Shangshu is considered as one of the Confucian classics. Many of its contents are important historical events and official documents in ancient times, and are also important documents for people to study the history of Shang and Zhou Dynasties, especially the early Western Zhou Dynasty. The earliest history books are said to have one hundred articles, which were compiled by Confucius and supplemented by later generations. However, this view is still controversial in academic circles.
It is quite difficult for Shang Shuling to stay. When Qin Shihuang burned books, Fu Sheng had the Book of Jin Wen Shang Shu. The only remaining 28 manuscripts were rearranged in the early years of the Western Han Dynasty and written in the popular official script at that time. There are two kinds of ancient prose "Shangshu", one is the residual version of the ancient prose "Shangshu" discovered by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, and the other is forged by Mei Meng, a native of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Both Jin Wen Shang Shu and Gu Wen Shang Shu have great research value now.
After Qin Shihuang unified China, he issued a book burning order, banning people from collecting books. Poems, books and hundreds of works collected by the people should be sent to the government for centralized burning.
In the Western Han Dynasty, it is said that King Lu discovered another book, Shangshu, when he demolished a section of the wall of Confucius' former residence. This book was written in the font of the Six Kingdoms period before Qin Dynasty, and people called it the ancient prose Shangshu. Most of the history books that have been circulated for more than 2,000 years are compiled according to this book presented by Geng Mei.
There are many articles in Shangshu. After Qin Shihuang burned these books, there was very little left. After discovery, compilation and arrangement, the Book of History is today. It can be said that this part is not easy.