The modern imagination of classical Chinese thought has long been dominated by Confucius, Mozi, Mencius, and other "Masters" of the Warring States period. Michael Hunter argues that this approach neglects the far more central role of poetry, and the Shijing (Classic of Poetry) in particular, in the formation of the philosophical tradition.

Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Reading the Shi
2. A Poetry of Return
3. Shi Poetics Beyond the Shi
4. The Shi and the Verses of Chu (Chuci ¿¿)
5. Comparing Canons: The Shi Versus the Masters
Conclusion: A Classic of N/Odes
Notes
Bibliography
Index