The Book of Songs (Various) (11th-7th centuries BCE)

Classic Books in 30 Minutes: Western and World Literature for Busy People · Oct 22, 2026 · 28m

In The Book of Songs (also known as the Book of Odes or Shijing, compiled roughly 11th–7th centuries BCE), various anonymous authors created the oldest surviving collection of Chinese poetry and one of the foundational works of Chinese literature. Its 305 poems range from simple songs about courtship, love, marriage, farming, and everyday life to hymns, political criticism, and elaborate celebrations of kings and ancestors. Traditionally associated with Confucius, who was believed to have helped preserve or select its poems, the collection became one of the Five Classics and profoundly…