the Four Books (Confucian texts)
Refers to the four core Confucian classics: the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Analects, and the Mencius. Used in historical and philosophical contexts.
The Four Books are the fundamental scriptures of Confucianism.
During the Edo period, many samurai studied the Four Books.
the Four Books and Five Classics of Confucianism
From Chinese 四書 (sì shū), literally 'four books'. The term was established by the Song dynasty scholar Zhu Xi.