INTRODUCTORY DECLARATION.

xvi

It is well established that the excellent and politically prudent records, laws, and institutions of each [ruler], as well as the advice and opinions of their counselors, were carefully committed to writing, although many are now missing. Regarding the antiquity of this Work, there is no need to say much, since it must be admitted that the matters related in the first two books were written long before Moses.

Therefore, those things done and established by King Yao over the span of a hundred years (for he held the Empire for that long, having begun his reign in the year 2357 before Christ) were passed down for the memory of posterity by those who served as chroniclers to his successor, Xun [Shun]. Although through the corruption of later times almost everything perished, those things which remain deal chiefly with the Calendar and the use and order of the intercalary year, as well as the nine-year flood which the good Prince endeavored to remedy. Similarly, much has been lost of what the high officials of King Xun recorded in writing. What has reached us, however, are mostly those things he observed as a pious and wholesome example while surveying the various regions of his Empire: always sacrificing solemnly and purely to Shangdi original: "Xam ti", the Supreme Emperor of the Heavens, as well as to the Guardians of the noble mountains and rivers, though to these with a lesser rite. There also survive not a few things regarding the rites to be observed in sacrifices, music, the punishment of criminals, and the proper governance of subjects. Even more abundant than these are the traditions concerning King Yu; and first, indeed, with what labor and industry he diverted the waters of the Chinese flood into the sea; in what manner he divided the Empire into exactly nine Provinces, and taught which region of the heavens and which constellations corresponded to each; what each of the Provinces ought to pay in the name of tribute, and other matters of that kind. Besides certain distinguished records which both he himself and his high officials produced for the common comfort and instruction of their subjects. And indeed, just as these Princes were elevated to the Empire by no other right or title than that of virtue and wisdom, so they are most celebrated for both praises; and whatever examples or records they left to their posterity hold almost the force of Oracles and laws.

In the third book are contained those things established during the reign of the Second Family, or Imperial house, called Shang and Yin original: "Xam & Yn", especially by its founder Cheng Tang original: "Chim tam", who entered upon the Empire in the year 1776 before Christ, after he had defeated and expelled the impious Jie original: "Kie"; he also gave an account of this deed in the Assembly in a painstaking and weighty speech. In the same book are recorded the records of the ColausA Latinization of 'Gelaos,' referring to a Grand Secretary or high-ranking minister Zhong Hui original: "Chum hoei" to the Prince himself, and to his grandson Tai Jia original: "Tai kia". Likewise, the warnings of another Colaus, Yi Yin original: "Yyn", are worthy for European Princes to rightly hear and admire, if only for the reason that they were uttered about a thousand years before the founding of the city The author refers to the founding of Rome, c. 753 BC.. From there, one reads of the Emperor from the same Family