Sibu classification

Sibu classification is a traditional Chinese classification system for categorising texts.

History

By the Han dynasty, the first attempt to categorise Chinese classics was done by Liu Xiang and his son Liu Xin into 6 distinct categories with a general catalogue making it a 7-part system..
This classification system included the following categories,

Summary of the Six Arts - Confucian classics and traditional teachings.
Summary of the Masters - Writings of various philosophical schools.
Summary of Poetry & Rhapsodies - Poetry, literary anthologies, and Fu collections.
Summary of Military Texts - Books on warfare, military strategy, and tactics.
Summary of Numerology & Techniques - Astronomy, calendrical science, mathematics, divination, geomancy, and medicine.
Summary of Prescriptions & Techniques - Medicine, pharmacology, and healing techniques.

During the Jin dynasty, Xun Xu complied Zhongjing Xinbu based on a previous work, which originally had six categories but was now condensed into four.

Jia - classics
Yi - philosophical writings
Bing - historical works
Ding - poetry and rhapsodies

These categories were reminiscent of the current categories of the Sibu classification. These categories were later redefined by Li Chong by moving historical works into Yi and philosophical writings into Bing.
The Sibu classification was formally established by the Tang dynasty, occurring in the work, Suishu·Jingjizhi. The work adopted names for the four categories,,,, and. This system was in used up to the Qing dynasty and influenced classification methods in Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

Categories

Classics - Confucian classics and authoritative texts essential to Chinese intellectual and bureaucratic traditions. Includes books such as Book of Changes, the Analects, and the Book of Rites.History - Historical records, dynastic histories, and biographies. Includes books such as Shiji.Philosophy - Works from various schools of thought, such as Taoism, Legalism, Buddhism, as well as scientific, medical, and technical texts.Literature - Poetry, prose, literary critiques, and collected works of famous authors. Such as the Three Hundred Tang Poems.

Influence

, a digital library of Vietnamese texts digitised by the Nôm Foundation, uses the Sibu classification.