The Analects Translated

Author: Tan Banghe
Proofread by: Wang Wei
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-11-01
Features: The Analects is an important classic of ancient Chinese Confucianism, approximately compiled in the early Warring States period. It is generally believed to have been recorded and collected by Confucius's disciples and their successors, and then organized. The compilation style is not strict; generally, one entry constitutes a chapter, and chapters are compiled into a text. Each chapter within a text does not share a common theme, but is roughly categorized, with the title of the entire text taken from the first two characters of the first sentence of the first chapter. The Analects not only records Confucius's thoughts but also his daily life details. Over two thousand years later, reading The Analects still reveals the vivid image of a great cultural figure. For example, he cherished his students, guided them patiently, but even with his most favored student, he never compromised his principles. After Yan Yuan's death, his father asked Confucius to sell his carriage to buy a coffin for Yan Yuan. Confucius believed that the father was acting out of love for his son. When his own son, Kong Li, died, he had not sold his carriage to buy a coffin for him. Additionally, as he had once been a high official, according to ritual, he must travel by carriage. Therefore, both in terms of public regulations and personal sentiment, he could not sell his carriage for Yan Yuan. He refused his father's request. In summary, in The Analects, Confucius is both solemn and relaxed; he is respectful and stern in dealing with others, yet also feels helpless and awkward when facing the world. The Analects spread to the Han Dynasty, where three versions emerged. One is The Lu Analects, passed down by the people of Lu, consisting of twenty chapters, and the Analects we see today is based on this version. Another is The Qi Analects, passed down by the people of Qi, consisting of twenty-two chapters. The third is The Ancient Analects, discovered in the Confucius mansion in Qufu during the late reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, with twenty-one chapters, and its titles are largely the same as those of The Lu Analects. This book references works such as Qian Mu's New Interpretation of the Analects, Yang Bojun's Translation and Annotation of the Analects, and Nan Huaijin's New Interpretation of the Analects, striving to be concise, clear, and easy to understand, providing readers with a reference for reading and studying The Analects.