The Shih Culture's Origin And The Early Shape Of Shih-ching In Ancinent China

This paper tries to solve some old questions about Shih-ching, the traditional classic in china, such as shih culture origin and its development process, the early formation of Shih-ching and its dissemination. We take attention to the culture background and social system that made an important influence on the shih tradition. Then, we try to restore the original appearance of shih that had a lasting and multi-lateral progress in its concept, its function, its works and dissemination and so on in Zhou Dynasty. As for Shih-ching, we find that the different causes took shape the shih traditon, that is, the political power such as politician teachers and political historians, and the musicians that given the tune to the shih. These two factors was the background of Shih-ching, and also had an influence in shih's classification. In addition, we give some new explanations on questions such as Speaking-shih, so called 300 Shih, and the Lost-shih.In the first chapter, we discuss the shih's origin, and make such a point that Shih-saying-attitude theory, the prototype model of Shih, and the consciousness of shih concept, all of them appeared as a result of Nayan system that means the political leaders collected and listened to the various views among society in the Yu and Shun time, who are both the legend leaders in ancient china.Chapter II dicusses the shih culture that was due to the combination with the ritual and music system in Zhou Dynasty showed the multi-faceted development trend. Then, it also reveal the shih culture as a whole in the existence of two cultural clues, one from the political and civilized discourse in Shu-ching and Shih-ching, the other was the help of the intervention of the ritual and music ceremonies in Zhou Dynasty that caused the new changes of functions of the shih as well as the expansion of its concept. Thus the shih tradition had obtained great development in its content and usage areas in Zhou time.Chapter III examines the complex and dynamic situation of shih tradition during the early conformation process of Shih-ching, revealing the characteristics of dissemination of shih in Spring-Autumn Period, and findes the channel through which the new could be popular in the political and religious culturel.Chapter IV examines the two shih cultural origins in Zhou Dynasty, that is, musicians's Shihs traditions and the political shih tradition that led the formation of Shih-ching. We believe the two traditions have the influence on the compilation of Shih-ching at the same time.