Amazon.com
More than just a translation, Richard Wilhelm's I Ching is a profound introduction to the Chinese world-view. The I Ching (Yi Jing) is recognized by both Confucians and Taoists as a foundational work, and Wilhelm shows why. He separates his work into three books. The first book is about the hexagrams--the meanings of the lines and Wilhelm's extensive comments. The second presents two early commentaries that interpret the wisdom of the divinatory text, also with Wilhelm's helpful notes. And the third book takes us back to the hexagrams for more detailed commentary from both ancient Chinese thinkers and Wilhelm. Wilhelm is able to offer such enormous assistance because he spent the better part of a decade in China studying under classically trained scholars. His love for the work is thus as broad as his understanding.
The I Ching was originally used for divination, kind of like palm reading or interpreting the stars. It differs from simple prognostication, however, in that it demands us, as diviners, to cultivate an understanding of the world and ourselves. Without this understanding, the text is useless, hence the value of the commentaries, particularly Wilhelm's. This version is not without its biases, of course--it is a European's understanding of the I Ching, through a late-Qing dynasty Confucian perspective, translated into English by a Jungian psychoanalyst. Nonetheless, it succeeds like no other. --Brian Bruya
Book Description
The I Ching, or Book of Changes, a common source for both Confucianist and Taoist philosophy, is one of the first efforts of the human mind to place itself within the universe. It has exerted a living influence in China for 3,000 years, and interest in it has been rapidly spreading in the West.
Customer Reviews:
Timeless Oracle.......2007-08-30
Dependably delivers divine insights for the mortally bound. Once you master the simple way of accessing and apply the I Ching you will be surprised to find that it delivers much greater spiritual insights with less effort than other approaches -- daily Bible banging for instance -- and does it directly in context with your need(s).
More than just wisdom & divination..........2007-07-23
This I Ching is an essential tool of those seeking 'God' - in eclectic form. The I Ching orders one's life... so that God may speak back to you (2-way prayer, if you will)... and to send you on a life-long journey.
Or you can just dabble.
For those coming from a scientific or agnostic skeptiszm, this book allows you to prove for yourself the emperical existance of God. Even for the scientific atheist. Really!
How?
With constant use of the I Ching an obvious question results -"Who's messing around with the coins... these things are supposed to be coming out randomly?". And you might you suppose to just whom the 'Who's" refers.
One sees that the very act of random throwing coins begins to defy probability theory. Hexagrams are received just too strikingly close to reality and certainly not randomly distributed...and I taught college level statistics and experimental methods. In my lifetime I have probably "cast the coins" upwards of 300,000 times... bit i am very old.
Record the time, date and circumstance of each throw with a graded value (1 - 10) of how close to your reality the reading relates. The resulting scattergram will astound you... into accepting that there is more to this thing than meets even the 'inner eye'. You are in touch with something that sees right through you to your inner most thoughts. And then can proceed to "arrange your everyday world".
Godspeed my felow travellers.
Godspeed.
Service quality.......2007-05-17
The order arrived earlier. It was very safely packed. The books were in fine condition.
Instructions for Growth.......2007-02-06
This book contains wisdom, which is a rare quality. It may not be what some people call "accessible," but learning to access it will improve you. I've been holding a dialogue with the oracle since the late '70s; my understanding has grown in that time, but it may be that I have more to learn yet. This particular translation to me shows the signs of subtle genius, never mind that it's Chinese to German to English -- Wilhelm and Baynes knew what they were doing. If you're going to get a copy of the oracle, get this one. If you get a different one, still get this one, so you can compare them. I regard this translation as authoritative.
Superior edition!.......2007-01-08
Few translations match this one, other than Max Mullers. Worth the time to read.
Book Description
This book challenges Christian leaders to engage in the messy art of creating the right culture to reach our postmodern, post-Christian society. Through real stories of God’s perfect work in the lives of imperfect people, you will experience the power of an authentic church community and learn how to deconstruct barriers and bring hope and healing to America’s most unchurched generation.
Customer Reviews:
Fresh look at "doing church".......2007-08-30
I was interested in this book because my church is launching a daughter church. The insights that Burke has are so dead on. My husband's Bible study decided to go through the book a chapter at a time, using the discussion questions at the end of each one. The questions are good - really make you think about how the church should look in this culture. I work in a non-profit organization. The entire staff bought the book and we've been using it during staff meetings. This book is accessible, but not "dumbed down" at all.
Wow!!!.......2007-08-08
Great book. I got the book from the library and have been using it for a college class. The book is very good and has actually casued me to rethink some of my ideas about non-christians. There are excellent stories in the book. It reminds me of how Jesus taught; in parables. I have never written a review here, but this book impressed me quite a bit.
Up-to-date info for the behind-the-times church.......2007-05-14
This book is an absolute must for churches today! Anyone that is a minister, volunteer worker, or anyone that is Christian and is part of a church should read this book. As a music minister, this book really challenged me to stop hiding behind the walls of a church building and actually do what the Bible tells me to do, reach the unchurched. This book is about relating to the unchurched on their terms and not expecting them to act like Christians before they come to church. To paraphrase Paul, "I have become all things to all people so I can tell them about Christ." This is what the church should be doing today but they spend all their time having business meetings and fellowship meals. If you're looking to start reaching out to those that need the hope that you have within you, then I would pick up this book and read it then pass it on to as many people in your church as you can.
Thought Provoking.......2007-02-12
A well written book with lots of great stories. It certainly causes one to think about doing church in a way very different from the way most churches I have attended. Most churches build barriers to keep sinners out. The author suggests that sinners are exactly the people Jesus would want to be in church.
Not Perfect But . . ........2007-01-10
This book challanged my way of thinking about the role of The Church in contemporary society. I found it both interesting to read and exciting in both the scope and depth of it's message. I heartily recomend it anyone interested in seeing God's Church become even more effective in this 21st century.
(Rev.) Frank Beardsley
Book Description
Used by its readers as an oracle, this book, based on the terminology used in the classic Wilhelm/Baynes translation, puts the I Ching into modern language. This allows its wisdom to be applied to the situations of everyday life. Decoded are words such as "the superior man," the "inferior man," "the inferiors," and the "faithful followers," which refer respectively to the true self, the ego, the bodily self, and aspects of character such as patience and perseverance. Expressions such as "crossing the great water," and "seeing the great man," are seen to mean getting past the danger of giving up on oneself, and remembering the potential for good in every person. Understanding such words and phrases occurs in the context of the entire wisdom of the I Ching which counsels those who consult it to follow their innermost feelings, as these bring one into harmony with the ever-loving Cosmos and its protective powers. Judging by the more than 4000 letters written by its readers, this book has been used by adults from all occupations and beliefs as a self-help spiritual guide and educator of the truths of life.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent!.......2007-06-25
This book is amazing and has helped me to understand the passages of the I-Ching. Everything within the book has provided me with practical approaches to mundane/spiritual issues. It also has peaked my interest in purchasing yarrow sticks and the Wilheim book that Ms. Anthony sites as helpful to her own studies.
Again, this book will prove helpful in learning more about I-Ching (this is my first book on it)and furthering the ongoing spiritual journey.
Yes!.......2006-11-04
I never give top billing to anything - there is always room for improvement. That being said, this is a great guide to the sometimes confusing realm of the I Ching. Clear spiritual insight, coupled with current understandable language makes this an essential companion to whatever other volume one uses to connect with the Power of the Universe. Let it be!
This very positive attitude towards Divine life help is good........2006-08-29
The most prominent idea I came away with from reading this version of the I Ching is 'not to give up on anyone'; remain open minded and accepting. One never knows when, but that the good will happen is reassuring.
An easier I Ching.......2006-03-20
This is a great version of the I Ching! Carol Anthony takes the sometimes difficult to understand messages of the I Ching and turns them into plain english. Very good for beginners, or for anyone who wishes to get the full message of the I Ching without doing all the interpretation.
I-Ching is KING.......2005-03-20
I have been consulting the sage, through this book for 7 years and have sporatically used other texts in addition. This text wipes them all out. It is well written and makes sense.
It's ideas and terms have become apart of my everyday thinking and I am totally happy with it. The sage has rebuffed me many times when ignoring it's friendly advice and this book helps me to understand why.
I have studied Buddhism just as long and though I am not a big fan of TAOIST beliefs- I do whole hardedly believe in Wu Wei as a way of living my life. After all these years I sometimes barely need to consult the book cuz I can imagine what the sage would say and I try to act accordingly, however hard it may be.
The I-Ching is not for prediciting events exactly but can give a vague idea how you are doing on your path. I read this book and have no questions as to what the author is trying to put across. I sometimes think she IS the I-Ching!
Average customer rating:
- Nice Set-Up, Old Translation
- Nice philosophy
- I, for one, liked the introductory comments
- Needs Repeated Readings
- Quality of printing
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The Analects (Penguin Classics)
Confucius
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
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ASIN: 0140443487 |
Book Description
A record of the words and teachings of Confucius, The Analects is considered the most reliable expression of Confucian thought. However, the original meaning of Confucius's teachings have been filtered and interpreted by the commentaries of Confucianists of later ages, particularly the Neo-Confucianists of the Song dynasty, not altogether without distortion.
In this monumental translation by Professor D. C. Lau, an attempt has been made to interpret the sayings as they stand. The corpus of the sayings is taken as an organic whole and the final test of the interpretation rests on the internal consistency it exhibits. In other words, The Analects is read in the light of The Analects.This results in a truer understanding of Confucius' thought than the traditional interpretation and paves the way for a re-assessment of its importance in the history of Chinese thought and its relevance to the present day world.
This volume also contains an introduction to the life and teachings of Confucius, and three appendices on the events in the life of Confucius, on his disciples, and on the composition of The Analects.
Customer Reviews:
Nice Set-Up, Old Translation.......2007-03-05
While 'Penguin Classics' paperbacks are generally some of the best on the market, the Analects themselves are, in this case, a bit out a date.
Better translations have been made, in my opinion. However, the prose itself is well-styled and clearly separated. Concise and easy to understand. The fluency of the book is what seems most troubling.
Nice philosophy.......2007-01-03
It's amazing how after so many years Confucius thoughts are still important. Here you can find the basis for most of the later philosophists, including some universal principles of most religions. Even though it is not easy to read, with a little effort is a book to enjoy.
I, for one, liked the introductory comments.......2006-03-09
I guess, there is not much point in buying this book for the text of Lunyu itself: it is available in full on the Internet (for example at Wengu: http://afpc.asso.fr/wengu/wg/wengu.php?l=intro - in the Chinese original, two English - including Lau's - and one French translation) but it is the introduction and adjoining commentaries that are of value. In this respect, I found D.C.Lau's work quite pleasing. He explains the main terms and how they hang together, illustrates his arguments with quotations from the actual Analects and tries his best to relate Confucius' philosophy to suitable analogues in the Western tradition. I am no China-expert, so this helped a lot. The book also has a post-script outlining Kong-zi's life and a short piece on the individual disciples and friends that Confucius converses with in the book. I think there is $9 of value (or whatever the price) in this book.
Needs Repeated Readings.......2006-01-25
Filled with totally obfuscated phrases like, "The Kuan-chu Ode is lively but not licentious, plaintive but not harrowing," are gems like, "Po I and Shu Ch'i never remembered old injuries, and therefore their enemies were few." The thing about it, is that I read it cover to cover. Clearly, this deep and old wisdom is best taken in small bits for not many words are wasted. Also, the Lionel Giles translation I read was weak on supplemental commentary so I really felt like I needed a more knowledgeable guide as I was reading. Perhaps the Norton version would have better annotations then the beautiful Easton Press version from my library. It is clearly a five star book, but I think I only got about three stars out of it. Most certainly a book to read again, and again and again.
Quality of printing.......2005-10-08
The quality of printing of the book (new) I received was rather poor. I kept it just because I didn't want to go through the trouble of returning it.
Book Description
The original
What Not to Wear
from one of fashion's
most enduringly
stylish women ...
Written by French style guru Madame Genevieve Antoine Dariaux, Elegance is a classic style bible for timeless chic, grace, and poise -- every tidbit of advice today's woman could possibly need, all at the tips of her (perfectly manicured) fingers. From Accessories to Zippers, Madame Dariaux imparts her pearls of wisdom on all things fashion-related -- and also offers advice on other crucial areas in life from shopping with girlfriends (don't) to marriage and sex.
Customer Reviews:
A bit dated...needs to be updated.......2007-08-20
I enjoyed the "what not to wear" parts of the book. Although I found it to be incredibly dated. In order to be elegant she has you changing your clothes 5 to 6 times a day. Different outfits for 9,1,3,6,7,8 and 10 p.m. And stocking with seams...hmmmm Do they still sell these? There is some good advice but this book truly needs an update plus if you are not a city dweller spending weekends in the country a lot of this book will not be for you.
A Must read for every woman of evry age!.......2007-08-13
Every mother should give a copy to their daugthers when they graduate college and begin their careers! It should be re-read every 5 years to re-enforce the wonderful concepts and remind us of the parts we may have forgot! As a career woman it her 40's who is moving up the corporate ladder, it has been an wonder source for sharpering my image! Coco Channel said, 'Dress shabbily and they noticce the dress; dress impecibly and they notice the woman.' This book will help all woman be noticed!
Grace and Style are Always in Fashion.......2007-08-10
This book takes hints from days past to give you a guide on being cool, calm and collected. I imagine a Dita Von Teese-type woman when it comes to this book, and I would love to be like this.
This book has become an easy gift for friends -- one that will be appreciated by most any woman who values decorum and class.
Nothing we don't already know !.......2007-08-07
Treat it as fun because it doesn't tell you anything that you don't already know about common sense and the sense of proportion. But it's ideal for tossing around the house and goes well with your Tiffany's publications collection because they have kind of the same colour scheme!
a simple guide for max results.......2007-06-17
I really enjoyed reading the book. (this is twice now that I have re-read it) and have learned something new. The contents are wonderful from Accessories to zoology... (go fig) there is even a part on teens! She gives you a simple wardrobe to start with that you add on. Page 16-17 is very helpful too talking about what to wear from winter to spring and summer that will take you from work to dates...she even has a nice outline if you are living in a cold washed area to a heatwave area. I'm thinking of purchasing another to give to my daughter so I can have mine back! Best of luck to all you chic women out there!
Amazon.com
This collection of inspiring credos by William Sloane Coffin melds Christian spirit with social justice. Coffin's credentials are impressive--he served as chaplain of Yale University and Williams College, and he is the inspiration for the character Rev. Sloan in the Doonesbury comic strip. He is also a lifelong social crusader and peace activist. In James Carroll's exquisite introduction he recalls a night in 1972 when he and Coffin and numerous other ministers were thrown in jail for trespassing at the U.S. Capitol (while protesting the war in Vietnam). It was Coffin's baritone voice that broke the jailhouse silence, singing out Handel's "Messiah" and comforting the frightened men of the cloth. In fact, Coffin, author of The Heart is a Little to the Left has never been afraid to speak or sing out his beliefs. "I like to believe that I am an American patriot who loves his country enough to address her flaws," he states in the preface. "Today these are many, and all preachers worth their salt need fearlessly to insist that 'God 'n' Country' is not one word."
Editor Stephanie Egnotovich reviewed a lifetime of Coffin's sermons and unpublished speeches and then excerpted and organized them into categories. His words and her editing created a book that is full of quotables. For example:
On Social Justice and Economic Rights: "In the United States grim poverty is a tragedy that great wealth makes a sin."
On Social Justice and Civil Liberties: "Prejudice disfigures the observer, not the person observed. If only the latter could remember it."
On Patriotism: "All nations make decisions based on self-interest and then defend them in the name of morality."
On War and Peace: "We are beginning to resemble extinct dinosaurs who suffered from too much armor and too little brain."
For the leftist leaning Christian, this is the book you'll want to take on your next spiritual retreat, political protest, or any situation where left-leaning Christians gather to create social change. And when it's not being carted around in a satchel, it deserves a permanent residence on your lifelong spiritual contemplations bookshelf. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
William Sloane Coffin has long fought for social justice and argued that faith must be at the heart of political and intellectual life. Now Coffin offers this record of his inspiring public words on issues ranging from charity and justice, politics, economic issues, the environment, nuclear disarmament, and mortality to the meaning of faith, the church, and a pastor's responsibility. These brief quotations and excerpts demonstrate the wit, fire, and passion he brought to the task of preaching and the moral commitment he has made to change the world.
Customer Reviews:
Prophetic voice too often missing today.......2007-08-21
I am stunned at some of the reviews. If there ever was a man who got it(faith, the GOSPEL as in good news ) it was Coffin.As he stated,(to paraphrase) I love creeds and doctrines but they must be only seen as signposts. The hitching post is Christ's love.
Evidently some of the reviewers did not actually read the book.
A Genuine 20th Century Prophet.......2006-01-06
William Sloane Coffin is the real deal. He calls for social justice, not despite religious faith, but due to it. His message is rare because it has become fresher and more relvant as time goes on. He is warm, witty and insigtful and this is a good omnibus of his lifes thoughts. "Letters to a Young Doubter" is another fine book. And to those that accuse him of relativism; that is precisely false. He absolutely and with conviction speaks truth to power and represents the Lord with integrity.
Say what?.......2005-12-30
I have to say I don't really get it. I picked up a book expecting just that, a "Credo," which is a statement of faith and belief of some kind. But this could not be further from it. W.S. Coffin doesn't believe in anything. He seems to think that pulpit witticisms constitute doctrine. I can't get a real feel for anything he believes theologically. Instead, he's substituted tepid politics for church talk. If I wanted this, I would read a book by William Clinton instead of William Coffin, and it would probably say the same things.
Why Try?.......2005-10-01
Coffin's collection of (somewhat scattered) thoughts seems to boil down to the basic idea that the world would be a better place if people were gracious to each other. However, one wonders, if God is such a small part of the picture all along, what is the reason why people ought to be gracious? He seems to pull the carpet out from under his own feet. Why should people honor one another if God is just a farce that we have put on to soothe our consciences?
Either/or.......2005-10-01
Coffiin is caught up in a world of false dichotomies. Everything is war or peace, love or hate, atheism or fundamentalism. And yes, I do think atheism is his alternative. As much as he talks about God, it is clear that the God of his belief has very little substance. I've heard pastors talk like this of ethical niceties, but when you really question them about whether or not Jesus was God, they offer little more than a shrug. This book is a distracting fantasy.
Average customer rating:
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Voice of the Living Light: Hildegard of Bingen and Her World
Manufacturer: University of California Press
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ASIN: 0520217586 |
Book Description
Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) would have been an extraordinary person in any age. But for a woman of the twelfth century her achievements were so exceptional that posterity has found it hard to take her measure. Barbara Newman, a premier Hildegard authority, brings major scholars together to present an accurate portrait of the Benedictine nun and her many contributions to twelfth-century religious, cultural, and intellectual life. Written by specialists in fields ranging from medieval theology to medicine to music, these essays offer an understanding of how one woman could transform so many of the traditions of the world in which she lived.
Hildegard of Bingen was the only woman of her age accepted as an authoritative voice on Christian doctrine as well as the first woman permitted by the pope to write theological books. She was the author of the first known morality play; an artist of unusual talents; the most prolific chant composer of her era; and the first woman to write extensively on natural science and medicine, including sexuality as seen from a female perspective. She was the only woman of her time to preach openly to mixed audiences of clergy and laity, and the first saint whose biography includes a first-person memoir.
Adding to the significance of this volume is the fact that Hildegard's oeuvre reflects the entire sweep of twelfth-century culture and society. Scholars and lay readers alike will find this collection a rich introduction to a remarkable figure and to her tumultuous world. With the commemoration of the 900th anniversary of Hildegard's birth in September 1998, the publication of Voice of the Living Light is especially welcome.
Book Description
The Analects of Confucius is one of the central books of Chinese literature and Chinese thought; memorized and studied for many centuries, it has been certainly one of the most influential books in world history. There are many translations of this rewarding but difficult work. Arthur Waley -- the translator of the Tale of Genji, of a vast body of Chinese poetry, and of many other classics of Oriental literature and thought -- brings to this translation his great gifts as a scholar and a writer, and has produced what is without question the best version in English of the Analects. A full introduction gives the social and political background of this work, analyses of key terms in Chinese thought that are prominent in it, and a careful study of the history of the book and its interpretations. There are also full notes illuminating the references to contemporary events and clarifying obscure passages.
Customer Reviews:
"A proper man is inclusive, not sectary.".......2001-06-20
THE ANALECTS OF CONFUCIUS. Translated and annotated by Arthur Waley. 257 pp. New York : Vintage Books, nd. Originally published by George, Allen, & Unwin, 1938.
Classical Chinese is an extremely concise and highly ambiguous language. Since any given line can have a wide range of possible and equally valid meanings, there can in fact be no such thing as a definitive interpretation, and hence, as Burton Watson has pointed out, no such thing as a definitive translation, although Arthur Waley's scholarly reading of this important Confucian classic is possibly as close to 'definitive' as we're ever likely to get.
What we may overlook when considering Confucianism, however, is that it represented an ideology very much like Marxism, one imposed by an all-powerful bureaucracy on a not-always willing population. As ideological documents of the highest importance, since they served to justify the existence of the Imperial system, works such as the 'Analects' were often engraved on stone.
And it's interesting to note that, in the many popular uprisings which have riven China, the stone tablets and drums on which the 'Analects' and other Classics were engraved often became the first target of the mob's fury. They were regularly smashed and pulverized, only to be re-engraved on new stones when the Mandarinate re-established its authority.
In addition, it goes without saying that the Communist Party, which is as it were China's modern 'Mandarinate,' also takes a very dim view of the Chinese Classics, seeing them as relics of a detested feudalistic past, a detestation not perhaps untinged with envy, since the Mandarinate was the most efficient, successful and long-lasting bureaucracy in human history.
None of this, perhaps, need bother the modern reader as opposed to the scholar, since we go to these old books to discover in them what relevance they may have for our lives today, and there is much real wisdom in Confucius that anyone can benefit from.
Arthur Waley's edition, while scholarly, is not so cluttered with scholarly impedimenta as to be unapproachable by the general reader, and is written in a style that remains relatively modern. After a brief Preface, he gives us an interesting and informative 66-page Introduction. Then follows his extensively annotated translation, and the book is rounded out with an Index.
Though Waley was undoubtedly a brilliant translator, I was weaned on Ezra Pound's more lively and idiosyncratic version, and although I've read and compared both translations, the lines that tend to stick in my mind are invariably those of Pound, lines such as:
"He said : A proper man is inclusive, not sectary; the small man is sectarian and not inclusive" (Book II, xiv).
For the same passage Waley gives:
"The Master said, A gentleman can see a question from all sides without bias. The small man is biased and can see a question only from one side" (p.91).
Both, so far as I can see, mean pretty much the same thing, although Waley is a bit more prosy and takes almost twice as many words to say it. Pound's edition, besides its greater punch, also has the merit of being relatively free of distracting footnotes, and of including two additional and very powerful texts, along with beautiful reproductions of them from the stone Classics.
Waley and Pound give us Confucius as filtered through two highly intelligent though different sensibilities, both of them valuable. My advice would be to read both. For those who may be interested, here are details of Pound's edition:
CONFUCIUS : THE GREAT DIGEST, THE UNWOBBLING PIVOT, THE ANALECTS. Translation and Commentary by Ezra Pound. Stone Text from rubbings supplied by William Hawley. 288 pp. New York: New Directions, 1951 and Reissued.
It is in Pound's translation of 'The Great Digest' that we find the striking line: "If the root be in confusion, nothing will be well governed" (p.33). And who would want to miss a line that has such a powerful relevance to the world that we see around us today ?
The first stop on the Way.......1999-10-11
Perhaps the best introduction to the Confucian philosophy. Extensive footnotes and explanations of key concepts. Language slightly archaic but still clear. Wade-Giles romanization.
A classic.......1998-09-15
A classic in Chinese literature. Arthur Waley is the best translator of Chinese works that I have found. This version of the Analects are extensively footnoted which I found broke up the flow of the reading. So I read it through first without the footnotes, then read it again with them. A interesting look at Chinese thought at the time.
Excellent translation with helpful introduction and notes!.......1998-03-19
Although originally published in 1938, this is still one of the best translations of the Analects of Confucius. Waley also has an extensive and informative introduction, plus some helpful notes. Other good translations of the Analects include those by D.C. Lau and James Legge.
Book Description
-- Journal of Asian History
This new translation presents the Analects in a revolutionary new format that, for the first time in any language, distinguishes the original words of the Master from the later sayings of his disciples and their followers, enabling readers to experience China's most influential philosophical work in its true historical, social, and political context.
Customer Reviews:
A revolutionary book........2000-04-22
The Analects were always thought to have been written by Confucius' direct disciples during a few decades after the Master's death. Bruce and Taeko Brooks convincingly prove that this was not so. Probably only a part of chapter 4 contains Confucius' exact words. The remaining 19 chapters were gradually written over a period of around 230 years by his disciples and by much later successors who had a different agenda. A key idea of the book is that REN (humanity) was central to Confucius and his early disciples, whereas LI (ritual) became essential to the later successors in the next century. Each saying is followed by the authors' commentary that is scholarly (very "technical" sometimes) but often in a direct and refreshing style. This book is a must for all serious Confucius lovers.
Sometimes cryptic, but indispensible.......1999-10-11
An excellent resource for the scholar. Rearranges the passages into a reconstructed chronological order, but retains their numbering, so the reader isn't lost. Exhaustive notes, plus the most penetrating discussion of the exact meaning of _ren_ (though they spell it "_rvn_") available in any translation. Language a teensy bit stilted in places. "Common alphabetic" (modified Yale) romanization.
fresh views, yet sometimes the evidence is not there.......1998-07-31
This new translation of Analects provides us with a fresh view on Confucius' Way as it was, at least the authors claim so. It is correctly pointed out in the book that the task of reconstructing the "original" Confucius is inevitably interwined with our ever-changing understanding of the pre-Chin Chinese intellectual history. The task is never going to be easy, and is highly influenced by subjective preferences of individual researchers. The authors provide an updated theory of how the Analects was written in the course of several hundred years. One thing I like most is that convincing evidences are given to show that filial piety was NOT central in Confucius' morality. However, there are some other shaky arguments. For example, their effort of establishing this guy or that guy as the leader of the early Confucian disciples is too imaginative.
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