Sources of global history in the Middle East and Asia

Middle East & Asia

The Book of Genesis is the Most Comparable Document to the Book of Documents

Of all the documents, the Book of Genesis is the most comparable to the Book of Documents. The Book of Songs is quite different as it deals with songs that address the questions of courtship, love, marriage, ordinary people, and other family affairs. The Rig Veda has some similar aspects and is a religious-social-political book in the form of songs, but it is quite different in terms of themes and issues addressed. The Odyssey deals with questions of bravery, loyalty, honor, and the inner evils of human behavior -- which makes it hardly comparable to the Book of Documents. The Book of Deuteronomy discusses a Covenant with God but it is about Moses talking to people, while the Book of Documents is a series of lectures delivered to one person. So, the only book that is similar in themes and most comparable to the Book of Documents is the Book of Genesis.

The Book of Documents discusses political, social, and cosmological philosophy, telling the reasons of successes and failures of the Chinese monarchs. The Book of Genesis tells the story of failure and the success of Noah and his people. Both of them are in some ways Mandates of Heaven although only the former is called as such. The successes and failures of the Chinese monarchs were pretty much the successes and failures of all people in the eyes of Chinese at the time since the king was like the father who deserved to be obeyed and revered. In that sense, the success and failure of Noah and his people is comparable to that. In both of them, the preaching is delivered to the leader of the community. King Tai Jia is the king and father of the Chinese people, while Noah was the leader and father of Ham, Shem, and Japheth. The books are also comparable as historical documents. Both books were written and perhaps edited centuries later, and in both cases, those who wrote them tried to meet the needs of their times. Therefore, both documents contain myths and fabrications that served the interests of the writers of later periods. Both documents make references to time, which give them the form of historical documents.

The Book of Documents is believed to be an advice given to King Tai Jia by the faithful Yi Yin, and the Book of Genesis is the advice given to Noah by God. But the advice of Yi Yin, according to this legend, is comparable to the authority of the Bible. It is the Mandate from Heaven. Yi Yin lectures the King as if what he says is the word coming from cosmic powers. Both the Book of Documents and the Book of Genesis suggest that peace and tranquility -- and misery on earth, likewise -- depend on the behavior of mankind. If they respect the laws, obey the authority, they are going to be rewarded with peace and happiness. If they rebel against higher powers and engage in drunkenness, orgies, and depravity, they will be punished severely. In both books, the world has seen happiness and calamities that befell them due to the Grace or Wrath of the cosmic powers.