CHAPTER II.


THE SHIH BEFORE CONFUCIUS, AND WHAT, IF ANY, WERE HIS LABOURS UPON IT.

Statement of Sze-ma Khien.

1. Sze-ma Khien, in his memoir of Confucius, says: 'The old poems
amounted to more than 3000. Confucius removed those which were only
repetitions of others, and selected those which would be serviceable for
the inculcation of propriety and righteousness. Ascending as high as
Hsieh and Hau-ki, and descending through the prosperous eras of Yin and
Kau to the times of decadence under kings Yu and Li, he selected in all
305 pieces, which he' sang over to his lute, to bring them into
accordance with the musical style of the Shao, the Wu, the Ya, and the
Fang.'

The writer of the Records of the Sui Dynasty.

In the History of the Classical Books in the Records of the Sui Dynasty
(A.D.589 to 618), it is said:--'When royal benign rule ceased, and poems
were no more collected, Kih, the Grand Music-Master of Lu, arranged in
order those that were existing, and made a copy of them. Then Confucius
expurgated them; and going up to the Shang dynasty, and coming down to
the state of Lu, he compiled altogether 300 Pieces.'

Opinion of Ku Hsi.