The Chinese Classics

Book Excerpt

The Books now recognised as of highest authority in China are comprehended
under the denominations of ‘The five Ching [1]’ and ‘The four Shu [2].’ The
term Ching is of textile origin, and signifies the warp threads of a web, and their
adjustment. An easy application of it is to denote what is regular and insures
regularity. As used with reference to books, it indicates their authority on the
subjects of which they treat. ‘The five Ching’ are the five canonical Works,
containing the truth upon the highest subjects from the sages of China, and
which should be received as law by all generations. The term Shu simply means
Writings or Books, = the Pencil Speaking; it may be used of a single character,
or of books containing thousands of characters.