Rites of Zhou - Classics of Confucianism - Cultural China - China culture

The Rites of Zhou (周礼) is a collection of the official system of the Zhou Dynasty and national institutions of various states of the Warring States Period with the addition of Confucian political thoughts. The work, stating state-ruling policies through the official system, is aimed at enriching the country and building up its military power, providing a blueprint for ruling a unified country. In the Han Dynasty, The Rites of Zhou was known as Zhouguan (Offices of Zhou) and renamed Zhouli (The Rites of Zhou) in the late Western Han Dynasty.The work was listed as one of the three ancient ritual texts among the classics of Confucianism. It is China's earliest and most complete record of official systems as well as the most complete record of ancient official systems in the world.

The Rites of Zhou provides a guide to officials at various levels on performing their own duties in the form of official systems. It covers a wide range of historical data, including religion, economic policies, philosophy and moral ethics etc of ancient times. The work is an important cultural classic focusing on Confucian thoughts, with views of the legalists and the theory of "yin and yang" and "the five elements" involved.

The Rites of Zhou presents a complete system of national institutions, in which moral principles are the basic rules for administering state affairs and ensuring national security in an orderly and philosophic manner. The all-inclusive official systems and profound nation-ruling thoughts made inexhaustible humanistic treasure for emperors and scholars alike. The establishment of the Six Ministries in ancient China (Personnel, Households, Rites, Military, Justice and Public Works) and the division of their functions were based on the modes stated in The Rites of Zhou and the system of things and their names also in a large part derived from The Rites of Zhou. The work played an essential historic role in stabilizing and developing ancient Chinese society as well as in the formation of the institutional system unique to China.