Confucius, the Analects

Twenty-six centuries after their origination, the principles laid down in the Analects of Confucius still act as the foundation of Chinese philosophy, ethics, society and government, and play a formative role in the development of many Eastern philosophies. Confucius is revered as China¿s greatest teacher and sage, and interest in his monumental teachings continues today. In this intriguing look at the ethical and spiritual meaning of the Analects, Rodney L. Taylor, the foremost American researcher of Confucius as a religious and spiritual figure, explains why the Analects hold enduring and universal wisdom for our time. He shows how Confucius advocates learning and self-cultivation to follow ¿the path of the sage¿ or ¿way of Heaven¿¿ a path that promises to promote reason, peace and understanding. Along with an updated version of the classic translation by sinologist James Legge, Taylor provides informative and accessible commentary that: ¿ Illuminates the meaning behind selected passages from the Analects as they relate to Chinese philosophy, ethical thought and religion/spirituality ¿ Explains common interpretations of the text and how they contribute to our current understanding of Chinese and Eastern philosophy, ethics and morality ¿ ¿ and much more