Confucian Reflections Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times [Paperback]

Confucian Reflections: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times is about the early Chinese Confucian classic the Analects Lunyu, attributed to the founder of the Confucian tradition, Kongzi (551-479 bce) and who is more commonly referred to as Confucius in the West. Philip J. Ivanhoe argues that the Analectsis as relevant and important today as it has proven to be over the course of its more than 2000 year history, not only for the people who live in East Asian societies but for all human beings. The fact that this text has inspired so many talented people for so long, across a range of complex, creative, rich, and fascinating cultures offers a strong prima faciereason for thinking that the insights the Analectscontains are not bound by either the particular time or cultural context in which the text took shape.

This book is a real treasure. P. J. Ivanhoe is one of the world's most respected scholars in the field of early Chinese thought. In his new book he brings his great learning to bear in helping us understand the Analectsof Confucius, one of the most influential books in world history, as it was originally intended. But he does much more. He draws the reader into the text by showing how it speaks to us as moderns, wherever we may live or whatever other traditions are meaningful to us. In particular he shows us how the Analects provides new insights with respect to how we live our lives, insights with respect to ritual, music and the very meaning of daily life itself. It is a short book that gives us a great deal to think about and that any educated reader can appreciate.

Robert N. Bellah, Professor of Sociology, Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley

P. J. Ivanhoe is among the most important comparative philosophers ever. Ivanhoe is a leading light in the interpretation of classical Chinese philosophy, deeply steeped in Western philosophy,ló+