Wujing

Wujing, meaning the Five Classics, is the traditional corpus of pre-Qin Chinese literature that became the core of Confucian learning and governance. The collection comprises five works: Shijing (Classic of Poetry), a collection of ceremonial and folk songs; Shujing (Book of Documents), a compilation of political speeches and official documents; Yijing (Book of Changes), a divinatory and cosmological text based on hexagrams; Liji (Book of Rites), a compilation of rites, rituals, and social forms; and Chunqiu (Spring and Autumn Annals), a concise chronicle of the state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period.

Authorship and transmission: Traditionally attributed to Confucius, the Five Classics were edited and expanded by successive scholars and later received major commentaries. By the Han dynasty they formed the central canon of Confucian education and imperial administration. Later schools produced influential sub-commentaries, such as Gongyang and Guliang on Chunqiu, which shaped interpretation and teaching.

Significance: Wujing served as the intellectual and moral curriculum for officials and scholars and deeply influenced Chinese political philosophy, literature, and law. Its authority extended beyond China to Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, where the texts were studied and taught for centuries. In modern scholarship, the Five Classics are studied as historical, literary, and philosophical sources, with numerous translations and critical editions available.