The “Book of Documents” or “Classic of History” (Shūjīng, Shu Jing, formerly: Shu King; also known as Shàngshū) is one of the Five Classics of ancient Chinese literature. The compendium itself contains, among other, texts that were written 1000 years before the Book of Documents was elevated to the status of a “classic”. Most of the chapters, however, date from later times. Due to its heterogeneity, Shūjīng has long been the focus of great philosophical debates.
