Book of Rites ca. 200–100 BCE

The Book of Rites, sometimes called Ritual Record or Classic of Rites, is one of the Five Classics (Wujing) of Confucianism, a series of books first brought together as a collection in the second century bce. In addition to the Book of Rites, the Five Classics include the Book of Changes, the Book of Odes, the Book of History, and the Spring and Autumn Annals; a sixth book, the Book of Music, is lost. These texts, including the Book of Rites, were written between 200 and 100 bce and are collectively referred to as the Confucian classics because of their infl uence on Confucianism, a philosophy and religion originating in China. Traditionally, the Book of Rites was attributed to the teacher-scholar Confucius, but it is now known that the core ideas of all of the Five Classics predate Confucius. The Book of Rites was required reading for all educated people and was included on the governmental examinations for employment.