Contents -- List of Illustrations -- Acknowledgments -- Chapter One: Introduction -- Chapter Two: History and Historical Legend -- Dynastic Cycle and the Conflicting Principles of Rule by Virtue and Rule by Hereditary Right -- The Collapse of the Hereditary Aristocracy in the Eastern Zhou Period -- The Question of Monarchism -- The Legend of Yao and Shun and the Function of Historical Legend in Transmitted Texts -- The Qin Watershed -- Chapter Three: The Chu-script Bamboo-Slip Manuscripts -- The Formation of Multi-chapter Texts: A Hypothesis -- Bamboo-slip Scrolls -- Wood Tablets -- Silk Scrolls -- The Development of Stable Texts -- Guodian Tomb One -- The Identity of the Tomb Occupant -- The Guodian Laozi and Textual History -- Other Manuscripts from Guodian Tomb One -- The Shanghai Museum Collection -- Guojiagang 家崗 Tomb One -- Female Literacy in the Warring States Period -- The Contents of the Manuscripts in the Shanghai Museum Collection -- The Tsinghua University Collection -- The Authenticity of the Shanghai and Tsinghua Bamboo-slip Manuscripts -- Preparing the Official Publications -- Transmission of Texts -- Deciphering Chu Graphs -- Chapter Four: Advocating Abdication: Tang Yú zhi dao 唐 之 , "The Way of Tang Yao 唐堯 and Yú Shun " -- The Abdication Legend -- The Problem of Identification with a Philosophical School -- The Manuscript -- Translation -- I (Slips 1-3 -- 22/1-9) -- II (Slips 22/10-25/23) -- III (Slips 25/24-27/14) -- IV (Slips 27/15-28 -- 4/1) -- V (Slips 4/2-6/15) -- VI (Slips 6/16-10/9) -- VII (Slip 10/10-end -- 12-13 -- 18/1-19/25) -- VIII (Slips 19/26-21 -- 11 -- 14/1-2) -- IX (Slips 14/3-15/22) -- X (Slips 15/23-17 -- 29) -- Abdication as the Fullest Expression of Humaneness and Rightness -- Loving Kin and Honoring Worthies -- The Six Thearchs -- The Sage Ruler and the Natural Order (ming.

The Abdication of King Kuai of Yan -- Analysis -- Conclusion -- Tang Yú zhi dao 唐 之 : Translation and Chinese Edition -- Key to the Edition -- I. The Way of Tang Yao and Yu Shun (Slips 1-3 -- 22/1-9) -- II. Yao and Shun (Slips 22/10-25/23) -- III. Abdication in old age (Slips 25/24-27/14) -- IV. Record of Yú (Shun) (Slips 27/15-28 -- 4/1) -- V. Sages and ruler (Slips 4/2-6/15) -- VI. Filial piety and abdication (Slips 6/16-10/9) -- VII. Xia (Yu) (Slip 10/10-end -- 12-13 -- 18/1-19/25) -- VIII. Transforming the people (Slip 19/26-Slip 21 -- 11 -- 14/1-2) -- IX. (Slips 14/3-15/22) -- X. (Slips 15/23-end of 17 -- 29) -- Abbreviations -- Chapter Five: The Zigao 子羔 and the Nature of Early Confucianism -- Zigao -- The Manuscript -- Translation -- I (Slips 9 -- 11top -- 10 -- 11bottom -- CUHK3 -- 12) -- II (Slips 13/15-end -- 7 -- 33 -- 1/1-12) -- III (Slips 1 -- 6/1-19) -- IV (Slips 6/20-34 -- 2) -- V (Slips 3 -- 4 -- 5 -- 8/1-24) -- VI (Slips 8/25-39 -- 14) -- The Three Kings -- The Sons of Heaven (tian zi) -- The Birth of Yu -- Xie, the Divine Progenitor of the Shang -- Hou Ji: The Divine Progenitor of the Zhou -- Shun, the Son of the Music Master -- Abdication -- Yao's Insight and Shun's Virtue -- The Importance of Humility -- Shun and the Three Sons of Heaven -- Conclusion -- Zigao 子羔: Translation and Chinese Edition -- Key to the Edition -- I . The sons of heaven (Slips 9/1‑end -- 11top -- 10 -- 11bottom -- CUHK3 -- 12 -- 13/1-14) -- II . Shun, the son of the music master (Slips 13/15-end -- 7 -- 33 -- 1/1-12) -- III . Abdication (Slips 1 -- 6/1-19) -- IV . Yao's insight and Shun's virtue (Slips 6/20-34 -- 2) -- V . The importance of humility (Slips 3 -- 4 -- 5 -- 8/1-24) -- VI . Shun and the three sons of heaven (Slips 8/25-39 -- 14) -- Abbreviations: -- Chapter Six: Rongchengshi 容成氏: Abdication and Utopian Vision -- The Manuscript.

Summary of the Narrative -- Section I: The Period of Perfect Harmony (Slips 1-3) -- The Rulers of High Antiquity -- Section II. Youyú Tong (Slips 35B -- 43 -- 31-32 -- 4-6/4) -- Section III. The rule of Yao (Slips 6/5-7 -- 9-11 -- 13-14 -- 8 -- 12) -- Yao's Accession to the Throne -- The Appointment of Shun -- Section IV. The Rule of Shun (Slips 23 -- 15 -- 24-30 -- 16-18/9) -- Yu's Nine Provinces -- The Development of Human Society -- Section V. The Reign of Yu (Slips 18/10-22 -- 33-34 -- 35A) -- The Four Banners -- Austerity -- Section VI. Jie and Tang (Slips 35A/12-end -- 12 -- 36-42/23) -- Section VII. Zhòu and King Wen (Slips 42/24-end -- 44-49/34) -- Section VIII. King Wu (Slips 49/35-53) -- The Devolutionary Scheme -- Conclusion -- Rongchengshi 容成氏: Translation and Chinese Edition -- Key to the Edition -- I. The Period of Perfect Harmony (Slips 1-3) -- II. Youyú Tong (Slips 35B -- 43 -- 31-32 -- 4-6/4) -- III. The Rule of Yao (Slips 6/5-7 -- 9-11 -- 13-14 -- 8 -- 12) -- IV. The Rule of Shun (Slips 23 -- 15 -- 24-30 -- 16-18/9) -- V. The Reign of Yu (Slips 18/10-22 -- 33-34 -- 35A) -- VI. Jie and Tang (Slips 35A/12-end -- 36-42/23) -- VII. Zhòu and King Wen (Slips 42/24-end -- 44-49/34) -- VIII. King Wu (Slips 49/35-53) -- Abbreviations -- Chapter Seven: The Bao xun 保 : Obtaining the Center to Become King -- Translation -- Section I: Preface (Slips 1/1-4/6) -- Section II: Shun (Slips 4/7-6/9) -- Section III: Wei and Tang (Slips 8/2-9/25) -- Section IV: Command (Slips 10/1-11/17) -- The Transmitted Shu -- Shu as a Literary Form -- Wang ruo yue -- The Origin of Shu -- The Bao xun -- Preface -- Section I (Slips 1/1-4/6): -- Shun as a Model for King Wu -- Section II. (Slips 4/7-8/1) -- Shang Jia Wei -- The Admonition -- The Meaning of Zhong 中 -- The Idea of the Center -- The Center in Shang Ritual -- Songshan 嵩山 as the Center of the Earth.

Kingship and the Center -- The Date and Origin of the Manuscript -- Conclusion -- Bao xun 保 : Translation and Chinese Edition -- Key to the edition -- I. Preface (Slips 1/1-4/6) -- II. Shun (a) (Slips 4/7-6/8). -- II. (b) (Slips 6/9-8/1) -- III. Wei and Tang (Slips 8/2-9/25) -- IV. Command (Slips 10/1-11/17) -- Abbreviations: -- Chapter Eight: Afterthoughts -- The Manuscripts -- Legend and political theory -- Bibliography -- Index.