The Five Classics refers to the five Confucian classics: the Classic of Poetry, the Book of Documents, the Book of Rites, the I Ching (Book of Changes), and the Spring and Autumn Annals.

The Five Classics refers to the five core classics of the Confucian school, namely the Classic of Poetry, the Book of Documents, the Book of Rites, the I Ching (Book of Changes), and the Spring and Autumn Annals. In the pre-Qin period there was originally a saying of the Six Classics: Poetry, Documents, Rites, Music, Changes, and Spring and Autumn Annals. Later the Classic of Music was lost, and the remaining five were collectively called the Five Classics, becoming the basic texts studied by scholars through the ages.

In terms of content, each of the Five Classics has its own emphasis. The Classic of Poetry is China's earliest anthology of poetry, collecting many poetic works from the Western Zhou to the Spring and Autumn period; the Book of Documents is a compilation of ancient historical documents, recording early decrees and speeches; the Book of Rites mainly records the ritual system and ceremonial norms of the pre-Qin period; the I Ching uses divination as its form and contains rich philosophical thought; and the Spring and Autumn Annals is a chronological history book, concise in wording and emphasizing subtle words with profound meaning.

The Five Classics held an extremely high status in history. The Han dynasty court once established the Erudites of the Five Classics to specially teach and study these texts, and thereafter the Five Classics long remained an important part of official education and the imperial examinations. In ancient times, thoroughly reading the Five Classics was regarded as a basic mark of learning and cultivation, and also an important path for scholars to enter officialdom.

In everyday speech people often say the Four Books and Five Classics together. The Four Books refer to the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Analects, and Mencius, which together with the Five Classics constitute the system of Confucian classics, exerting a profound influence on traditional Chinese culture, the educational system, and ethical concepts, and to this day still serving as an important window for understanding traditional culture.