The Analects Translated

Author: Zhang Baoquan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: The Analects is a-style work recording the sayings and actions of Confucius, including his conversations, answers to his disciples' questions, and discussions among the disciples. It is one of the important classics of Confucianism and serves as the cornerstone of Chinese political and social ethics. Its political, ethical, moral, and educational ideas have long been integrated into the blood of the Chinese nation. This series of books offers translations and analyses that are extensive in references and easy to understand, with an index at the end for convenient retrieval. Confucius (551 BC–479 BC) was a great thinker and educator in Chinese history and the founder of the Confucian school. He is known as the "sage" and is said to have had 3,000 disciples, among whom 72 were considered virtuous. His efforts in organizing, researching, and disseminating ancient Chinese culture, as well as his thoughts and doctrines, made immortal contributions to Chinese culture and even world civilization. UNESCO has listed him as one of the top ten greatest historical figures in the world, which reflects his status in the history of world civilization. Confucius, named Qiu, styled Zisi, was a native of Xie County (now southeast Zicheng, Qufu, Shandong) in the late Spring and Autumn period. The ancestors of Confucius were descendants of the Yin dynasty. After the Zhou dynasty conquered the Yin, King Cheng of Zhou enfeoffed Wei Ziqi, the elder brother of King Zhou of Yin, as the Duke of Song, establishing the capital at Shangqiu (now Shangqiu, Henan). After Wei Ziqi's death, his younger brother, Wei Xin, succeeded him. Wei Xin was Confucius's ancestor.