette guide for the proper gentleman or woman, or shu. It contains guidelines for almost any imaginable activity, from grand state cerem...
