The Analects: The Master and the Wood, Illustrated with 41 Sentences

Author: Song Jie
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: The book The Analects records the conversations of Confucius and his dialogues with his disciples. It is a classic of Confucianism, known as the "Bible of the East," and serves as the foundation of Chinese cultural tradition. The Analects proposes the doctrines of "loyalty and reciprocity" and "benevolence," advocating "Do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you" and "To subdue oneself and return to propriety is benevolence." Represented by Confucian thought, Confucius is the pillar of Chinese civilization. Every Chinese person can see themselves reflected in Confucius, just as every English person has Shakespeare in their hearts. In my view, Confucius was not suited for ruling as a king or serving in office, but his status as the "Supreme Sage" is entirely a painted image. Only by examining oneself and cultivating self-improvement can one reveal the unparalleled wisdom of the Master. Reading ancient texts and reflecting on the present world is what I call "reading ancient texts in the modern context." This book takes the Confucian classic The Analects as its research subject, translating and commenting on its content, such as interpretation, loyalty, governance, and the ways of being an official and governing, in the form of illustrated explanations.