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Edward L. Shaughnessy examines the original composition of China's oldest books, the Classic of Changes, the Venerated Documents, and the Classic of Poetry. By describing the original contexts in which these books were written and what they meant to their original authors and readers, this book sheds light on both the degree to which Chinese culture already was literate by 1000 BC, and also on how the later classical tradition eventually diverged from these origins.

"What I like most is the wealth of detail and the meticulous attention to primary evidence, combined with an overall appreciation of the broader cultural and historical context of the problems that have defied solution for centuries and with which the author deals.

"The book is filled with original lines of inquiry and original conclusions; the articles are of uncommon interest and intellectual challenge". -- John Knoblock, University of Miami

"Shaughnessy really has produced an outstanding work which will provide a service, find a substantial audience, and broaden awareness of his splendid contributions. He has played a pioneering role in opening up Western Zhou cultural history to the field". -- Robert Eno, Indiana University