An exploration of one of the most important figures in Chinese history, his teachings and the world in which he lived.
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Product Description
About the Author
Jonathan Clements is the author, co-author or translator of over thirty books, including The Little Book of Chinese Proverbs, The Moon in the Pines, and The Anime Encyclopedia. He is now writing his biography of The Pirate King: Coxinga and The Fall of the Ming Dynasty for Sutton.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By ShiDaDao Ph.D
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
A biography of Confucius is always problematic. Not that long ago in China, Confucius, after thousands of years of veneration, was blamed for the social collapse of China and all the ills such a collapse entails. The old sage is now popular again, and the Mainland Chinese government is encouraging the building of Confucian temples throughout the world, primarily to teach the Chinese language. Clements accesses the extant Chinese texts already translated into English, and pieces together a reliable narrative for the life of Confucius (551-479BC). This is not a long book, the hardback 2004 edition contains just 136 numbered pages. There are 6 chapters excluding the Introduction, Chronology and maps, etc:
1. Ancestry and Early Life.
2. Scholar and Teacher.
3. Editor and Recluse.
4. Statesman and Minister.
5. Exist.
6. Sage.
The text, although relatively brief, is logical in its presentation. Throughout the biography, Clements inserts aphorisms from The Analects (Lun Yu), thus providing the general reader with access to part of the written philosophy of Confucius. A good introduction to the life and teachings of the old sage.
1. Ancestry and Early Life.
2. Scholar and Teacher.
3. Editor and Recluse.
4. Statesman and Minister.
5. Exist.
6. Sage.
The text, although relatively brief, is logical in its presentation. Throughout the biography, Clements inserts aphorisms from The Analects (Lun Yu), thus providing the general reader with access to part of the written philosophy of Confucius. A good introduction to the life and teachings of the old sage.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars
2 reviews
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Clear, Concise, Confucius
24 Nov 2004
By Rhonda Eudaly
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
Jonathan Clements once more takes a complex topic - in this case, the life of a monumental individual - and boils it down to a fast paced, lean read.
This biography of one of the world's most well-known and near-deified philosophers of all time is clean, concise - and yet gives more than just facts and dates. It actually feels like you have some insight into the man behind all the profound sayings and ideas which have been attributed to him. Anyone who's interested in more than just the fortune cookie Confucius will find this a fascinating read.
Anyone studiying Asian history or philosophy should be required to read this biography before starting their studies on Confucius. It's clear he was a master of common sense and that's worth reading and learning on any level.
This biography of one of the world's most well-known and near-deified philosophers of all time is clean, concise - and yet gives more than just facts and dates. It actually feels like you have some insight into the man behind all the profound sayings and ideas which have been attributed to him. Anyone who's interested in more than just the fortune cookie Confucius will find this a fascinating read.
Anyone studiying Asian history or philosophy should be required to read this biography before starting their studies on Confucius. It's clear he was a master of common sense and that's worth reading and learning on any level.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent overview of Confucius' life and philosophy
30 Aug 2007
By D. Goodpasture
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
Clements brings the 2,500 year-old philosopher, teacher, and statesman to life. He also provides maps and timelines to put it into perspective and make visualization easier. It's a short, easy, and enjoyable read spliced with words of wisdom from the Analects. In essence we are all here to do certain jobs and should do them to the best of our abilities and not disrupt the social order. He was very enlightened for his time in that he felt jobs should be obtained by merit and not birth. He came up with the idea of imperial exams to make accession fair. Perhaps it would be expecting too much for a philosopher who lived 2,500 years ago but, his idea of equality and a level playing field didn't extend to women. This is left out of the book. It's a well documented biography and the writing is good.
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