The Analects

Author: Chen Fuquan et al
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: The Analects is a collection of sayings by Confucius and his disciples, one of the important classics of Confucianism. The compilation work was completed by Confucius's disciples and their successors. The origin of the name The Analects, according to Ban Gu's Book of Han·Treatise on the Arts and Literature, is as follows: "The Analects refers to the words Confucius replied to his disciples and contemporaries, as well as the conversations among the disciples themselves that were overheard by Confucius. At that time, each disciple had his own records. After Confucius's death, his disciples compiled and edited these records, hence the name The Analects." This explanation is largely credible. The original records were written by various hands, and the final compilation likely took place in the early Warring States period, primarily led by the disciples of Zeng Can.