The Charge to Cai Zhong

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaAug 2024

3.0

Word count: 474 words
Chapters: 2

Summary

The Charge to Cai Zhong is a chapter title from the Book of Documents. After Cai Shudu was exiled and stripped of his rank, his son Cai Zhong, who was virtuous, was eventually enfeoffed by the Duke of Zhou in the state of Cai, and the Duke wrote "The Charge to Cai Zhong" to admonish him.

Editor's review

The Command to Cai Zhong is a proclamation text in the Book of Documents. Its background is that after Cai Shudu was exiled for his offense, his son Cai Zhong was recommended by the Duke of Zhou on account of his virtue and enfeoffed anew in Cai, whereupon the Duke of Zhou composed this piece to admonish him. The whole text centers on exhortation, reflecting the early Western Zhou rulers' emphasis on virtue, diligent governance, and faithful observance of ancestral teachings; it is an important text for understanding early Zhou political ethics and the enfeoffment system. The Bashu Shushe edition makes the original accessible to readers. The language is archaic and concise, and though brief, it offers a typical specimen of the proclamation genre and the concept of rule by virtue. It should be read in the context of the Book of Documents as a whole, with attention to the hortatory and cautionary tone of the proclamation and to its remarks on the way of employing men. For readers studying pre-Qin history, political thought, or ancient genres, this piece can serve as an entry point for close reading of selections from the Book of Documents; general readers may also use it to sense the solemnity and concision of early canonical proclamation prose.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers studying pre-Qin history and political thought
Scholars researching the style of the Book of Documents and proclamation texts
History and literature teachers needing classical selections for teaching
Advanced readers interested in the early Zhou enfeoffment system

Not a good fit for

General readers seeking light entertainment
Beginners lacking Classical Chinese foundations and without annotated aids

Reading tips

First understand the background of Cai Shudu's exile and Cai Zhong's enfeoffment, then read the main text to grasp its meaning more easily
Read closely sentence by sentence against the annotations, noting the layers of admonition in the proclamation's tone
Read alongside other proclamation chapters of the Book of Documents to appreciate shared stylistic features
After reading, summarize in your own words the core points of the Duke of Zhou's admonition 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
周书·蔡仲之命第十九

FAQ

What story does The Command to Cai Zhong tell?

After Cai Shudu was exiled and stripped of his rank, his son Cai Zhong, because of his virtue, was ultimately enfeoffed anew in the state of Cai by the Duke of Zhou, who composed The Command to Cai Zhong to admonish him. The focus of the piece is not narrative but the Duke of Zhou's words of admonition to Cai Zhong.

Do I need to read other chapters of the Book of Documents first?

Reading the entire Book of Documents is not necessary. But understanding early Zhou enfeoffment and the origins of the state of Cai beforehand will make comprehension smoother. It is advisable to read this piece with annotations and background introduction, then expand to other proclamation chapters according to interest.

Is this piece suitable for beginners approaching the Book of Documents?

It is short and thematically focused, so it can serve as an entry selection, but the archaic language remains an obstacle. Beginners should use an edition with detailed annotations, first clarifying the words and sentences, then appreciating the admonitory content; starting from an unannotated text is not advisable.

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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.