The Shijing, also known as the Classic of Poetry or Shih-ching, is the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry. It consists of 305 works dating from the 11th to the 7th centuries BC and has been a subject of study and memorization in China and neighboring countries for over two millennia.
Traditionally considered one of the "Five Classics," the work is said to have been edited by Confucius. It serves as a significant source of chengyu, which remain part of learned discourse and everyday language in modern Chinese. Additionally, since the Qing dynasty, the collection's rhyme patterns have been utilized in the study of Old Chinese phonology.