
The Analects
Confucius(Author)
Penguin Classics (Publisher)
Published on 27. September 1979
Book
Paperback/Softback
256 pages
978-0-14-044348-6 (ISBN)
Description
'The Master said, "If a man sets his heart on benevolence, he will be free from evil"'
The Analects are a collection of Confucius's sayings brought together by his pupils shortly after his death in 497 BC. Together they express a philosophy, or a moral code, by which Confucius believed everyone should live. Upholding the ideals of wisdom, self-knowledge, courage and love of one's fellow man, he argued that the pursuit of virtue should be every individual's supreme goal. And, while following the Way, or the truth, might not result in immediate or material gain, Confucius showed that it could nevertheless bring its own powerful and lasting spiritual rewards.
Translated with an Introduction and Notes by D. C. Lau
The Analects are a collection of Confucius's sayings brought together by his pupils shortly after his death in 497 BC. Together they express a philosophy, or a moral code, by which Confucius believed everyone should live. Upholding the ideals of wisdom, self-knowledge, courage and love of one's fellow man, he argued that the pursuit of virtue should be every individual's supreme goal. And, while following the Way, or the truth, might not result in immediate or material gain, Confucius showed that it could nevertheless bring its own powerful and lasting spiritual rewards.
Translated with an Introduction and Notes by D. C. Lau
Reviews / Votes
"For more than two millennia, the teachings of Confucius have served as a guide for a substantial portion of humanity. English-language readers seeking to understand this remarkable body of thought are fortunate to have Annping Chin's highly readable and judiciously annotated edition of The Analects." -Henry A. Kissinger"An astonishingly lucid exposition of The Analects. A kind of serene insight pervades the commentaries." -Harold Bloom
"An incomparable new volume that combines a fresh and sympathetic translation with a wonderfully readable annotation. It is a joy to use and will unlock a whole new level of meaning for English-language readers." -Orville Schell, Director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations and co-author of Wealth and Power: China's Long March to the Twenty-First Century
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Penguin Books Ltd
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 197 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Weight
186 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-14-044348-6 (9780140443486)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Persons
Confucius [551-479 BC], though of noble descent, was born in humble circumstances. He believed that politics is only an extension of morals, and spent ten years travelling through the various states of China spreading his ideas. When he realised that there was no way of converting the feudal rulers to his way of thinking he returned to Lu and spent the rest of his life there teaching his pupils.
D.C Lau has held a number of professorships in the field of Chinese language and literature.
D.C Lau has held a number of professorships in the field of Chinese language and literature.
Content
Book I; book II; book III; book IV; book V; book VI; book VII; book VIII; book IX; book X; book XI; book XII; book XIII; book XIV; book XV; book XVI; book XVII; book XVIII; book XIX; book XX. Appendices: events in the life of Confucius chronology; the disciples as they appear in "The Analects"; the Lun Yu.