The Meaning of the Yan Feast

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

3.5

Word count: 622 words
Chapters: 2

Summary

In ancient times, among the officials of the Zhou Son of Heaven, there was the office of the Shuzi. The Shuzi official governed the retinues of the younger sons of the feudal lords, ministers, grandees, and officers, overseeing their prohibitions and orders, their instruction and governance, distinguishing their ranks and rectifying their positions. When the state had great affairs, he would lead the sons of the state and present them to the crown prince, to be employed as the latter saw fit. If there were matters of arms, he would bestow upon them chariots and armor, assemble their companies and squads, appoint their officers, and govern them by military law; the Minister of War did not direct them. In all the political affairs of the state, the sons of the state remained among the unenrolled retinues, causing them to cultivate virtue and study the Way; in spring they assembled at the school, in autumn they assembled at the archery ground, in order to test their skills and advance or retire them.

Editor's review

Yan Yi (The Meaning of the Feast) is a chapter of the Book of Rites (Liji); its author is unknown. It deals specifically with the duties of the ancient office of shuzi: managing the sons of feudal lords, ministers, grandees, and retainers, handling their prohibitions and orders, their instruction and governance, distinguishing their ranks, and rectifying their positions. When the state had great affairs, the officer led the sons of the nobility to the crown prince, to be employed as the prince saw fit. If there were military matters, they were given chariots and armor, formed into companies and squads, and officers were appointed over them, governed by military law; the minister of war did not direct them. In ordinary state affairs, the sons of the nobility remained among the cadet ranks, cultivating virtue and learning the Way; in spring they assembled at the school, in autumn at the archery ground, where their skills were examined and they were promoted or demoted accordingly. The language is concise and archaic, and the text is not long, yet it is important material for understanding the pre-Qin patriarchal clan system, the education of aristocratic youth, and military-administrative organization. This standalone edition published by Bashu Publishing House in 2024 makes it convenient for readers to study this chapter in a concentrated way. Its value lies in institutional history and ritual studies: readers can glimpse how the ancient state placed and trained aristocratic youth, and the connections among learning, archery, and military administration. It is best read together with other chapters of the Book of Rites and should not be treated as an independent, systematic theoretical work.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Students of literature and history studying the Book of Rites and pre-Qin ritual institutions
Researchers interested in the ancient patriarchal clan system and aristocratic education
Teachers who need the single text of Yan Yi for teaching or annotation reference
Classical culture enthusiasts interested in pre-Qin military administration and the selection of retainers

Not a good fit for

Readers who want popular introductions to traditional culture and are intimidated by classical Chinese
Practical readers seeking modern educational methods or management insights
Readers who expect the complete Book of Rites and buy only a single chapter

Reading tips

First read the original text once or twice, using the annotations to clarify key terms such as shuzi, guozi, and zuwu.
Read it against related chapters of the Book of Rites to understand the place of the shuzi office within the ritual system.
Read it together with basic knowledge of pre-Qin patriarchal clans and military systems; avoid understanding the institutional descriptions in isolation.
After reading, try to summarize in your own words the duties and operation of the shuzi office to test your understanding.

About the publisher

Bashu Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.

版权信息
燕义第四十七

FAQ

Is Yan Yi a standalone book or a chapter of the Book of Rites?

Yan Yi is a chapter of the Book of Rites, and its author is unknown. This book is a standalone edited edition of that chapter published by Bashu Publishing House in 2024, convenient for concentrated study, but in content it remains part of the Book of Rites.

Can I read this chapter without having read the whole Book of Rites?

Yes, but a basic knowledge of classical Chinese is needed. It is advisable first to understand the nature of the Book of Rites and the basic background of pre-Qin ritual institutions, and to use this book's annotations to understand institutional terms; if you can also consult related chapters of the Book of Rites, your understanding will be more complete.

How does this book help in understanding ancient education?

The chapter records that the sons of the nobility cultivated virtue and learned the Way in ordinary times, assembled at the school in spring and at the archery ground in autumn, and were promoted or demoted after their skills were examined. This reflects an approach that combined the education and selection of aristocratic youth. Readers can use it to observe how ancient education coordinated with military administration and the patriarchal order.

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

Anonymous Author

Anonymous is not a real personal name but a general Chinese designation for authors whose names are unknown, lost, or unsigned. Neither nationality nor dates of birth and death can be verified, and available public information is limited, so the works attributed to this name are the only basis for description. The collection holds 2,078 works under Anonymous, spanning medicine, classics, historical readings, ancient poetry, classical literature, and philosophy. Representative works include The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon: Lingshu, Mencius, The Book of Documents, Nineteen Old Poems, Complete Song Ci, and The Peacock Flies Southeast. Most of these works took shape through long transmission and editing, emerging either from collective folk creation or from authors whose names were lost over time. In ancient China, the Book of Songs, the Great Learning, and many popular storybooks and plays were signed Anonymous because their authors could not be traced. Anonymous works cross the classics, histories, philosophical writings, medical texts, and poetry; their subjects are broad, and their styles vary from archaic simplicity to clear naturalness, making them important and influential sources for understanding ancient Chinese thought, medicine, and literature.