Confucianism (Ancient Philosophies)

An excellent introduction to a topic often considered too fundamental to be worth writing about - the evolution of classical Confucianism. Professor Goldin points out that it is surprisingly difficult to come across quality, English-language introductions to confucian thought, a state of affairs that he has here made a great stride toward remedying. This book is short, as should be clear from the Amazon listing, but, with its generous citation of primary sources and lucid explication of the major ideas of Confucius, Mencius, and Xunzi, it nonetheless serves as a compelling guide to early Confucian thinking about people, the state, and the world. Much is made, and rightly so, of the differences between these three great classical Confucian thinkers, however slight they may sometimes seem when looked at in the context of the Warring States period, and by the end of the text, one has a fairly good understanding of the reasons why these thinkers diverged in their philosophical focus. Historical and intellectual context, while not given much separate attention in this volume, are addressed at least in passing in the discussions of each of these philosophers. Intellectual context is responsible in large part, to take the most conspicuous example, for Xunzi's propounding of a full-scale cosmological understanding of the Confucian way, which is sourced from nature itself and pervades all things. Many of his contemporaries had, unlike those of both Confucius and Mencius, been reading the Laozi, and subsequently placing considerable credence in its vision of an all-pervasive and unknowable way (dao). In order to maintain relevance, it was necessary for Xunzi, as it later became necessary for Neo-Confucians confronted with the popularity of Buddhism and Daoism in the 11th century, to propagate a theory that could level with those of competing philosophical traditions and successfully argue for the Confucian understanding of truth, or the right way.There is also a short chapter that considers the Neo-Confucian movement of the Song, well over a millennium after the last of these classical Confucians, Xunzi, had died, as well as the place of Confucianism in the China of today. This chapter is still lucid and helpful, but is intended not as a complete guide to developments after the classical era, but merely as a small taste of later developments, perhaps goading students into reading more, or at least giving them basic knowledge of the most important intellectual shifts in Confucianism after the classical period.To conclude, this is a wonderful book that is worthy of more attention than it has received, and is an excellent introduction to a philosophy and a number of philosophical orientations that have characterized much of Chinese civilization since the founding of the Empire. Buy this book!

This was a very enlightening read. Although I personally prefer Western Philosophy I did enjoy reading Confucius. If you are thinking about getting it I highly encourage it.

Great book...expertly plotted with lots of creativity. I would highly recommend this book to others who enjoy reading about this subject area.