The Rites of Zhou: Translation and Notes cover

The Rites of Zhou: Translation and Notes

Rating 4.5
Word count
472K words
Chapters
393
ISBN
9787532582228

Tags

Summary

The Rites of Zhou is a work on founding a state and establishing offices, preserving a wealth of pre-Qin historical materials. Drawing on previous scholarship, this book provides a translation and annotation of the Rites of Zhou, long known for its difficulty, making the profound accessible. The annotations are thorough and the translation fluent.

Editor's review

Mr. Yang Tianyu's Annotated Translation of the Rites of Zhou is an important work in recent Rites of Zhou scholarship, combining academic depth with accessibility. Using the Ruan Yuan-edited Thirteen Classics with Commentaries and Subcommentaries as its base text and collating numerous editions, it offers a modern translation and annotation grounded in rigorous textual criticism. Its core value lies in three aspects: first, the translation is accurate and lucid, faithful to the original meaning of pre-Qin institutions while striving for comprehensibility to modern readers, removing obstacles posed by classical Chinese; second, the annotations are appropriately detailed, explaining not only words and names of things but also clarifying the system of offices, the substance of ritual institutions, and their historical context, reflecting the author's deep grounding in classical studies; third, the several-ten-thousand-character Preface systematically discusses the Rites of Zhou's date of composition, authenticity, thought system, and historical influence, amounting to a concise introductory essay. For readers wishing to understand ancient Chinese political institutions, social structure, and cultural thought, this book offers a reliable and clear entry point. It is not only an important reference for university faculty and students in literature and history but also an excellent choice for enthusiasts of traditional culture seeking to study the classic systematically.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Literature and history enthusiasts interested in ancient Chinese political institutions and bureaucratic systems
  • Students and teachers in university departments of Chinese, history, philosophy, and related fields
  • Readers wishing to systematically understand the Confucian classic Rites of Zhou and its historical influence
  • Those engaged in popularizing traditional culture or teaching Chinese studies

Not a good fit for

  • Readers seeking only light storytelling or quick, superficial understanding
  • Complete beginners with no familiarity with pre-Qin texts or ancient institutions and no basic ability to read classical Chinese

Reading tips

  1. It is recommended to first read the lengthy Preface to build an overall understanding of the Rites of Zhou's background, core content, and academic controversies
  2. While reading, one may follow the six official systems such as the Heavenly Offices and Earthly Offices, comparing translation and annotation to understand their design logic
  3. It is helpful to keep a historical atlas of China or a reference work on pre-Qin history at hand to check geographical and historical information as needed, deepening understanding

About the publisher

Shanghai Classics Publishing House China · Founded in 1956

Shanghai Classics Publishing House is a professional publisher centered on the collation of ancient texts and academic research works. Its publishing areas cover historical readings, classical poetry, folk literature, literary appreciation, canonical works, and Eastern philosophy. Its books include Chen Yinke's A Brief Discussion of the Origins of the Sui and Tang Institutions, Xin Qiji's Chronological Annotated Edition of Jiaxuan's Ci (Simplified Edition), Tang Xianzu's The Peony Pavilion, Liu Xie's The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons, as well as New Annotations to Three Hundred Tang Poems (Collector's Edition), Annotated Edition of Han Changli's Collected Works (Simplified Edition, 3 volumes), and Youyang Zazu. Its authors include Chen Yinke, Xin Qiji, Tang Xianzu, Liu Xie, Deng Guangming, Hengtang Tuishi, Han Yu, and Ma Qichang. In terms of publishing characteristics, the house emphasizes collation, annotation, and compilation of ancient texts alongside academic research works, and continues to issue simplified and collector's editions that balance scholarship and accessibility. Public information about the publisher's fuller publishing profile is limited.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 前言
  3. 译注说明
  4. 天官冢宰第一
  5. 叙官
  6. 一、大宰
  7. 二、小宰
  8. 三、宰夫
  9. 四、宫正
  10. 五、宫伯
  11. 六、膳夫
  12. 七、庖人
  13. 八、内饔
  14. 九、外饔
  15. 一〇、亨人
  16. 一一、甸师
  17. 一二、兽人
  18. 一三、渔人
  19. 一四、鳖人
  20. 一五、腊人
  21. 一六、医师
  22. 一七、食医
  23. 一八、疾医
  24. 一九、疡医
  25. 二〇、兽医
  26. 二一、酒正
  27. 二二、酒人
  28. 二三、浆人
  29. 二四、凌人
  30. 二五、笾人
  31. 二六、醢人
  32. 二七、醯人
  33. 二八、盐人
  34. 二九、冪人
  35. 三〇、宫人
  36. 三一、掌舍
  37. 三二、幕人
  38. 三三、掌次
  39. 三四、大府
  40. 三五、玉府
  41. 三六、内府
  42. 三七、外府
  43. 三八、司会
  44. 三九、司书
  45. 四〇、职内
  46. 四一、职岁
  47. 四二、职币
  48. 四三、司裘
  49. 四四、掌皮
  50. 四五、内宰
  51. 四六、内小臣
  52. 四七、阍人
  53. 四八、寺人
  54. 四九、内竖
  55. 五〇、九嫔
  56. 五一、世妇
  57. 五二、女御
  58. 五三、女祝
  59. 五四、女史
  60. 五五、典妇功
  61. 五六、典丝
  62. 五七、典枲
  63. 五八、内司服
  64. 五九、缝人
  65. 六〇、染人
  66. 六一、追师
  67. 六二、屦人
  68. 六三、夏采
  69. 地官司徒第二
  70. 叙官
  71. 一、大司徒
  72. 二、小司徒
  73. 三、乡师
  74. 四、乡大夫
  75. 五、州长
  76. 六、党正
  77. 七、族师
  78. 八、闾胥
  79. 九、比长
  80. 一〇、封人
  81. 一一、鼓人
  82. 一二、舞师
  83. 一三、牧人
  84. 一四、牛人
  85. 一五、充人
  86. 一六、载师
  87. 一七、闾师
  88. 一八、县师
  89. 一九、遗人
  90. 二〇、均人
  91. 二一、师氏
  92. 二二、保氏
  93. 二三、司谏
  94. 二四、司救
  95. 二五、调人
  96. 二六、媒氏
  97. 二七、司市
  98. 二八、质人
  99. 二九、廛人
  100. 三〇、胥师
  101. 三一、贾师
  102. 三二、司暴
  103. 三三、司稽
  104. 三四、胥
  105. 三五、肆长
  106. 三六、泉府
  107. 三七、司门
  108. 三八、司关
  109. 三九、掌节
  110. 四〇、遂人
  111. 四一、遂师
  112. 四二、遂大夫
  113. 四三、县正
  114. 四四、鄙师
  115. 四五、酂长
  116. 四六、里宰
  117. 四七、邻长
  118. 四八、旅师
  119. 四九、稍人
  120. 五〇、委人
  121. 五一、土均
  122. 五二、草人
  123. 五三、稻人
  124. 五四、土训
  125. 五五、诵训
  126. 五六、山虞
  127. 五七、林衡
  128. 五八、川衡
  129. 五九、泽虞
  130. 六〇、迹人
  131. 六一、矿人
  132. 六二、角人
  133. 六三、羽人
  134. 六四、掌葛
  135. 六五、掌染草
  136. 六六、掌炭
  137. 六七、掌荼
  138. 六八、掌蜃
  139. 六九、囿人
  140. 七〇、场人
  141. 七一、廪人
  142. 七二、舍人
  143. 七三、仓人
  144. 七四、司禄(阙)
  145. 七五、司稼
  146. 七六、舂人
  147. 七七、人
  148. 七八、槁人
  149. 春官宗伯第三
  150. 叙官
  151. 一、大宗伯
  152. 二、小宗伯
  153. 三、肆师
  154. 四、郁人
  155. 五、鬯人
  156. 六、鸡人
  157. 七、司尊彝
  158. 八、司几筵
  159. 九、天府
  160. 一〇、典瑞
  161. 一一、典命
  162. 一二、司服
  163. 一三、典祀
  164. 一四、守祧
  165. 一五、世妇
  166. 一六、内宗
  167. 一七、外宗
  168. 一八、冢人
  169. 一九、墓大夫
  170. 二〇、职丧
  171. 二一、大司乐
  172. 二二、乐师
  173. 二三、大胥
  174. 二四、小胥
  175. 二五、大师
  176. 二六、小师
  177. 二七、瞽矇
  178. 二八、视瞭
  179. 二九、典同
  180. 三〇、磬师
  181. 三一、钟师
  182. 三二、笙师
  183. 三三、镈师
  184. 三四、师
  185. 三五、旄人
  186. 三六、籥师
  187. 三七、籥章
  188. 三八、鞮氏
  189. 三九、典庸器
  190. 四〇、司干
  191. 四一、大卜
  192. 四二、卜师
  193. 四三、龟人
  194. 四四、菙氏
  195. 四五、占人
  196. 四六、筮人
  197. 四七、占梦
  198. 四八、视祲
  199. 四九、大祝
  200. 五〇、小祝
  201. 五一、丧祝
  202. 五二、甸祝
  203. 五三、诅祝
  204. 五四、司巫
  205. 五五、男巫
  206. 五六、女巫
  207. 五七、大史
  208. 五八、小史
  209. 五九、冯相氏
  210. 六〇、保章氏
  211. 六一、内史
  212. 六二、外史
  213. 六三、御史
  214. 六四、巾车
  215. 六五、典路
  216. 六六、车仆
  217. 六七、司常
  218. 六八、都宗人
  219. 六九、家宗人
  220. 七〇、神仕
  221. 夏官司马第四
  222. 叙官
  223. 一、大司马
  224. 二、小司马
  225. 三、军司马(阙)
  226. 四、舆司马(阙)
  227. 五、行司马(阙)
  228. 六、司勋
  229. 七、马质
  230. 八、量人
  231. 九、小子
  232. 一〇、羊人
  233. 一一、司爟
  234. 一二、掌固
  235. 一三、司险
  236. 一四、掌疆(阙)
  237. 一五、候人
  238. 一六、环人
  239. 一七、挈壶氏
  240. 一八、射人
  241. 一九、服不氏
  242. 二〇、射鸟氏
  243. 二一、罗氏
  244. 二二、掌畜
  245. 二三、司士
  246. 二四、诸子
  247. 二五、司右
  248. 二六、虎贲氏
  249. 二七、旅贲氏
  250. 二八、节服氏
  251. 二九、方相氏
  252. 三〇、大仆
  253. 三一、小臣
  254. 三二、祭仆
  255. 三三、御仆
  256. 三四、隶仆
  257. 三五、弁师
  258. 三六、司甲(阙)
  259. 三七、司兵
  260. 三八、司戈盾
  261. 三九、司弓矢
  262. 四〇、缮人
  263. 四一、槁人
  264. 四二、戎右
  265. 四三、齐右
  266. 四四、道右
  267. 四五、大驭
  268. 四六、戎仆
  269. 四七、齐仆
  270. 四八、道仆
  271. 四九、田仆
  272. 五〇、驭夫
  273. 五一、校人
  274. 五二、趣马
  275. 五三、巫马
  276. 五四、牧师
  277. 五五、廋人
  278. 五六、圉师
  279. 五七、圉人
  280. 五八、职方氏
  281. 五九、土方氏
  282. 六〇、怀方氏
  283. 六一、合方氏
  284. 六二、训方氏
  285. 六三、形方氏
  286. 六四、山师
  287. 六五、川师
  288. 六六、原师
  289. 六七、匡人
  290. 六八、撢人
  291. 六九、都司马(附家司马)
  292. 秋官司寇第五
  293. 叙官
  294. 一、大司寇
  295. 二、小司寇
  296. 三、士师
  297. 四、乡士
  298. 五、遂士
  299. 六、县士
  300. 七、方士
  301. 八、讶士
  302. 九、朝士
  303. 一〇、司民
  304. 一一、司刑
  305. 一二、司刺
  306. 一三、司约
  307. 一四、司盟
  308. 一五、职金
  309. 一六、司厉
  310. 一七、犬人
  311. 一八、司圜
  312. 一九、掌囚
  313. 二〇、掌戮
  314. 二一、司隶
  315. 二二、罪隶
  316. 二三、蛮隶
  317. 二四、闽隶
  318. 二五、夷隶
  319. 二六、貉隶
  320. 二七、布宪
  321. 二八、禁杀戮
  322. 二九、禁暴氏
  323. 三〇、野庐氏
  324. 三一、蜡氏
  325. 三二、雍氏
  326. 三三、萍氏
  327. 三四、司寤氏
  328. 三五、司烜氏
  329. 三六、条狼氏
  330. 三七、修闾氏
  331. 三八、冥氏
  332. 三九、庶氏
  333. 四〇、穴氏
  334. 四一、翨氏
  335. 四二、柞氏
  336. 四三、薙氏
  337. 四四、硩蔟氏
  338. 四五、翦氏
  339. 四六、赤犮氏
  340. 四七、蝈氏
  341. 四八、壶涿氏
  342. 四九、庭氏
  343. 五〇、衔枚氏
  344. 五一、伊耆氏
  345. 五二、大行人
  346. 五三、小行人
  347. 五四、司仪
  348. 五五、行夫
  349. 五六、环人
  350. 五七、象胥
  351. 五八、掌客
  352. 五九、掌讶
  353. 六〇、掌交
  354. 六一、掌祭(阙)
  355. 六二、掌货贿(阙)
  356. 六三、朝大夫
  357. 六四、都则(阙)
  358. 六五、都士(阙)
  359. 六六、家士(阙)
  360. 冬官考工记第六
  361. 总叙
  362. 一、轮人
  363. 二、舆人
  364. 三、辀人
  365. 四、筑氏
  366. 五、冶氏
  367. 六、桃氏
  368. 七、凫氏
  369. 八、栗氏
  370. 九、段氏(阙)
  371. 一〇、函人
  372. 一一、鲍人
  373. 一二、人
  374. 一三、韦氏(阙)
  375. 一四、裘氏(阙)
  376. 一五、画缋
  377. 一六、钟氏
  378. 一七、筐氏(阙)
  379. 一八、氏
  380. 一九、玉人
  381. 二〇、楖人(阙)
  382. 二一、雕人(阙)
  383. 二二、磬氏
  384. 二三、矢人
  385. 二四、陶人
  386. 二五、瓬人
  387. 二六、梓人
  388. 二七、庐人
  389. 二八、匠人
  390. 二九、车人
  391. 三〇、弓人
  392. 附录
  393. 主要引用书目

FAQ

Is the translation style more literal or free?
Mr. Yang Tianyu's translation is generally literal, striving for word-for-word correspondence and accurate conveyance of the original meaning, though when handling complex official titles and institutional terms he adds concise explanations to make the text coherent. It is a rigorous scholarly modern translation.
Is this book suitable as an introductory text to the Rites of Zhou?
The book combines scholarship with readability, and its detailed annotations and introduction are very helpful to beginners. However, the Rites of Zhou itself is difficult, involving a great many ancient names and institutions. Readers are advised to have some basic knowledge of pre-Qin history and texts, or to read it alongside other introductory works.
How does this edition compare with other annotated translations of the Rites of Zhou?
This translation-and-annotation series from Shanghai Classics Publishing House is known for its fine base texts and rigorous collation. Yang Tianyu's edition is distinguished by solid textual research and clear annotations; its Preface offers particularly deep analysis of academic controversies and is of high scholarly value. It is one of the more widely used and recognized professional editions available.

Related on WeRead

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

杨天宇 Author

Yang Tianyu is an author in the field of collating and annotating classical Chinese texts. Public information about him is limited, and details such as his native place, dates of birth and death, and educational background are not clearly recorded. Judging from the five works held in the collection, his work centers on modern annotation and translation of the Confucian classics known as the "Three Rites," including Annotated Translations of the Book of Rites, Annotated Translations of the Rites of Zhou, and Annotated Translations of the Etiquette and Ceremonies; the Book of Rites volume exists in both separate and two-volume editions. These works fall under the common categories of Eastern philosophy and history readings and are intended for general readers and beginners who wish to read the original ritual classics directly. His annotation style is mainly to explain meanings alongside the text and clarify sentences, striving to lower the barrier to reading pre-Qin ritual documents so that ancient ceremonial institutions and ideas become more accessible to modern readers, and thus offers some reference value in popularizing traditional ritual studies.

More by the same author

Top rated in the same category