INTRODUCTORY DECLARATION.

xvii

...of the seventeenth ruler, called Puon Kem Pan Geng (r. c. 1300 BCE), is a speech in which he informs his people of the necessity of migrating elsewhere, lest the royal seat and court finally be overwhelmed by the frequent floods of the Hoam ho The Huang He or Yellow River. Once the court had been moved, he wisely decreed the duties of each person and exhorted everyone to imitate the Kings of old. Next to these are the teachings of Fu yve Colai Fu Yue, a legendary sage-minister. The image of this man was presented through a dream—sent by the divine, as he himself claimed—to the Emperor Vu tim Wu Ding (r. 1250–1192 BCE), also known as Cao çum Gaozong, a most religious prince. After a likeness was painted in colors and the man was sought out, he was finally found among the stonemasons; the Emperor desired him to be his counselor and second only to himself, and he profited greatly from the man’s wisdom and prudence. These are followed by the illustrious warnings of the Prince Vi-çu-ki Weizi Qi and çu-y Colai Zu Yi.

The third of the Imperial Families, called the Cheu The Zhou Dynasty (c. 1046–256 BCE), provided the subject matter for the last three books. Those things are recorded which were either performed excellently or spoken under the first five princes, as well as the twelfth. Thus, various orations exist, some delivered by Vu vam King Wu of Zhou, the founder of the family, in various assemblies; these are titled Xam xo Shangshu, Chao cum The Announcement of the Duke of Shao, etc. Then there are the reflections and teachings of the most celebrated Cheu cum The Duke of Zhou who, being the brother of Emperor Vu vam and later the tutor of the pupil-prince Chim vam King Cheng of Zhou, gave an admirable example of loyalty, prudence, and wisdom. There is also the short book of the lesser king Ki çu Jizi, who was created King of Korea; this is in addition to many teachings by many authors regarding the correct governance of subjects, religion, and other virtues contained in said books. And this is enough for now regarding the first and most important volume, the Xu-Kim The Shujing, or Book of Documents, from which we will occasionally insert parts into our explanation, as it is of the highest authority.

Now we must deal more briefly with the second volume, which is called the Xi Kim The Shijing, or Book of Odes because of the Odes and Poems of which it entirely consists. Most of the Odes came to light during the reign of the third Family, the Cheu, though a few appeared when the house of Xam Shang or Yn Yin held power. Here are recorded the customs and statutes of nearly twelve kingdoms, which obeyed the single prince of all who held the supreme power, yet in such a way that each commanded its own territories. In these poems, there is much praise and commendation of virtue; many things are said with gravity, severity, and wisdom. However, it must be admitted that not a few things here are rejected by the Interpreters as spurious and merely fabulous. For instance, the ridiculous births of Sie Xie, ancestor of the Shang and Heu-cie Houji, ancestor of the Zhou (from whom the two Imperial families derive their origin) are regarded as fables by the Interpreters. I say nothing here of the hyperbolic figures inserted by poetic license for the sake of the princes, or even the blasphemies against heaven and an "unjust God" who is "least providential in human affairs," which were hurled by the impious. For this reason, the Interpreters not undeservedly believe that some things in these books are apocryphal and of no...

original: "E" This "E" is a signature mark for the book binder.