Nan Huaijin Selected Works Volume 10 (Essential Edition)

Author: Nan Huaijin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-12-01
Features: Nan Huaijin, a renowned scholar with a high reputation both in China and abroad, was born in 1918 into a scholarly family in Leqing County, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. At 85 years old, he received early education at home and studied the classics in his youth. When the War of Resistance against Japan broke out, the young Nan Huaijin put down his pen and joined the army, riding horses to the remote southwestern frontier. Later, he returned to Sichuan and taught at the Central Military Academy and Jinling University. With exceptional talent and detachment from worldly matters, he often traveled with straw sandals and bamboo staffs, exploring famous mountains and rivers to seek out eminent monks and scholars. He once secluded himself in the Pingping Temple on Mount Emei for three years, thoroughly reading the vast Buddhist canon. He then traveled to Tibet, studying with masters of Vajrayana Buddhism and gaining profound knowledge of the various schools of Tibetan Buddhism. After leaving Tibet, he went to Kunming, initially teaching at Yunnan University and later at Sichuan University. After the war, he returned to his hometown. Soon after, he retired to Mount Tianzhu in Hangzhou and Mount Lu in Jiangxi, dedicating himself to scholarship. After moving to Taiwan, he was appointed to teach at Cultural University, Fu Jen University, and other universities and research institutes, spreading his knowledge to Japan, the United States, and Central and South America. In recent years, he has resided in Hong Kong, contributing significantly to cultural exchange between the mainland and Taiwan. Nan Huaijin is well-versed in classics, history, and philosophy, with a deep understanding of both Eastern and Western cultures. His extensive knowledge and numerous writings have made him a celebrated figure. Especially notable is his approach of combining classics and history to explain the teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. His explanations are rich in references, insightful, and engaging, making him a beloved figure among readers across all levels in both Taiwan and the mainland. Fudan University Press is the earliest publisher of Nan Huaijin's works in China and the publisher with the most extensive and varied collection of his writings. They have published a total of twenty-four works by Nan Huaijin, most of which are his representative works. With the author's and original publisher's authorization, these works have been compiled into ten volumes, published in hardcover, to meet the needs of readers for reading and collecting. The contents of each volume are as follows:
Volume 1: The Analects Decoded
Volume 2: The Way of Lao Tzu and Confucius, Mencius Unbound
Volume 3: The I Ching Unbound, The I Ching: Line by Line
Volume 4: Zen and Taoism, Taoism, Vajrayana Buddhism, and Eastern Mysticism, Meditation for Self-Cultivation and Longevity
Volume 5: Exploring the Zen Sea, Zen Talks, An Outline of the Development of Buddhism in China, An Outline of the Development of Taoism in China
Volume 6: Lessons from History, A New Generation Between Tradition and Modernity, General Remarks on Chinese Culture
Volume 7: How to Practice and Attain Enlightenment, The Healing Vision of the Lotus Sutra, The Fundamental Beliefs of a Buddhist
Volume 8: What the Diamond Sutra Means, The Meaning of the Heart Sutra
Volume 9: A Brief Explanation of the Avatamsaka Sutra, Initial Practices of Meditation and Wisdom, The Meaning of the Heart Sutra
Volume 10: The Original Meaning of the Great Learning.
The Great Learning is one of the representative works of Confucianism, traditionally attributed to Zengzi (Zeng Can), a student of Confucius. Together with The Doctrine of the Mean, The Analects, and Mencius, it forms the "Four Books," which were mandatory reading for scholars and students in the Song Dynasty and later. The text is structured around the principles of "illuminating virtue," "transforming the people," and "attaining perfection," with the objectives of "investigating things," "extending knowledge," "sincerifying the mind," "rectifying the heart," "cultivating oneself," "regulating the family," "governing the state," and "peacefully ruling the world." It provides a systematic discussion on the relationship between moral cultivation and social politics, exerting a profound influence on ancient Chinese thought and culture. This book is a lecture record by the renowned scholar Nan Huaijin on The Great Learning. The title "The Original Great Learning" refers to the ancient text The Great Learning from the Xiao Dai Liji. With his profound knowledge, Nan Huaijin compiles a wealth of historical and literary allusions to reveal the profound meanings of The Great Learning, offering readers both intellectual enjoyment and life insights. With the author's and original publisher's authorization, Taiwan Lao Gu Cultural Enterprises has published the revised edition (January 2003) for research purposes.