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Confucius is one of the most influential figures--as historical individual and as symbol--in world history; and the Analects, the sayings attributed to Confucius and his disciples, is a classic of world literature. Nonetheless, how to understand both figure and text is constantly under dispute. Surprisingly, this volume is the first and only anthology on these topics in English. Here, contributors apply a variety of different methodologies (including philosophical, phililogical, and religious) and address a number of important topics, from Confucius and Western "virtue ethics" to Confucius' attitude toward women to the historical composition of the text of the Analects. Scholars will appreciate the rigor of these essays, while students and beginners will find them accessible and engaging.

“The main objective of the New Education Experiment is to restore the richness and completeness of human nature...and allow teachers and students to live happy and complete lives.”—Zhu Yongxin Filled with powerful insights and inspiring true stories, this book is the culmination of Zhu Yongxin’s lifetime of experience as a student, teacher, lecturer, and pioneering leader of education experiment. These essays provide a window to the daily lives of the dedicated men and women who are turning the dream of a new education in China into a thrilling and beautiful reality. In these pages, you’ll learn about: * Yongxin’s fascinating personal journey through China’s education system * The transformative leaders, teachers, mentors and role models who are motivating China’s youth--and building China’s future * China’s ongoing commitment to new education reform—and the incredible potential it has to enrich people’s lives, open new doors, and uplift a nation’s spirit One of the most influential leaders of education experiment in China, Professor Zhu Yongxin has spent his life and career exploring the limitless possibilities of learning. From his early school days discovering the joys of literature through his continuing journey into higher education, he has been challenged by great thinkers, inspired by great teachers, and committed to a great nation’s vision of a new education that would uplift the lives of all of its people. In this illuminating collection of essays,Yongxin shares his most personal thoughts, reminiscences, and insights on the new education of China. These richly diverse, deeply felt writings shed light on a wide range of educational issues, including: * The pivotal role of education in our professional lives and personal happiness * The challenge of implementing new reforms in our schools and our homes * The importance of having good teachers, supportive families, and inspiring role models * The ways we define success, featuring 31 secrets of successful people * The transformative power of reading, writing, dreaming, and doing * The educational opportunities in sports, literature, arts, and other cultural pursuits * The social, political, and economic goals of the new education—and why it’s so crucial to China’s future The book also includes Yongxin’s reflections on his own educational journey--from absorbing the wisdom of the ancient masters to facing the challenges of new educational reforms. Along the way, he shares his honest opinions on hot-button subjects like social networking, educational psychology, school financing, and other issues. Most importantly, his inspiring words and enthusiasm teach us how to use this new education to open minds, raise spirits, and expand opportunities--for China, for its people, and for the pure joy of learning. “Life is education, and education life,” he writes. “Life cannot be separated from education.” Zhu Yongxin is a member of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, vice chairman of the China Association for Promoting Democracy (CAPD), and vice president of Chinese Society of Education (CSE). He also serves as a professor and PhD supervisor at Soochow University. A sponsor of the New Education Experiment in China, Professor Zhu has won several awards for his influential work, including “60 great contributors in China’s Education of 60 years” (2009), “30th Anniversary of Reform and Opening Up: Person of the Year in China’s Education Area” (2008), “Top 10 News Figures in China’s Reform” (2007), and “Top 10 Elites in China’s Education” (2006). Professor Zhu has published more than 400 articles on education both at home and abroad, and published over 30 books as well.

Confucius is perhaps the most important philosopher in history. Today, his teachings shape the daily lives of more than 1.6 billion people. Throughout East Asia, Confucius's influence can be seen in everything from business practices and family relationships to educational standards and government policies. Even as western ideas from Christianity to Communism have bombarded the region, Confucius's doctrine has endured as the foundation of East Asian culture. It is impossible to understand East Asia, journalist Michael Schuman demonstrates, without first engaging with Confucius and his vast legacy. Confucius created a worldview that is in many respects distinct from, and in conflict with, Western culture. As Schuman shows, the way that East Asian companies are managed, how family members interact with each other, and how governments see their role in society all differ from the norm in the West due to Confucius's lasting impact. Confucius has been credited with giving East Asia an advantage in today's world, by instilling its people with a devotion to learning, and propelling the region's economic progress. Still, the sage has also been highly controversial. For the past 100 years, East Asians have questioned if the region can become truly modern while Confucius remains so entrenched in society. He has been criticized for causing the inequality of women, promoting authoritarian regimes, and suppressing human rights. Despite these debates, East Asians today are turning to Confucius to help them solve the ills of modern life more than they have in a century. As a wealthy and increasingly powerful Asia rises on the world stage, Confucius, too, will command a more prominent place in global culture. Touching on philosophy, history, and current affairs, Confucius tells the vivid, dramatic story of the enigmatic philosopher whose ideas remain at the heart of East Asian civilization.

This volume deals with the development of Chinese hermeneutics, or exegetic systems, from their beginnings to the twentieth century. The contributors address critical issues in the study of Chinese hermeneutics by focusing on key periods during which the hermeneutic tradition in China underwent significant changes. The volume is divided into six parts, corresponding to the six major periods of intellectual change in traditional and contemporary China. Part 1 considers the foundational period of Chinese hermeneutics, examining Confucian classics such as the Analects, Mencius, and the Book of Odes. Part 2 traces the broadening of the hermeneutic tradition from Confucian classics to the military canon, political discourse, astronomy, and Buddhist exegesis from the Han to the Chinese Middle Ages. In Part 3 the focus is on Zhu Xi's monumental synthesis and redefinition of the Confucian tradition at the beginning of the early modern period. His vision of Confucian thought remained influential throughout the imperial period, and his interpretations of the Confucian classics became state orthodoxy starting with the thirteenth century. Part 4 focuses on this challenge and discusses the intellectual changes that took place during the late imperial period and their profound effects on Chinese hermeneutics. Part 5 documents the challenges to traditional Chinese hermeneutics in the modern era and the emergence of a new, critical hermeneutics in the beginning of the twentieth century. The volume concludes with Part 6, which explores Chinese hermeneutics from a comparative perspective and identifies its distinctive features. The understanding of Chinese hermeneutics gained from these essays is that of a dynamic plurality of traditions that has endured into the twentieth century and continues to shape contemporary intellectual debates. Ching-I Tu is professor and chairperson in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He is the author of Poetic Remarks in the Human World, and editor of Tradition and Creativity: Essays on East Asian Civilization and Classics and Interpretations: The Hermeneutic Tradition in Chinese Culture, both published by Transaction.

A major historical study of the formation, spread and impact of rumor in the early Chinese empires.