Book Description
Mencius, who lived in the 4th century B.C., is second only to Confucius in importance in the Confucian tradition. The Mencius consists of sayings of Mencius and conversations he had with his contemporaries. When read side by side with the Analects, the Mencius throws a great deal of light on the teachings of ConfuciusMencius developed many of the ideas of Confucius and at the same time discussed problems not touched upon by Confucius. He drew out the implications of Confucius' moral principles and reinterpreted them for the conditions of his time. As the fullest of the four great Confucian texts, the Mencius has been the required reading amongst Chinese scholars for two thousand years, and it still throws considerable light on the character of the Chinese people.
Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Chinese
About the Author
D. C. Lau, a world renowned scholar on sinological studies, is professor emeritus of Chinese language and lliterature at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He is reknowned for his classic English translations of the Tao Te Ching and The Analects of Confucius.
Mencius FROM THE PUBLISHER
This ancient text records the teachings of Mencius (4th C. B.C.E.), the second originary sage in the Confucian tradition, which has shaped Chinese civilization for over two thousand years. In a culture that makes no distinction between those realms we call the heart and the mind, Mencius was the great thinker of the heart, and it was he who added the profound inner dimensions to the Confucian vision.