Confucianism Books

Book SynopsisFour Testaments brings together four foundational texts from world religionsthe Tao Te Ching, Dhammapada, Analects of Confucius, and Bhagavad Gitainviting readers to experience them in full, to explore possible points of connection and divergence, and to better understand people who practice these traditions. Following Brian Arthur Brown's award-winning Three Testaments: Torah, Gospel, Quran, this volume of Four Testaments features essays by esteemed scholars to introduce readers to each tradition and text, as well as commentary on unexpected ways the ancient Zoroastrian tradition might connect Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Hinduism, as well as the Abrahamic faiths. Four Testaments aims to foster deeper religious understanding in our interconnected and contentious world.Trade ReviewBrown (Three Testaments: Torah, Gospel, Quran) makes a fascinating case for Zoroastrianism as the connecting point between the Vedic religions of the east (Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism) and the Hebraic religions of the West (Judaism, Christianity, Islam). Asserting that Zoroastrianism spread in two directions along the Silk Road, that Zoroaster lived the generation before Cyrus the Great (a contested theory), and that the Axial Age lasted only about a century in roughly the sixth century BCE, Brown locates developments in major religions that he attributes to Zoroaster’s influence. Some of Brown’s case is speculative but not unreasonable, relying on the anticipated discovery of 'Dead Zee scrolls' of lost Arvestas comparable to the Dead Sea Scrolls (or the yet uncovered 'Q' document believed to have been a template for the New Testament) in Silk Road caves. Along with tracing the contours of a tantalizing mystery, Brown includes translations of the Tao Te Ching, Dhammapada, Analects of Confucius, and Gandhi’s translation of Bhagavad Gita, creating a rich compendium. Especially when compared with the numerous books repeating shopworn notions, the wealth of new information in this volume is immense. Readers outside of academia will hope Brown produces a shorter version for a popular audience. * Publishers Weekly *Four Testaments is an excellent compendium of scriptures of the Eastern religious traditions. Complementing Brown's Three Testaments: Torah, Gospel, and Quran (2012), the present volume introduces Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Hinduism through religious texts. The collection boasts translations of these texts by a variety of hands, including for example the Bhagavad Gita in the words of Mahatma Gandhi. Readers are guided through these rich and diverse texts in brief introductions by experts. The Gita, for example, is framed by an explanation from Arvind Sharma. This rich array of texts, interpreted by a wide range of scholars and theologians, is one of the book's strengths. Brown's focus is the meeting of East and West, and this is what gives the manuscript its uniqueness as it strives to make previously unarticulated connections between scriptures. This accessible volume should have a wide readership. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers. * CHOICE *In a companion volume to ThreeTestaments: Torah, Gospel, and Quran, Canadian pastor Brian Arthur Brown presents the sacred scriptures of four Eastern faith traditions alongside critical essays about the texts. Accessible to nonscholars, Brown’s underlying narrative posits an ancient meeting between the textual traditions of East and West in the Zoroastrian faith. The primary value of this book for many readers, however, will be in the words of the scriptures themselves. Locating scriptures of diverse traditions on adjacent pages is not without risk—but it is valuable for those who seek to be illuminated by the texts and moved to fruitful dialogue. * The Christian Century *Four Testaments is an excellent overview of the Eastern religious traditions and an ideal complement to Three Testaments on the Abrahamic religions. If Three Testaments is your text for an Introduction to the Scriptures of the Western Monotheisms in the autumn semester, Four Testaments should be your text for the Scriptures of the Eastern Monisms in the spring. -- Jonathan Kearney, Saint Patrick’s College, Dublin UniversityFour Testaments is certainly invaluable both worldwide and in the Global South. People may be more open to inter-faith and inter-religious dialogue—a lived reality—than is sometimes realized. Four Testaments showcases this dialogue at its best. -- Rev. Joy Abdul-Mohan, St. Andrew’s Theological College, Trinidad & TobagoBrian Brown has done it again with his usual mix of good scholarship and good humour. Four Testaments is the companion volume to Three Testaments, and covers the major Eastern religions. It provides important primary texts, as well as material to help non-specialists understand those texts. More importantly, it shows us the connections between our religious traditions. -- Amir Hussain, Loyola Marymount UniversityThe religions of India and China, which were once seen by Westerners as exotic but not very important personally, have now become, due to modern communications, religious influences on people all over the globe. This second volume of an important set thus serves as an essential introduction to how traditionally Eastern religions think about individuals, society, the environment, and the transcendent so that we can come to know each other and work together for the benefit of all of us. -- Elliot Dorff, American Jewish UniversityThis is an insightful inquiry into the connections between the primary scriptures of the East, in the context of their cultures, and the primary scriptures of the West. The volume expertly affirms the interconnections between various textual traditions. It is a welcome addition to the ever-growing field of intertextual studies. -- Sharada and Rasiah Sugirtharajah, University of BirminghamFrom the Foreword Four Testaments is an important work, suited to the times in which we live. Of course, the reading is not so simple or arbitrary as to end with just one volume. One needs to keep the Four Testaments on one’s desk or nightstand alongside the Three Testaments, moving back and forth between the two volumes and their several great texts. -- Francis X. Clooney, SJ, director of the Center for the Study of World Religions, Harvard UniversityTable of ContentsContents Foreword by Francis X. Clooney, SJ, Director of the Harvard Center for Study of World Religions Illustrations Acknowledgments Prologue: Four Fingers and a Thumb - Tao Te Ching, Analects, Dhammapada, Gita, and Avesta Book One From the Foundations of the Earth to Our Common Spiritual Ancestors Introduction: East and West Meeting at the Altar of Religion by Cyril Glassé Exordium: What We Once Knew, by Karl Friedrich Geldner Preface: Why the Z Factor Matters 1.Through the Mists of Time: Vedic and Semitic Prehistories Connecting East and West 2.A Priest Becomes a Prophet: Commissioned at the River 3.A Chance Meeting at the Crossroads of History: A Prelude to the Babylonian Interface between Proto Vedic and Proto Semitic Religions 4.The Silk Route: The Axis of the Axial Age 5.The Extant Avesta: A Few Pieces of the Jigsaw Puzzle 6.The Fraternal Twins of World Religion: Monism for Monotheists Book Two The Taoist Testament Introduction: Magi in China and Intellectual Ferment in Eurasia at the Middle of the First Millennium BCE by Professor Victor H. Mair, Professor of Chinese, Philadelphia University Preface: Magic and iMagination 7. Tao Te Ching: translated by Victor H. Mair Book Three The Confucian Testament Introduction: Innovation vs. Tradition by Jacqueline Mates-Muchin, Senior Rabbi, Temple Sinai, Oakland Preface: Fireworks East and West 8.The Analects: translated by James Legge Book Four The Buddhist Testament Introduction: The Indian Origins of Buddhism by Professor Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Oxford Preface: King Akbar’s Perfect Religion 9.Dhammapada: translated by S. Radhakrishnan Book Five The Hindu Testament Introduction: Reciprocal Illumination by Professor Arvind Sharma, Birks Professor in Comparative Religion, McGill University Preface: With Notes from Mahatma Mohandas Gandhi 10.Bhagavad Gita: translated by Gandhi Book Six The Z Factor Introduction: Eastern Influence in Western Texts by Dr. David Bruce Preface: New Frontiers in Scriptural Studies 11.Israel in Exile: God as Israel’s Only Redeemer 12.Up from the River Again, With a Promise of Paradise: Jesus as a Zoroastrian Saoshyant, the Redeemer of the World 13.Chinvat Bridge – The Final Judgement: Zoroastrian Scriptures and “Previous Revelations” Corrected in the Quran Book Seven The Dead Zee Scrolls Introduction: Digging Through Time by Professor Richard Freund Preface: A Model for the Twenty First Century 14.Among the Ruins: Tablets and Cylinders 15.From Aurel Stein to Mary Boyce and Beyond: Controversies in the Twentieth Century Epilogue: The Resurrection of Zoroaster: A Prophet for the Twenty First Century Dancing on the Edge of Tombs: More Treasure Than Anyone Imagined Appendix: Images of the Original Eastern Testaments Preface to Images: The Edict of Cyrus and the Chinese Cuneiform Bones by E. K. Eduljee Bibliography Index About the Editor About the Contributors

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book examines the ways in which Confucian political culture operates in contemporary Chinese politics and influences its development. The author argues that the authoritarian political culture performs functions similar to the democratic political culture, drawing on a wide range of datasurveys, interviews, archives, Public Hearing Meeting records, and the Party Congress Reports of the Chinese Communist Partyto substantiate and illustrate these arguments. In an authoritarian political system, the legitimating values of the authoritarian political culture persuade the public of their government's legitimacy and the engaging values equip individuals with a set of cultural dispositions, resources, and skills to acquire political resources and services from the state. In the context of Chinese politics, personal connections infused with affection and trustthe Social Capital in the Confucian culturefacilitate political engagement. Despite the country's continuous advocacy for the rulTrade ReviewThis is the most comprehensive and convincing study on the integration of traditional culture into Chinese politics. The author demonstrates her thorough understanding of Confucianism and solid training in Western social scientific methodology. It is a seamless weaving between the East and the West, between affection and rationality, and between formal and informal politics. -- Wenfang Tang, University of IowaThis stunning, lucid, and absorbing exposition of China's cultural politics is unrivaled. Brimming with brilliant insights, its multi-methodology blends history, political philosophy, psychology, and rigorous social scientific content and discourse analysis with interviews and deep research to demonstrate how Chinese notions of morality, reciprocity (guanxi), the place for law despite the prevalence of corruption, the legitimacy of the state and the modes citizens employ to connect with the state are all rooted in key principles of Confucian beliefs and practices. Unraveling the informal rules of the Chinese polity, and showing how they inform and shape the more formal institutions, the book's several arguments—exciting, erudite and compelling—will render it a landmark in its field. -- Dorothy J. Solinger, University of California, IrvineThis well-researched and thought-provoking book takes a critical approach to existing frameworks on the Chinese political system. Through multifaceted methodology and extensive presentation of qualitative and quantitative data, the author shows how modern Chinese politics and policy have been shaped by its political culture and moral values and how ordinary Chinese people perceive their communities, society, and the state. The book is nicely written and richly documented. Citing many examples concerning legal practices and informal politics, it illustrates the ways in which Chinese people communicate and negotiate with their society and government. Students who desire to understand how Chinese politics works in everyday life will find the book insightful and pleasant to read. -- Xiaojian Zhao, University of California, Santa BarbaraZhang's book is a fascinating account of the theory and practice of Confucian politics in modernizing China. Zhang draws on extensive empirical material from different spheres of social life to persuasively demonstrate that China's future will involve a reinterpretation of its past. -- Daniel A. Bell, author of The China ModelTable of ContentsChapter 1: Confucian Political Culture in China Chapter 2: An Actionable Account of Authoritarian Political Culture Chapter 3: Morality and Law in Confucianism Chapter 4: Guanxi, Informal Politics, and Everyday Forms of Political Engagement Chapter 5: Moralizing the Rule of Law Chapter 6: The Gateway of Political Communication Chapter 7: The Silent Revolution in the Official Rhetoric of the CCP Chapter 8: Conclusion

Read more less

Book SynopsisVital Post-Secular Perspectives on Chinese Philosophical Issues presents a number of contemporary philosophical issues from a wide range of Chinese philosophical texts, figures, and sub-traditions that are usually not addressed in English studies of Chinese philosophical traditions. Lauren F. Pfister presents new perspectives in three parts: the first part offers critical perspectives on the life and works of one of the most significant 20th century Chinese philosophers and historian of Chinese philosophical traditions, Feng Youlan (1895-1990); the second part explores questions related to Ruist (Confucian) theism and the complicated textual developments within two canonical Ruist texts, ending with a critique of a 21st century translation and interpretation of one of those two classical texts; the third part presents philosophical assessments of 20th and 21st century cultural issues that have had immense social and interpretive impacts inTable of ContentsContents Permissions and AcknowledgementsPrefaceMethodological IntroductionPart One: Post-Secular Reflections on Recharacterizing Chinese Philosophical Traditions Prefatory Note “Post-Secular Insights into the Professional Philosopher Féng Yǒulán’s 冯友兰 (馮友蘭1895-1990) Life and Works” “Post-Secular Concerns related to a Relevant Philosophy of History for Chinese Philosophy” Part Two: Post-Secular Insights into Ruist StudiesPrefatory Note “Post-Secular Insights into the 17th Century Jesuit Rendering of ‘Confucianism’ ” “Post-Secular Revelations regarding the Dàxué大學and the Zhōngyōng中庸” “Post-Secular Musings on a Secularist Philosophical Translation and Interpretation of The Zhōngyōng中庸” Part Three: Aspects of Post-Traditional Chinese Society and their Philosophical ReconsiderationPrefatory Note “Post-Secular Critiques of 20th Century Utopian Projects in China” “Post-Secular Critique of the Contemporary Phenomenon of ‘Human Flesh Search [Engines]’ in the PRC” “Post-Secular Ponderings on Sageliness and Saintliness” Conclusion: Unconcluding Post-Secular Reflections on Contemporary Studies of Chinese Philosophical Traditions Bibliography

Read more less

Book SynopsisFour Testaments brings together four foundational texts from world religions—the Tao Te Ching, Dhammapada, Analects of Confucius, and Bhagavad Gita—inviting readers to experience them in full, to explore possible points of connection and divergence, and to better understand people who practice these traditions. Following Brian Arthur Brown’s award-winning Three Testaments: Torah, Gospel, Quran, this volume of Four Testaments features essays by esteemed scholars to introduce readers to each tradition and text, as well as commentary on unexpected ways the ancient Zoroastrian tradition might connect Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Hinduism, along with the Abrahamic faiths. Four Testaments aims to foster deeper religious understanding in our interconnected and contentious world.Trade ReviewBrown (Three Testaments: Torah, Gospel, Quran) makes a fascinating case for Zoroastrianism as the connecting point between the Vedic religions of the east (Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism) and the Hebraic religions of the West (Judaism, Christianity, Islam). Asserting that Zoroastrianism spread in two directions along the Silk Road, that Zoroaster lived the generation before Cyrus the Great (a contested theory), and that the Axial Age lasted only about a century in roughly the sixth century BCE, Brown locates developments in major religions that he attributes to Zoroaster’s influence. Some of Brown’s case is speculative but not unreasonable, relying on the anticipated discovery of 'Dead Zee scrolls' of lost Arvestas comparable to the Dead Sea Scrolls (or the yet uncovered 'Q' document believed to have been a template for the New Testament) in Silk Road caves. Along with tracing the contours of a tantalizing mystery, Brown includes translations of the Tao Te Ching, Dhammapada, Analects of Confucius, and Gandhi’s translation of Bhagavad Gita, creating a rich compendium. Especially when compared with the numerous books repeating shopworn notions, the wealth of new information in this volume is immense. Readers outside of academia will hope Brown produces a shorter version for a popular audience. * Publishers Weekly *Four Testaments is an excellent compendium of scriptures of the Eastern religious traditions. Complementing Brown's Three Testaments: Torah, Gospel, and Quran (2012), the present volume introduces Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Hinduism through religious texts. The collection boasts translations of these texts by a variety of hands, including for example the Bhagavad Gita in the words of Mahatma Gandhi. Readers are guided through these rich and diverse texts in brief introductions by experts. The Gita, for example, is framed by an explanation from Arvind Sharma. This rich array of texts, interpreted by a wide range of scholars and theologians, is one of the book's strengths. Brown's focus is the meeting of East and West, and this is what gives the manuscript its uniqueness as it strives to make previously unarticulated connections between scriptures. This accessible volume should have a wide readership. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers. * CHOICE *In a companion volume to ThreeTestaments: Torah, Gospel, and Quran, Canadian pastor Brian Arthur Brown presents the sacred scriptures of four Eastern faith traditions alongside critical essays about the texts. Accessible to nonscholars, Brown’s underlying narrative posits an ancient meeting between the textual traditions of East and West in the Zoroastrian faith. The primary value of this book for many readers, however, will be in the words of the scriptures themselves. Locating scriptures of diverse traditions on adjacent pages is not without risk—but it is valuable for those who seek to be illuminated by the texts and moved to fruitful dialogue. * The Christian Century *Four Testaments is an excellent overview of the Eastern religious traditions and an ideal complement to Three Testaments on the Abrahamic religions. If Three Testaments is your text for an Introduction to the Scriptures of the Western Monotheisms in the autumn semester, Four Testaments should be your text for the Scriptures of the Eastern Monisms in the spring. -- Jonathan Kearney, Saint Patrick’s College, Dublin UniversityFour Testaments is certainly invaluable both worldwide and in the Global South. People may be more open to inter-faith and inter-religious dialogue—a lived reality—than is sometimes realized. Four Testaments showcases this dialogue at its best. -- Rev. Joy Abdul-Mohan, St. Andrew’s Theological College, Trinidad & TobagoBrian Brown has done it again with his usual mix of good scholarship and good humour. Four Testaments is the companion volume to Three Testaments, and covers the major Eastern religions. It provides important primary texts, as well as material to help non-specialists understand those texts. More importantly, it shows us the connections between our religious traditions. -- Amir Hussain, Loyola Marymount UniversityThe religions of India and China, which were once seen by Westerners as exotic but not very important personally, have now become, due to modern communications, religious influences on people all over the globe. This second volume of an important set thus serves as an essential introduction to how traditionally Eastern religions think about individuals, society, the environment, and the transcendent so that we can come to know each other and work together for the benefit of all of us. -- Elliot Dorff, American Jewish UniversityThis is an insightful inquiry into the connections between the primary scriptures of the East, in the context of their cultures, and the primary scriptures of the West. The volume expertly affirms the interconnections between various textual traditions. It is a welcome addition to the ever-growing field of intertextual studies. -- Sharada and Rasiah Sugirtharajah, University of BirminghamFrom the Foreword Four Testaments is an important work, suited to the times in which we live. Of course, the reading is not so simple or arbitrary as to end with just one volume. One needs to keep the Four Testaments on one’s desk or nightstand alongside the Three Testaments, moving back and forth between the two volumes and their several great texts. -- Francis X. Clooney, SJ, director of the Center for the Study of World Religions, Harvard UniversityTable of ContentsContents Foreword by Francis X. Clooney, SJ, Director of the Harvard Center for Study of World Religions Illustrations Acknowledgments Prologue: Four Fingers and a Thumb - Tao Te Ching, Analects, Dhammapada, Gita, and Avesta Book One From the Foundations of the Earth to Our Common Spiritual Ancestors Introduction: East and West Meeting at the Altar of Religion by Cyril Glassé Exordium: What We Once Knew, by Karl Friedrich Geldner Preface: Why the Z Factor Matters 1.Through the Mists of Time: Vedic and Semitic Prehistories Connecting East and West 2.A Priest Becomes a Prophet: Commissioned at the River 3.A Chance Meeting at the Crossroads of History: A Prelude to the Babylonian Interface between Proto Vedic and Proto Semitic Religions 4.The Silk Route: The Axis of the Axial Age 5.The Extant Avesta: A Few Pieces of the Jigsaw Puzzle 6.The Fraternal Twins of World Religion: Monism for Monotheists Book Two The Taoist Testament Introduction: Magi in China and Intellectual Ferment in Eurasia at the Middle of the First Millennium BCE by Professor Victor H. Mair, Professor of Chinese, Philadelphia University Preface: Magic and iMagination 7. Tao Te Ching: translated by Victor H. Mair Book Three The Confucian Testament Introduction: Innovation vs. Tradition by Jacqueline Mates-Muchin, Senior Rabbi, Temple Sinai, Oakland Preface: Fireworks East and West 8.The Analects: translated by James Legge Book Four The Buddhist Testament Introduction: The Indian Origins of Buddhism by Professor Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Oxford Preface: King Akbar’s Perfect Religion 9.Dhammapada: translated by S. Radhakrishnan Book Five The Hindu Testament Introduction: Reciprocal Illumination by Professor Arvind Sharma, Birks Professor in Comparative Religion, McGill University Preface: With Notes from Mahatma Mohandas Gandhi 10.Bhagavad Gita: translated by Gandhi Book Six The Z Factor Introduction: Eastern Influence in Western Texts by Dr. David Bruce Preface: New Frontiers in Scriptural Studies 11.Israel in Exile: God as Israel’s Only Redeemer 12.Up from the River Again, With a Promise of Paradise: Jesus as a Zoroastrian Saoshyant, the Redeemer of the World 13.Chinvat Bridge – The Final Judgement: Zoroastrian Scriptures and “Previous Revelations” Corrected in the Quran Book Seven The Dead Zee Scrolls Introduction: Digging Through Time by Professor Richard Freund Preface: A Model for the Twenty First Century 14.Among the Ruins: Tablets and Cylinders 15.From Aurel Stein to Mary Boyce and Beyond: Controversies in the Twentieth Century Epilogue: The Resurrection of Zoroaster: A Prophet for the Twenty First Century Dancing on the Edge of Tombs: More Treasure Than Anyone Imagined Appendix: Images of the Original Eastern Testaments Preface to Images: The Edict of Cyrus and the Chinese Cuneiform Bones by E. K. Eduljee Bibliography Index About the Editor About the Contributors

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book is devoted exclusively to Confucianism, the great Chinese tradition that has gathered around the teachings of Confucius (Kongzi) for over 2,500 years. Confucianism encompasses a broad array of moral, social, philosophical and religious ideas, values and practices. It is an ancient and immense tradition of great subtlety and complexity. This work provides a user with ready access to terms, personalities, movements, and texts of the tradition as it has made its trek across East Asia, especially to Korea and Japan.Historical Dictionary of Confucianism contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has more than 700 cross-referenced entries on terms, personalities, movements, and texts of the tradition as it has made its trek across East Asia, especially to Korea and Japan. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Confucianism.Table of ContentsEditor’s Foreword (Jon Woronoff)Reader’s NoteChronologyIntroductionThe DictionaryBibliographyAbout the Author

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor over two thousand years, Confucianism has built up sophisticated approaches exploring social, political, and environmental harmony. As a valuable cultural resource and one of the main drivers of societal norms across much of East Asia, Confucian philosophy has been going through a global academic revival over the last three decades. It has insights that can help us reflect on the root causes of, and remedies for, disorder in the 21st century, and can build bridges of dialogue across alternative philosophical, political, diplomatic, educational, and religious systems. This volume presents diverse ‘Confucianisms’ as hybrid, evolving traditions that have been indigenized and creatively interpreted to support human fulfilment, using the vast cultural resources of the past to meet the needs of the present and the future.Living Confucianisms: Strategies for Optimizing Harmony explores contemporary harmony from a wide range of perspectives across philosophy, religion, politics, linguistics, diplomacy, international relations and education, with writers from numerous cultural and national backgrounds.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHenrique Schneider argues that understanding the three Early Confucian thinkers—Confucius, Mencius, and Xunzi—as virtue-ethicists, political philosophers, or social conservatives proves too narrow. Championing a broader and more philosophical reading, The Early Confucian Philosophy of Agency: Virtuous Conduct sheds new light on a well-established topic. Virtuous conduct—aligning actions and motivations with virtues, social roles, and rituals—is the philosophy of agency of Early Confucianism. Confucius, Mencius, and Xunzi share a common philosophy of agency, which does more than describe agents and acts: it also represents a progressive social and political program. Schneider characterizes Early Confucianism as a progressive philosophy due to its human-centered program for social reform, its process view of self-cultivation, and its development. Agents who cultivate themselves can produce virtuous conduct, flourish, and become Junzi. This lets them lead each other in self-cultivation, social environment, and polity. As such, virtuous conduct integrates ethics, social and political philosophy in a theory of action. Trade ReviewWhile not denying or ignoring their differences, Henrique Schneider argues that the philosophies of Kongzi, Mengzi, and Xunzi present a family resemblance promoting a synthetic philosophy centrally concerned with personal, social, and political agency. This conception of agency is analyzed in terms of virtues, roles, and rituals, linking agents with various types of conduct aimed at cultivating human nature and producing individual and collective flourishing. At the center of his account is a description of an ideal agent, the Junzi, “a self-interested, righteous, self-cultivating leader of familial, social, and political affairs” who not only represents a personal ideal but an inspiring, socially efficacious exemplar. This clear, concise, and original analysis of early Confucian thought will be appreciated by philosophers, political theorists, educators, social scientists, policy makers, and anyone interested in Chinese thought and culture. -- Philip Ivanhoe, Georgetown UniversityWhile many recent treatments of early Confucianism have focused on the differences between Kongzi, Mengzi, and Xunzi, Henrique Schneider uncovers a significant overlap of commonality between these thinkers. Schneider sees an underlying family resemblance in the thinking of the early Confucians that unifies their normative outlooks on virtues, roles, and rituals. A popular and active approach in contemporary philosophy investigates agency, action, and normativity, and Schneider looks to these aspects to find the overlapping features of thought in Kongzi, Mengzi, and Xunzi. By concentrating on the common outlook of human agency, Schneider persuades his readers to join him in seeing the complementary, triangular relationship of virtue, roles, and rituals that constitute virtuous conduct in early Confucian thought. In doing so, Schneider offers an innovative contribution to studies of early Confucianism that pertains to both moral philosophy and social-political philosophy. -- Gordon B. Mower, Brigham Young UniversityUnlike many examinations of early Confucianism, Henrique Schneider does not pick a single idea from among rituals, roles, and virtues and then work to understand the other two in terms of the first. Rather, he offers valuable insights into Kongzi, Mengzi, and Xunzi by examining what these thinkers share. Schneider draws out important differences in these philosophers’ understanding of the content of these fundamental concepts, how they relate to one another, and what they reveal about an underlying theory of action. -- Eirik Lang Harris, Colorado State University

Read more less

Book SynopsisNew Confucian Horizons: Essays in Honor of Tu Weiming represents both a sustained reflection on Tu Weiming's legacy from those who have worked with him and an original contribution to the field of intercultural dialogue that Tu himself spent a lifetime cultivating. The importance of Sino-American intellectual relations in an era of mounting geopolitical rivalry between the United States and China scarcely requires explanation. Tu Weiming's work has significantly deepened Sino-American cultural relations and continues to provide a vital antidote to those who would sow division between the two worlds. This book deals with Confucianism and New Confucianism and Tu Weiming's contribution to both of these Chinese philosophical traditions, studies how Confucianism has been received, especially in Asia, and considers Confucianism in connection with contemporary challenges. Those new to Tu Weiming will sense by the end of the volume just how vast his influence as a teacher, scholar and public intellectual has been. Those more familiar with Tu's work will uncover lacunae in their understanding of his legacy and new angles from which to savour the value of Confucian intellectual resources.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe wisdom of Confucius, China's greatest teacher and sage, can guide each of us in our own time. Twenty-six centuries after their origination, the principles laid down in the Analects of Confucius still act as the foundation of Chinese philosophy, ethics, society and government, and play a formative role in the development of many Eastern philosophies. In this intriguing look at the ethical and spiritual meaning of the Analects, Rodney L. Taylor, the foremost American researcher of Confucius as a religious and spiritual figure, explains their profound and universal wisdom for our own time. He shows how Confucius advocates learning and self-cultivation to follow the "path of the sage" or "Way of Heaven"—a journey that promises to promote reason, peace and understanding. Alongside an updated version of the classic translation by Sinologist James Legge, Taylor provides informative and accessible commentary that illuminates the meaning behind selected passages from the Analects and their insights on character development, respect and reverence, and the nature of learning, goodness, truthfulness and righteousness.Trade Review"Follow[s] in the footsteps of the best of the East Asian Confucian tradition in presenting a judicious, readable and creative commentary on the words of the master in order to introduce Confucian philosophy and spirituality to an expanded audience." —Dr. John H. Berthrong, associate professor of comparative theology, Boston University School of Theology "A lucid, heartfelt and succinct presentation … with special attention to the depth of [Confucian] teachings as a Way of life dedicated to learning the Way of Heaven…. Deftly brings to light layers of meaning and moral wisdom that address the human condition, both in the time of Confucius and today." —Judith Berling, professor of Chinese and comparative religions, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley; past president, American Academy of Religion "Rigorous in scholarship, and yet accessible to the general public. [Taylor's] exposition on the single thread, in particular, will greatly illuminate the unifying core of Confucian teachings for the reader." —Derek Lin, translator and annotator, Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained "Provide[s] us with valuable reflections on the significance of the Analects for our times…. A unique contribution [that] will become its own Way of Learning." —Mary Evelyn Tucker, Yale University; co-editor with Tu Weiming of Confucian Spirituality “The most thoroughly researched and absorbing work of its kind on Confucian and indeed classical Chinese religious, educational, social and ethical thought in general known to me in my more than forty years of college-level teaching in religious studies.” —Frederick M. Denny, professor emeritus of religious studies, University of Colorado at Boulder “A timely and welcome addition to the growing corpus of books that highlight the relevance of Confucianism in the contemporary world…. Unabashedly personal … with an emphasis on [Confucianism's] religious dimensions.” —Richard Shek, professor of humanities and religious studies, California State University, Sacramento “Becoming morally mature while continuing to learn—what could be more relevant in the world today? Rodney Taylor's [volume] provides an inspiring guide to this goal in a new reading of the Chinese classic that also takes into account its profound practical relevance. A must read!” —Livia Kohn, Boston University; translator and annotator, Chuang-tzu: The Tao of Perfect Happiness—Selections Annotated & ExplainedTable of ContentsIntroduction ix 1. Opening the Analects: The Pursuit of Learning 1 2. Confucius' Humanity 5 3. The Noble Person 21 4. On Filial Piety 49 5. Ritual and Music 59 6. The Nature of Learning 69 7. Truthfulness and Righteousness 81 8. The Teaching of Goodness 89 9. The Single Thread 105 10. Reflections on Tradition 111 11. The Way of Heaven 119 12. Closing the Analects: Learning for the Self 133 Acknowledgments 137 Notes 139 Suggestions for Further Reading 141 Index of Passages 143

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn an era that saw many gifted and diligent ministers, missionaries and evangelists being used by God to powerfully advance Christ’s Kingdom work in South Africa, Andrew Murray (1828–1917) emerged as that country’s premier preacher, devotional writer and Church leader. Andrew Murray’s writings and influence are still felt today and Vance Christie skilfully and faithfully brings his story to life for a new generation.Trade ReviewVance Christie has done an excellent job on Murray's life... This is a fine, relatively brief volume on a huge subject, and I find it accurate and edifying. I shall recommend it to my classes, and to some of the conferences where I speak. -- Douglas F. Kelly (Professor of Theology Emeritus, Reformed Theological Seminary, Charlotte, North Carolina)Andrew Murray, though dead, still speaks to us in this charming volume. Walk with this great evangelist through the years of preparation, great success in ministry, and struggles with sickness. May this book introduce a new generation to the life of this man of God, and stimulate faith that the God of Murray is also our God and can lead us also to faithful and fruitful service. -- Adrian Warnock (Author of Raised with Christ and Hope Reborn and prolific blogger at adrianwarnock.com )... an edifying book on a model Protestant saint. May God use it to revive His church today. -- Douglas A. Sweeney (Dean, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama)

Read more less

Book SynopsisTranslated, edited, and introduced by Edward Y. J. Chung, The Great Synthesis of Wang Yangming Neo-Confucianism in Korea: The Chonŏn (Testament) by Chŏng Chedu (Hagok), is the first study in a Western language of Chŏng Chedu (Hagok, 1649–1736) and Korean Wang Yangming Neo-Confucianism. Hagok was an eminent philosopher who established the unorthodox Yangming school (Yangmyŏnghak) in Korea. This book includes an annotated scholarly translation of the Chonŏn 存言 (Testament), Hagok’s most important and interesting work on Confucian self-cultivation. Chung also provides a comprehensive introduction to Hagok’s life, scholarship, and thought, especially his great synthesis of Wang’s philosophy of mind cultivation and moral practice in relation to the classical teaching of Confucius and Mencius and his critical analysis of Zhu Xi Neo-Confucianism and its Sŏngnihak tradition. Chung concludes that Hagok was an original scholar in the Sŏngnihak school, a great transmitter and interpreter of Yangming Neo-Confucianism in Korea, and a creative thinker whose integration of these two traditions inaugurated a distinctively Korean system of ethics and spirituality. This book sheds new light on the breadth and depth of Korean Neo-Confucianism and serves as a primary source for philosophy and East Asian studies in general and Confucian studies and Korean religion and philosophy in particular.Table of ContentsContentsPrefaceAcknowledgementsNote on Transliteration, Translation, and Citation Style Note on the Chonŏn and Selecting Its Sections for TranslationAbbreviationsNotes to Preface, Note on Translation, Translation, and Citation Style, and Note on the Chonŏn and Selecting Its Sections for Translation Translator’s IntroductionI. Chŏng Hagok’s Life and Scholarship II. The Chonŏn and the Heart of Hagok’s ThoughtNotes to the Introduction Translation: The Chonŏn (Testament)Part I: Hagok chŏnjip, vol. 1, pp. 285-297Part II: Hagok chŏnjip, vol. 1, pp. 298-309Part III: Hagok chŏnjip, vol. 1, pp. 310-319Notes to the Translation Glossary of Key Terms, Names, and Titles CitedBibliography

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn Anthropological Inquiry into Confucianism provides a chronological, historicized reappraisal of Confucianism as a belief system and a way of life that revolves around three key concepts: ritual (Li), emotion (qing), and rational principle (li). Instead of examining all pertinent concepts of Confucianism, the book focuses on how Confucian thinkers grappled with these three words and tried to balance them throughout multiple dynasties and by polemics an practice performing rites in daily life. Informed by the theory and perspectives of anthropology, Guo Wu revisits the origin of Confucianism and treats it as part of the legacy of pre-textual worshipping and funerary rites which are incorporated, recorded, and interpreted by Confucians. An anthropological angle continues to flesh out the extant Confucian classics by reinterpreting the parts concerning the human-human, human-animal, and human-sacred objects relations. Modern anthropological studies are referenced to showed how Confucian ritualism permeated to the lifeworld of Chinese villages since the Song dynasty and revived in Ming-Qing dynasties along with a resurgent interest in the expression of human emotions, which had an inherent tension with (Heavenly) rational principle. The book concludes that the Confucian balancing of the triad continues into the 21st century along with its revival in China.Trade ReviewThis informative, erudite, and thought-provoking account of Confucianism accomplishes the rare feat of intriguing both beginners and experts alike. Readers new to the subject will find its historical survey of this quintessential element of Chinese and East Asian culture relatable and fascinating. Students of Chinese thought and of comparative philosophy and religion will find its conceptual triad of Li, qing, and li innovatively capacious and solidly grounded, uniquely suitable for capturing the multi-dimensional reality of Confucianism as a historical and living tradition. The substantial integration of the pre-Confucian archeological record and of anthropological fieldwork showing how Confucianism is practiced in rural and urban settings today offers a timely corrective to the predominant Euro-American narrative of this tradition that has tended to reduce it to little more than the teachings of the Confucian classics and their Neo-Confucian orthodox commentaries. -- Qiong Zhang, Wake Forest UniversityIn this cogently argued, conscientiously researched, and concisely written book, Guo Wu offers us an anthropological interpretation of an ideal-type, Confucian ritualism. Highlighting its multidimensionality and multivalence within a historical framework, Wu astutely reveals how philosophical rationalization (li), emotional investment (qing), and ritualistic performance (Li), from the ancient through preset times, have formed and informed a cultural complex that at once prescribes and describes normative values, appropriate sentiments, and proper behaviors. As such, this entwined ritualism is a marker of identities, adjudicator of right and wrong, and transmitter of collective memories. Wu asks us to see Confucian ritualism as a thronging cultural effusion which, insofar as it is not simply conceived by the thinking intelligentsia and enacted by the reigning authority, is diurnally lived and felt by the people. We should heed his plea. -- On-cho Ng, Pennsylvania State UniversityWith fine expertise on both classical Chinese texts and modern Western theories, Prof. Wu provides an insightful analysis of the interplay of ritual, emotion, and principle throughout the classical Chinese tradition and demonstrates nicely the transformative role of Confucian ritual as a viable means of moral education, disciplining, and aesthetic experience. This book will be useful for both undergraduate and graduate classrooms and will have valuable contributions to the Anglophone world’s understanding of Confucianism. -- Huaiyu Wang, Georgia College & State UniversityThis is a remarkable work by Guo Wu that draws on a deep understanding of the Confucian classics along with his wide-ranging fluency in history, philosophy, and anthropology. Aside from his comprehensive examination of the Confucian tradition and its various interpretations through the different dynasties in China, he produces a self-reflexive and ‘insider’s perspective’ with his descriptions of his participation in the Confucian-Daoist ritual at his father’s funeral in the beginning of the book and a discussion of his childhood experiences with Maoist nationalistic rituals near the end of the work. Guo Wu highlights the important role of the emotion (Qing) as it was inextricably associated with family, lineage, and ancestral clans as understood by Confucians and neo-Confucians during various periods of Chinese history. To explore this topic, he draws on the Western literature regarding the anthropology, sociology, and philosophy of emotions ranging from Spinoza, Kant, Wittgenstein, Durkheim, Weber, Frazer, Malinowski, Radcliffe-Brown, Benedict, Lutz, Geertz, Damasio, along with various Chinese sources on the subject. Guo Wu provides an illuminating exegesis of the concepts of Li, Qing, and li as they relate to aspects of family, ritual, and rationality in the Confucian tradition. In his conclusion, he offers an excellent discussion of the contemporary revitalization of Confucianism in China that is integrated with cultural nationalism. This state-of-the-art work should be placed on the book shelves of all China specialists and everyone else interested in ritual. -- Raymond Scupin, Lindenwood UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction: Confucianism through Anthropological Lenses Chapter 1: Li and Qing: Sacrifice, Ritual, and Emotion Before ConfuciusChapter 2: Ritualism and Emotion in Pre-Qin Confucianism and the ZhuangziChapter 3: The Rise of Rational Principle and Diffusion of Rites in the Tang and Song DynastiesChapter 4: Rediscovering Qing and Li in the Ming and Qing Conclusion: Reinventing Confucian Ritualism and the Modern Fate of the Triad

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn Anthropological Inquiry into Confucianism provides a chronological, historicized reappraisal of Confucianism as a belief system and a way of life that revolves around three key concepts: ritual (Li), emotion (qing), and rational principle (li). Instead of examining all pertinent concepts of Confucianism, the book focuses on how Confucian thinkers grappled with these three words and tried to balance them throughout multiple dynasties and by polemics an practice performing rites in daily life. Informed by the theory and perspectives of anthropology, Guo Wu revisits the origin of Confucianism and treats it as part of the legacy of pre-textual worshipping and funerary rites which are incorporated, recorded, and interpreted by Confucians. An anthropological angle continues to flesh out the extant Confucian classics by reinterpreting the parts concerning the human-human, human-animal, and human-sacred objects relations. Modern anthropological studies are referenced to showed how Confucian ritualism permeated to the lifeworld of Chinese villages since the Song dynasty and revived in Ming-Qing dynasties along with a resurgent interest in the expression of human emotions, which had an inherent tension with (Heavenly) rational principle. The book concludes that the Confucian balancing of the triad continues into the 21st century along with its revival in China.Trade ReviewThis informative, erudite, and thought-provoking account of Confucianism accomplishes the rare feat of intriguing both beginners and experts alike. Readers new to the subject will find its historical survey of this quintessential element of Chinese and East Asian culture relatable and fascinating. Students of Chinese thought and of comparative philosophy and religion will find its conceptual triad of Li, qing, and li innovatively capacious and solidly grounded, uniquely suitable for capturing the multi-dimensional reality of Confucianism as a historical and living tradition. The substantial integration of the pre-Confucian archeological record and of anthropological fieldwork showing how Confucianism is practiced in rural and urban settings today offers a timely corrective to the predominant Euro-American narrative of this tradition that has tended to reduce it to little more than the teachings of the Confucian classics and their Neo-Confucian orthodox commentaries. -- Qiong Zhang, Wake Forest UniversityIn this cogently argued, conscientiously researched, and concisely written book, Guo Wu offers us an anthropological interpretation of an ideal-type, Confucian ritualism. Highlighting its multidimensionality and multivalence within a historical framework, Wu astutely reveals how philosophical rationalization (li), emotional investment (qing), and ritualistic performance (Li), from the ancient through preset times, have formed and informed a cultural complex that at once prescribes and describes normative values, appropriate sentiments, and proper behaviors. As such, this entwined ritualism is a marker of identities, adjudicator of right and wrong, and transmitter of collective memories. Wu asks us to see Confucian ritualism as a thronging cultural effusion which, insofar as it is not simply conceived by the thinking intelligentsia and enacted by the reigning authority, is diurnally lived and felt by the people. We should heed his plea. -- On-cho Ng, Pennsylvania State UniversityWith fine expertise on both classical Chinese texts and modern Western theories, Prof. Wu provides an insightful analysis of the interplay of ritual, emotion, and principle throughout the classical Chinese tradition and demonstrates nicely the transformative role of Confucian ritual as a viable means of moral education, disciplining, and aesthetic experience. This book will be useful for both undergraduate and graduate classrooms and will have valuable contributions to the Anglophone world’s understanding of Confucianism. -- Huaiyu Wang, Georgia College & State UniversityThis is a remarkable work by Guo Wu that draws on a deep understanding of the Confucian classics along with his wide-ranging fluency in history, philosophy, and anthropology. Aside from his comprehensive examination of the Confucian tradition and its various interpretations through the different dynasties in China, he produces a self-reflexive and ‘insider’s perspective’ with his descriptions of his participation in the Confucian-Daoist ritual at his father’s funeral in the beginning of the book and a discussion of his childhood experiences with Maoist nationalistic rituals near the end of the work. Guo Wu highlights the important role of the emotion (Qing) as it was inextricably associated with family, lineage, and ancestral clans as understood by Confucians and neo-Confucians during various periods of Chinese history. To explore this topic, he draws on the Western literature regarding the anthropology, sociology, and philosophy of emotions ranging from Spinoza, Kant, Wittgenstein, Durkheim, Weber, Frazer, Malinowski, Radcliffe-Brown, Benedict, Lutz, Geertz, Damasio, along with various Chinese sources on the subject. Guo Wu provides an illuminating exegesis of the concepts of Li, Qing, and li as they relate to aspects of family, ritual, and rationality in the Confucian tradition. In his conclusion, he offers an excellent discussion of the contemporary revitalization of Confucianism in China that is integrated with cultural nationalism. This state-of-the-art work should be placed on the book shelves of all China specialists and everyone else interested in ritual. -- Raymond Scupin, Lindenwood UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction: Confucianism through Anthropological Lenses Chapter 1: Li and Qing: Sacrifice, Ritual, and Emotion Before ConfuciusChapter 2: Ritualism and Emotion in Pre-Qin Confucianism and the ZhuangziChapter 3: The Rise of Rational Principle and Diffusion of Rites in the Tang and Song DynastiesChapter 4: Rediscovering Qing and Li in the Ming and Qing Conclusion: Reinventing Confucian Ritualism and the Modern Fate of the Triad

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book aims to explore the life of Yi Won-young, an outstanding Confucian scholar from Andong, in South Korea. Andong is known as the home of Neo-Confucianism, as in this region Western Christianity took root amidst the impeccable and ritualistic Confucian society without much conflict and confrontation. This study deals with the most turbulent times of 20th century Korean history and investigates the formation of the Andong biblical Christianity. Was the confluence of availability and accessibility of the Bible and Bible study and the method of Confucian canon reading relevant for the formation of Andong biblical Christianity? This is one of the questions the author tries to answer in the book. Further, the author vividly portrays Yi’s struggle to interact with the community and the occupying Japanese authority, analyzes the development of his eschatological interpretation and the issues of Shinto worship and its consequences, church division and sterility of human minds after trauma of deprivation. The book offers an overview of Korean Neo-Confucianism and the early Presbyterian Church of Korea during the Japanese occupation and post Korean War. For Western readers new references were added by the translator.Table of ContentsContents: Raised in the Family Tradition of Confucians – A Key Figure in the March First Independence Movement Demonstration at Yaean – Nestled in the Christian Faith – A Shepherd Tending the Flock of Christ – A living Martyr – Church Reconstruction, Establishment of Educational Institutes, A Moderator of the General Assembly of Presbyterian Church of Korea.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPractical Learning, Catholicism and classical Confucianism form the origin of Tasan Chŏng’s philosophy in a uniform interrelation. The first part of this study discusses the development of Neo-Confucianism, its criticism, the development of the Practical Learning, the introduction of European sciences, the influence of Catholicism on the traditional Confucian society and its theoretical dispute. The second part deals with the Catholic influence on Tasan, the criticism of the Neo-Confucian metaphysics and his theories about the human nature and about the Confucian humanity as main subjects of ethics, as well as the incompatibility between Catholicism and Confucian ethics for Tasan. In the third part, Tasan’s theory of the ideal state is investigated, namely his theories on politics, society, economy and law.Table of ContentsContents: Classical Confucianism – Neo-Confucianism – Practical Learning – Tasan’s Philosophy and Catholicism – View of God – Criticism of Neo-Confucian Metaphysics – Theory of the Nature of the Human Being – Theory of Ethics – Theory of the Ideal State.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe fifteen studies presented inConfucian Academies in East Asia offer insight into the history and legacy of these unique institutions of knowledge and education. The contributions analyze origins, spread and development of Confucian academies across China, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan from multiple perspectives. This edited volume is one of the first attempts to understand Confucian academies as a complex transnational, intellectual, and cultural phenomena that played an essential role in various areas of East Asian education, philosophy, religious practice, local economy, print industry, and even archery. The broad chronological range of essays allows it to demonstrate the role of Confucian academies as highly adaptable and active agents of cultural and intellectual change since the eighth century until today. An indispensable handbook for studies of Confucian culture and institutions since the eighth century until the present. Contributors are: Chien Iching, Chung Soon-woo, Deng Hongbo, Martin Gehlmann, Vladimír Glomb, Lan Jun, Lee Byoung-Hoon, Eun-Jeung Lee, Thomas H.C. Lee, Margaret Dorothea Mehl, Steven B. Miles, Hoyt Cleveland Tillman, Nguyễn Tuấn-Cường, Linda Walton and Minamizawa Yoshihiko.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less