The Most Venerable Book (Shang Shu)
A wonderfully enjoyable storehouse of ancient Chinese history and legends, which also has an important role in understanding 21st-century China The Most Venerable Book (also known as The Book of History) is one of the Five Classics. For many centuries it was a central work for anyone wishing to work for the Imperial administration, with its prestige stemming from the belief that it had been assembled by Confucius himself. The First Emperor tried to have all copies destroyed because of its subversive implication that 'the Mandate of Heaven' could be withdrawn from rulers who failed their people. For similar reasons it was also banned by Mao. Extraordinarily, it has been revived by the Chinese government of the 2010s.
Martin Palmer (Translator) Martin Palmer is Director of the International Consultancy on Religion, Education and Culture (ICOREC) and Secretary General of the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC). His previous translations include The Book of Chuang Tzu and The Most Venerable Book (both Penguin Classics), The Dao de Jing and The I Ching.
Author: Confucius
Format: Paperback, 256 pages, 130mm x 195mm, 190 g
Published: 2014, Penguin Books Ltd, United Kingdom
Genre: Non-Christian Religions
A wonderfully enjoyable storehouse of ancient Chinese history and legends, which also has an important role in understanding 21st-century China The Most Venerable Book (also known as The Book of History) is one of the Five Classics. For many centuries it was a central work for anyone wishing to work for the Imperial administration, with its prestige stemming from the belief that it had been assembled by Confucius himself. The First Emperor tried to have all copies destroyed because of its subversive implication that 'the Mandate of Heaven' could be withdrawn from rulers who failed their people. For similar reasons it was also banned by Mao. Extraordinarily, it has been revived by the Chinese government of the 2010s.
Martin Palmer (Translator) Martin Palmer is Director of the International Consultancy on Religion, Education and Culture (ICOREC) and Secretary General of the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC). His previous translations include The Book of Chuang Tzu and The Most Venerable Book (both Penguin Classics), The Dao de Jing and The I Ching.