The article discusses the genesis and initial stage of the formation of poetic creativity (shi ) as an organic component of ancient Chinese official creative activity and in the context of the emergence of views on poetry, codified in the " doctrine of shi "(shixue ), crystallized within the Confucian (Buddhist) theoretical thought. The author proves that the model for these views was the "concept of music" (yue ), which provided a justification for religious, natural-philosophical semantics and socially significant functions of musical arts. The spread of these views on poetry, which apparently had its own origins (the most ancient ritual recitations), was facilitated by the creation of the famous Confucian anthology "Shi Ching" ( "Canon of Poetry"), which, in essence, combined the previous musical and poetic traditions and made it possible to endow shi with meanings and functions previously attributed to musical arts. Keywords: China, Zhou era, official creative activity, musical arts, ancient poetry, Confucian theoretical thought, teaching about poetry, "Shi Jing". POETRY (SHI) IN POLITICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT OF THE FIRST HALF OF ZHOU EPOCH (ELEVENTH CENTURY - THIRD CENTURY ВС) The article is focused on the discussion of origins and initial formative stage of poetry (shi ) as one of the components of the Ancient Chinese state artistic activities and in the aspect of the "learning of shi" (shixue ) theory aroused within the framework of the Confucian (Ru school Rujia ) thought. The author argues, that these views on poetry were modeled after the "musical concept" (yue ), which has attached religious, nature philosophic meanings and socially significant functions to musical arts. The process of transfer of such attitudes on poetry, which, apparently, had its own origins (ancient ritual recitation), was contributed much by the creation of the famous Confucian Shijing ( Classic of Poetry) anthology, which brought together, as a matter of fact, the previous musical ... Read more