Book of Rites: Translation and Annotation (Volume One)

杨天宇Shanghai Classics Publishing House · ChinaDec 2020

4.8

Word count: 280K words
Chapters: 16

Summary

The Book of Rites is an anthology of ritual studies documents from the pre-Qin period through the Qin and Han dynasties. It is essential reading for the study of ancient Chinese ritual institutions and the intellectual history of Confucianism, and its heterogeneous content makes it notoriously difficult to read. This volume provides careful annotation and modern translation, greatly facilitating access to this classic.

Editor's review

Yang Tianyu's Annotated Translation of the Book of Rites is a reliable edition in Shanghai Classics Publishing House's series of annotated translations of ritual classics; this is the first volume. Its greatest value lies in turning the Book of Rites—an anthology heterogeneous in content and archaic in diction—into a text that ordinary readers can enter step by step: the annotations explain names, institutions, and ritual backgrounds, while the modern translation bridges the linguistic gap between the pre-Qin and Han periods and today. Compared with reading a plain vernacular translation alone, readers can see both the original wording and the basis for interpretation, making it suitable both for systematic study and for reading by individual chapters. There is no need to read from cover to cover; begin with chapters relevant to your own concerns, then return to fill in the ritual context; when encountering institutional descriptions, slow down and consult the annotations, treating the book as an entry point to Confucian intellectual history and ancient social life rather than a quick-knowledge primer.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Students of literature and history studying pre-Qin and Han ritual institutions and Confucian thought
General readers who need a reliable annotated translation to read the Book of Rites alongside the original
Teachers preparing lectures on traditional culture who need reference material
Enthusiasts with a systematic interest in ancient rituals and social norms

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking only light, story-driven reading and unwilling to engage with classical Chinese
Readers expecting to read the entire Book of Rites in one go without taking notes

Reading tips

Read the preface and table of contents first to understand the compilation and chapter structure of the Book of Rites, then decide which chapters to start with.
Read the original, annotations, and translation in parallel; after each passage, first paraphrase it yourself, then check the translation.
Keep a notebook for ritual terminology and key points of each chapter, organized by theme for cross-reference.
Read one or two passages a day at a fixed pace; for long institutional passages, skim first and examine closely on a second pass.

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.

版权信息
前言
曲礼上第一
曲礼下第二
檀弓上第三
檀弓下第四
王制第五
月令第六
曾子问第七
文王世子第八
礼运第九
礼器第十
郊特牲第十一
内则第十二
玉藻第十三
明堂位第十四

FAQ

Can I read this book without any foundation in classical Chinese?

Yes, but patience is required. The book includes annotations and a modern translation to help with wording and meaning; read the translation first to grasp the general idea, then return to the original and annotations, gradually building up common ritual terminology. Do not try to parse every character from the start.

Do I need to read this book from beginning to end?

No. The chapters of the Book of Rites are relatively independent; you can start with chapters closely related to general ritual theory and Confucian thought, then expand according to interest. Reading it through is better suited to those with coursework or research tasks.

What is the difference between an annotated translation and an ordinary vernacular translation?

An annotated translation retains the original text and uses annotations to explain names, institutions, textual variants, and other issues; the modern translation is only auxiliary. It is better than a plain vernacular translation for readers who want to understand both the original wording and the basis for interpretation, but reading will be slower.

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.