The Four Books are Chinese classic texts illustrating the core value and belief systems in Confucianism. They were selected by Zhu Xi in the Song dynasty to serve as general introduction to Confucian thought, and they were, in the Ming and Qing dynasties, made the core of the official curriculum for the civil service examinations. Contents: Great Learning Doctrine of the Mean Analects Mencius
The Four Books of Confucianism (Bilingual Edition: English/Chinese) represents a foundational cornerstone in the study of Confucian philosophy, offering readers a diverse and profound exploration of East Asian moral and philosophical thought. This collection embodies the rich tapestry of Confucian teachings, covering an array of themes from ethics, politics, to personal development, and embracing a variety of literary styles from dialogue to essay. The significance of these works extends beyond their historical and cultural context, providing timeless insight into the human condition and societal governance. The inclusion of both English and Chinese texts opens a gateway to comparative literary analysis and deeper understanding. The editors have meticulously compiled teachings from anonymous disciples alongside works by Mencius, one of Confucianisms most influential figures, ensuring a comprehensive coverage of Confucian philosophy. The collection reflects the breadth of the Confucian intellectual tradition, rooted in the Zhou Dynasty and evolving through centuries of Chinese history. It engages with several key periods in the development of Chinese thought, from the Warring States period to the Han Dynasty, inviting readers to explore the interconnectedness of ideas across time. This bilingual edition offers a unique opportunity for scholars, students, and enthusiasts of philosophy and literature to immerse themselves in the depths of Confucian thought. It promotes an unparalleled educational journey through the landscape of one of the world's oldest philosophical traditions. Readers are encouraged to delve into this collection not just for its historical significance, but for the wealth of wisdom and insight into ethics, leadership, and personal fulfillment that it provides. The dialogue between the ancient texts and contemporary readers facilitated by this edition fosters a deeper appreciation of the enduring relevance of Confucian philosophy.
This edition of Lu Xun's Chinese classic A Madman's Diary features both English and Chinese side by side for easy reference and bilingual support. The Lu Xun Bilingual Study Series includes a study guide and additional materials for each book in the series. Published in 1918 by Lu Xun, one of the greatest writers in 20th-century Chinese literature. This short story is one of the first and most influential modern works written in vernacular Chinese and would become a cornerstone of the New Culture Movement. It is the first story in Call to Arms, a collection of short stories by Lu Xun. The story was often referred to as "China's first modern short story". The diary form was inspired by Nikolai Gogol's short story "Diary of a Madman, " as was the idea of the madman who sees reality more clearly than those around him. The "madman" sees "cannibalism" both in his family and the village around him, and he then finds cannibalism in the Confucian classics which had long been credited with a humanistic concern for the mutual obligations of society, and thus for the superiority of Confucian civilization. The story was read as an ironic attack on traditional Chinese culture and a call for a New Culture. The English translation is provided courtesy of the Marxists Internet Archive.
This volume presents the first English translation of the Confucian classics, Four Books for Women, with extensive commentary by the compiler, Wang Xiang, and introductions and annotations by translator Ann A. Pang-White. Written by women for women's education, the Confucian Four Books for Women spanned the 1st to the 16th centuries, and encompass Ban Zhao's Lessons for Women, Song Ruoxin's and Song Ruozhao's Analects for Women, Empress Renxiaowen's Teachings for the Inner Court, and Madame Liu's (Chaste Widow Wang's) Short Records of Models for Women. A female counterpart to the famous Sishu (Four Books) compiled by Zhu Xi, Wang Xiang's Nü sishu provides an invaluable look at the long-standing history and evolution of Chinese women's writing, education, identity, and philosophical discourse, along with their struggles and triumphs, across the millennia and numerous Chinese dynasties. Pang-White's new translation brings the authors of the Four Books for Women to life as real, living people, and illustrates why they wrote and how their work empowered women.
The Doctrine of the Mean is a text rich with symbolism and guidance to perfecting oneself. The person who follows the mean is on a path of duty and must never leave it. A superior person is cautious, a gentle teacher and shows no contempt for his or her inferiors. Confucius was a Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history. The philosophy of Confucius emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity.
For the past eight hundred years, the study of Confucian doctrine has been largely dominated by the crucial works known as the "Four Books": the Analects, the Mencius, the Daxue, and the Zhongyong. In their original forms, the Daxue and Zhongyong were two of the more than forty chapters of the larger Li ji (Book of Rites), only gaining prominence thanks to the Song Neo-Confucian scholar Zhu Xi. In this groundbreaking text, Ian Johnston and Wang Ping have translated both of these versions of the Daxue and Zhongyong, one version as chapters of the Li ji that contain the influential commentary and notes of Zheng Xuan and Kong Yingda, and the second after they were reorganized into standalone works and reinterpreted by Zhu Xi. Johnston and Wang also include extensive explanatory and supplemental materials to help contextualize and familiarize readers with these supremely influential works.
The Five Classics associated with Confucius formed the core curriculum in the education of Chinese literati throughout most of the imperial period. In this book Michael Nylan offers a sweeping assessment of these ancient texts and shows how their influence spread across East Asia. Nylan begins by tracing the formation of the Five Classics canon in the pre-Han and Han periods, 206 B.C.–A.D. 220, revising standard views on the topic. She assesses the impact on this canon of the invention of a rival corpus, the Four Books, in the twelfth century. She then analyzes each of the Five Classics, discussing when they were written, how they were transmitted and edited in later periods, and what political, historical, and ethical themes were associated with them through the ages. Finally she deliberates on the intertwined fates of Confucius and the Five Classics over the course of the twentieth century and shows how the contents of the Five Classics are relevant to much newer concerns.
The Analects are also called the Analects of Confucius, the Sayings of Confucius, or the Lun Yu, and are an old Chinese book written of a wide collection of ideas and sayings credited to the Chinese philosopher Confucius and his peers. It is believed to have been compiled and written by Confucius's followers. It might have been written during the Warring States period (477-221 BC), and it reached its final structure during the mid-Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD). By the early Han dynasty, the Analects were thought of as simply a commentary on the Five Masterpieces, but the situation with the Analects developed to be one of the central texts of Confucianism toward the end of that dynasty. His essential goal in teaching his students was to produce ethically well-mannered men who might convey themselves with gravity, talk accurately, and demonstrate perfect integrity in all things.
Discover four seminal masterworks of Chinese thought—Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, the Analects of Confucius, the Chuang Tzu, and the Mencius—presented in one volume for the first time in nearly two centuries. Award-winning translator David Hinton offers fresh insights on the most influential texts on Taoism, Zen Buddhism, Chinese philosophy, and more. Hinton’s award–winning experience translating a wide range of ancient Chinese poets makes these books sing in English as never before. But these new versions are not only inviting and immensely readable—they also apply much-needed consistency to key philosophical terms in these texts, lending structural links and philosophical rigor heretofore unavailable in English. Breathing new life into these classics, Hinton’s new translations will stand as the definitive texts for our era. Perhaps the most broadly influential spiritual text in human history, Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching is the source of Taoist philosophy, which eventually developed into Ch’an (Zen) Buddhism. Equally influential in the social sphere, Confucius’ Analects is the source of social wisdom in China. The Chuang Tzu is the wild and wacky prose complement to the Tao Te Ching. And with its philosophical storytelling, the Mencius adds depth and complexity to Confucius’ vision.
