Description
Compiled by disciples of Confucius in the centuries following his death in 479 B.C.E., The Analects of Confucius is a collection of aphorisms and historical anecdotes embodying the basic values of the Confucian tradition: learning, morality, ritual decorum, and filial piety. Reflecting the model eras of Chinese antiquity, the Analects offers valuable insights into successful governance and the ideal organization of society. Filled with humor and sarcasm, it reads like a casual conversation between teacher and student, emphasizing the role of the individual in the attainment of knowledge and the value of using historical events and people to illuminate moral and political concepts. Confucius's teachings focus on cultural and peaceful pursuits and the characteristics of benevolent and culturally distinguished government. He also discusses ancestor worship and other rites performed for the spirits of the dead. The single most influential philosophical work in all of Chinese history, The Analects of Confucius has shaped the thought and customs of China and neighboring countries for centuries. Burton Watson's concise translation uses the pinyin romanization system and keeps explanatory notes to a minimum, yet his intimate knowledge of the Confucian tradition and precise attention to linguistic detail capture the original text's elegance, cogency, and wit.
The Analects of Confucius is arguably the single most influential work on the philosophical, religious, and cultural life of the Chinese people. Burton Watson's translation is clear, crisp, terse, less predigested, and much more elegant than its contemporaries. This translation shall remain as a standard for many years to come. -- Philip J. Ivanhoe, professor of philosophy, City University of Hong Kong There has been a handful of competent and interesting versions of The Analects of Confucius published during the last two decades, but none of them, in my judgment, can surpass the excellence of this edition. What the seasoned scholar-translator has accomplished throughout is to render his English version in style answerable to the pithiness, simplicity, and sapiential flair of the Chinese original. Stylistic and linguistic economy, however, in no way sacrifice elegance and succinctness. This is a book that can be recommended enthusiastically to the English reader worldwide. -- Anthony C. Yu, Carl Darling Buck Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus in the Humanities and professor emeritus of religion and literature, Divinity School, The University of Chicago
About the Author
Burton Watson has taught at Columbia, Stanford, and Kyoto Universities and is one of the world's best-known translators of Chinese and Japanese works. His translations include The Tales of the Heike; The Lotus Sutra; the writings of Zhuangzi, Mozi, Xunzi, and Han Feizi; The Columbia Book of Chinese Poetry; and Records of the Grand Historian.
Reviews
[Watson's] translation... is not only perhaps the most faithful to the writer's intentions, but also one of the few readable ones. -- Donald Richie Japan Times Watson's gem... captures the wit, freedom, and spontaneous intimacy of this tireless treasure... Highly recommended. CHOICE A new, concise translation. Journal of Chinese Studies A lucid and accessible translation. Toronto Globe & Mail
Book Information
ISBN 9780231141659
Author Burton Watson
Format Paperback
Page Count 176
Imprint Columbia University Press
Publisher Columbia University Press
The Analects of Confucius is arguably the single most influential work on the philosophical, religious, and cultural life of the Chinese people. Burton Watson's translation is clear, crisp, terse, less predigested, and much more elegant than its contemporaries. This translation shall remain as a standard for many years to come. -- Philip J. Ivanhoe, professor of philosophy, City University of Hong Kong There has been a handful of competent and interesting versions of The Analects of Confucius published during the last two decades, but none of them, in my judgment, can surpass the excellence of this edition. What the seasoned scholar-translator has accomplished throughout is to render his English version in style answerable to the pithiness, simplicity, and sapiential flair of the Chinese original. Stylistic and linguistic economy, however, in no way sacrifice elegance and succinctness. This is a book that can be recommended enthusiastically to the English reader worldwide. -- Anthony C. Yu, Carl Darling Buck Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus in the Humanities and professor emeritus of religion and literature, Divinity School, The University of Chicago
About the Author
Burton Watson has taught at Columbia, Stanford, and Kyoto Universities and is one of the world's best-known translators of Chinese and Japanese works. His translations include The Tales of the Heike; The Lotus Sutra; the writings of Zhuangzi, Mozi, Xunzi, and Han Feizi; The Columbia Book of Chinese Poetry; and Records of the Grand Historian.
Reviews
[Watson's] translation... is not only perhaps the most faithful to the writer's intentions, but also one of the few readable ones. -- Donald Richie Japan Times Watson's gem... captures the wit, freedom, and spontaneous intimacy of this tireless treasure... Highly recommended. CHOICE A new, concise translation. Journal of Chinese Studies A lucid and accessible translation. Toronto Globe & Mail
Book Information
ISBN 9780231141659
Author Burton Watson
Format Paperback
Page Count 176
Imprint Columbia University Press
Publisher Columbia University Press
