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Shangshu 尚書 "Documents of the Elder", or Shujing 書經 "Book of Documents" | Literature by A to Z Literature by time Literature by theme | ||
Although the content of the diverse chapters of this book discribes events the time of the Yellow Emperor 黃帝, the taming of the floods by Yu the Great 大禹 and speeches of kings and ministers of the Xia 夏 and the Shang 商 dynasties, it is not older than Western Zhou times (Xizhou 西周). A great part of the chapters were even compiled during later periods. In the late second century BC, a so-called Old Text (guwen 古文) was discovered in the walls of Confucius' old house. 58 of original hundred chapters, said to be arranged by Confucius himself, survived. The scholar Kong Anguo 孔安國 wrote a preface to the fragments of the 100 chapter book (Baipian Shangshu 百篇尚書). 28 of these chapters were still extant in Early Han 漢 times but written in modern characters, thus called "New Text" (jinwen 今文). When the First Emperor of Qin 秦始皇 ordered to burn all non-Legist texts, a man named Fu Sheng 伏生 had succeeded in hiding and rescuing these chapters. The chapters are chronologically arranged and are divided into five different types of speeches: mo 謨 consultations, xun 訓 instructions, gao 誥 announcements, shi 誓 declarations and ming 命 commands. The 28 New Text chapters were composed during the late Warring States period 戰國時代 and are thus very far the events they purport to talk about. Nevertheless, the chapters reporting the events of King Cheng's 周成王 reign seem to have original parts. Many citations of the Shangshu in other texts like Mengzi 孟子 can not be found in the fragments still existing. The traditional English translation is that of James Legge. The chapters of the different Shangshu versions are (pointed numbers in front are the extant chapters, numbers in brackets are the chapters of the 100 chapter version; lost chapters are signified with --- and the title is not translated; unnumbered chapters signified with ------- are chapters of the parallel tradition Shangshu Dazhuan 尚書大傳):
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 | ６．（１７．）禹貢 （序：禹別九州．隨山濬川．任土作貢．）禹敷土．隨山刊木．奠高山大川． ．．．濟河惟兗州．九河既道．雷夏既澤．灉沮會同．桑土既蠶．是降丘宅土．厥土黑墳．厥草惟繇．厥木惟條．厥田惟中下．厥賦貞．作十有三載．乃同．厥貢漆絲．厥篚織文．浮于濟漯．達于河．．． The Tribute of Yu (Preface: Yu marked out the nine provinces; followed the course of the hills, and deepened the rivers; defined the imposts on the land, and the articles of tribute.) Yu divided the land. Following the course of the hills, he cut down the trees. He determined the highest hills and largest rivers (in the several regions). [...] Between the Ji and the Yellow River was the region of Yanzhou. The nine branches of the Yellow River were made to keep their proper channels. Leixia was made a marsh, in which (the waters of) the Yong and the Ju were united. The mulberry grounds were made fit for silkworms, and then (the people) came down the heights, and occupied the grounds (below). The soil of this province was blackish and rich; the grass in it was luxuriant, and the trees grew high. Its fields were the lowest of the middle class. Its contribution of revenue was fixed at what would just be deemed the correct amount; but it was not required it, as the other provinces, till after it had been cultivated for thirteen years. Its articles of tribute were varnish and silk, and, in baskets, woven ornamental fabrics. They floated along the Ji and Ta, and so reached the Yellow River. [...] ２７．（６１．）泰誓上 （序：惟十有一年．武王伐殷．一月戊午．師渡孟津．作泰誓三篇．） 惟十有三年春．大會于孟津．王曰．嗟我友邦冢君．越我御事庶士． 明聽誓．惟天地萬物父母．惟人萬物之靈．亶聰明作元后．元后作民父母．今商王受．弗敬上天．降災下民．沈湎冒色．敢行暴虐．罪人以族．官人以世．惟宮室臺榭陂池侈服．以殘害于爾萬姓．焚炙忠良．刳剔孕婦．皇天震怒．命我文考．肅將天威．大勳未集．... The Great Declaration (1) (Preface: In the eleventh year of his reign, king Wu started to attack Yin (Shang). In the first month, the day wuwu, his army crossed the Mengjin Ford. Thus were made the three chapters of the "Great Declaration".) In the spring of the thirteenth year there was a great assembly at Mengjin. The King said, 'Ah! ye hereditary rulers of my friendly states, and all ye my officers, managers of my affairs, hearken clearly to my declaration. 'Heaven and earth is the parent of all creatures; and of all creatures man is the most highly endowed.The sincerely intelligent (among men) becomes the great sovereign; and the great sovereign is the parent of the people. But now, Shou, the king of Shang, does not reverence Heaven above, and inflicts calamities on the people below. Abandoned to drunkenness and reckless in lust, he has dared to exercise cruel oppression. He has extended the punishment of offenders to all their relatives. He has put men into offices on the hereditary principle. He has made it his pursuit to have palaces, towers, pavilions, embankments, ponds, and all other extravagances, to the most painful injury of you, the myriads of the people. He has burned and roasted the loyal and good. He has ripped up pregnant women. Great Heaven was moved with indignation, and charged my deceased father Wen to display its terrors; but (he died) before the work was completed... ３０．（６４．）牧誓 （序：武王戎車三百兩．虎賁三百人．與受戰于牧野．作牧誓．） 時甲子昧爽，王朝至于商郊牧野，乃誓。王左杖黃戉 ，右秉白旄以麾，曰：「逖矣西土之人。」王曰：「差！ 我友邦冢君，御事、司徒、司馬、司空、亞、旅、師氏、千夫長、百夫長及庸、蜀、羌、 髳、微、盧、彭、濮人。稱爾戈，比爾干，立爾矛，予其誓。」 王曰：「古人有言曰：『牝雞無晨。牝雞之晨，惟家之索。』今商王受，惟婦言是 用。昏棄厥肆祀，弗答；昏棄厥遺王父母弟，不迪。乃惟四方之多罪逋逃，是崇是長， 是信是使，是以為大夫卿士；俾暴虐于百姓，以姦宄于商邑。今予發，惟恭行天之罰。 今日之事，不愆于六步、七步，乃止齊焉。夫子勗哉！不愆于四伐、五伐、六伐、七伐， 乃止齊焉。勗哉夫子！尚桓桓，如虎、如貔、如熊、如羆，于商郊；弗迓克奔，以役西土。 勗哉夫子！爾所弗勗，其于爾躬有戮！」 The Speech at Mu (Preface: King Wu the Martial, with three hundred chariots of war and three hundred (three thousand) tiger-like warriors, fought with Shou (Zhou, the king of Shang) in the wilderness of Muye. Thus was made the "Speech at Mu".) The time was the gray dawn of the day jiazi. On that morning the king came to the open country of Mu in the borders of Shang, and addressed his army. In his left hand he carried a battle-axe, yellow with gold, and in his right he held a white ensign, which he brandished, saying, "Far are you come, you men of the western regions!" He added, "Ah! You hereditary rulers and ministers of my friendly states; you, the ministers of instruction, of war, and of public works; the first and second officers and secretaries; and you, o men of Yong, Shu, Qiang, Mao, Wei, Lu, Peng and Bo; lift up your lances, join your shields, raise your spears, I have a speech to make." The king said, "The ancients have said, 'The hen does not announce the morning. The crowing of a hen in the morning indicates the subversion of the family.' Now Shou, the king of Shang, follows only the words of his wife. He has blindly thrown away the sacrifices, and makes no response (for the favours which he has received); he has blindly thrown away his paternal and maternal relatives, not treating them (properly). They are only the vagabonds of the empire, loaded with crimes, whom he honours and exalts, whom he employs and trusts, making them great officers and nobles, so that they can tyrannize over the people, exercising their villainies in the city of Shang. Now I, Fa (king Wu's personal name), am simply executing respectfully the punishment appointed by heaven. In today's business do not advance more than six or seven steps; and then stop and adjust your ranks: my brave men, be energetic! Do not exceed four blows, five blows, six blows, or seven blows; and then stop and adjust your ranks: my brave men, be energetic! Display a martial bearing. Be like tigers and panthers, like bears, and grisly bears; here in the border of Shang. Do not rush on those who fly to us in submission, but receive them to serve our western land: my brave men, be energetic! Which of your are not thus energetic, you will bring destruction on yourselves." Translated by James Legge; transcription modernized; mistakes corrected | ||
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