75 Best Confucianism Books of All Time
We've researched and ranked the best confucianism books in the world, based on recommendations from world experts, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. Learn more
"How dare I claim to be a sage or a benevolent man?"
By constructing the philosophy expressed through The Analects, Confucius might well dare to make such a claim. The Analects are a collection of Confucius' sayings, compiled by his pupils shortly after his death in 497 B.C., and they reflect the extent to... more
Michael PuettHe believed one of our dangers is that we fall into ruts that are defined by the world around us. (Source)
Daniel A. BellIt’s not written by Confucius himself. It is more a collection of anecdotes of how he engaged his students. (Source)
Andrew HuiThis edition is really good at showing both the constructed-ness of the original Analects and the vast exegetical machine that has driven the Chinese philosophical tradition through the centuries. (Source)
Written more than two thousand years ago, the Tao Teh Ching, or -The Classic of the Way and Its Virtue, - is one of the true classics of the world of spiritual literature. Traditionally attributed to the legendary -Old Master, - Lao Tzu, the Tao Teh Ching teaches that the qualities of the enlightened sage or ideal ruler are identical with those of the perfected individual. Today, Lao Tzu's words are as useful in mastering the arts of leadership in... more
Tim O'ReillyThe Way of Life According to Lao Tzu (Tao Te Ching), translated by Witter Bynner. My personal religious philosophy, stressing the rightness of what is, if only we can accept it. Most people who know me have heard me quote from this book. "Seeing as how nothing is outside the vast, wide-meshed net of heaven, who is there to say just how it is cast?" (Source)
Naval RavikantIn the philosophy side, I’ve been rereading the Tao Te Ching. (Source)
Jack DorseyQ: What are the books that had a major influence on you? Or simply the ones you like the most. : Tao te Ching, score takes care of itself, between the world and me, the four agreements, the old man and the sea...I love reading! (Source)
Bryan Van Norden's new translation of the Mengzi (Mencius) is accurate, philosophically nuanced, and fluent. Accompanied by selected passages from the classic commentary of Zhu Xi - one of the most influential and insightful interpreters of Confucianism - this edition provides readers with a parallel to the Chinese practice of reading a classic text alongside traditional commentaries. Also included are an Introduction that situates Mengzi and Zhu Xi in their intellectual and social contexts; a glossary of names, places and important terms; a selected bibliography; and an...
moreMichael PuettHe is clearly seen as brilliant, someone whose philosophy is extraordinarily powerful, and yet the text will—despite having been written by his own disciples—present him as sometimes failing. It’s part of the power of the text that it shows someone trying, on a daily basis, to live up to his own philosophy and, at times, failing to do so, and then learning from that. (Source)
Daniel A. BellMencius believed that we are born good. He had a fairly optimistic view of human nature as well as the view that the government should rely upon informal means of social control rather than harsh punishment as a way of securing social order and harmony. (Source)
Bryan Van NordenMengzi argues that we can actually become better people through various activities, and that a kind of ethical transformation is possible. (Source)
This revised and updated edition provides sympathetic descriptions of the various traditions, explaining how they work “from the inside,” which is a big reason why this cherished classic has sold more than two million copies since it... more
Michael PuettXunzi is a self-proclaimed Confucian. This book consists of philosophical essays on specific topics. (Source)
Daniel A. BellHis view of Confucianism was pretty marginalised in theory but in practice it was quite influential throughout imperial Chinese history. (Source)
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Donald S Lopez JrIn 629, a Chinese monk named Xuanzang set out for India in order to retrieve Buddhist scriptures, returning in 645. He was welcomed as a hero by the emperor and received the title ‘Master of the Tripitaka’, the Buddhist canon. Xuanzang wrote a detailed account of his travels, entitled Great Tang Records on the Western Regions – if I could choose six books, it would be the sixth. His long journey... (Source)
The lessons taught by ancient Chinese philosophers surprisingly still apply, and they challenge our fundamental assumptions about how to lead a fulfilled, happy, and successful life. Self-discovery, it turns out, comes through looking outward, not inward. Power comes from holding back. Good relationships come from small gestures. Spontaneity comes from practice. And excellence... more
Nigel WarburtonIt’s a very easy read, but it makes Chinese philosophy quite fresh. (Source)
Don't have time to read the top Confucianism books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
What Not to Wear
from one of fashion's
most enduringly
stylish women ...
Written by French style guru Madame Genevieve Antoine Dariaux, Elegance is a classic style bible for timeless chic, grace, and poise -- every tidbit of advice today's woman could possibly need, all at the tips of her (perfectly manicured) fingers.From Accessories to Zippers, Madame Dariaux imparts her pearls of wisdom on all things fashion-related -- and also offers advice on other crucial areas in life from shopping with girlfriends (don't) to marriage and... more
Helena Frith PowellDariaux offers tips on elegance, which she divides up alphabetically. Under the letter L there are entries on leather, lingerie, luggage, luncheons and luxury. (Source)
Adhering to the Japanese philosophical tradition of highlighting engagement over detachment, Thomas Kasulis invites us to think with, as well as about, the Japanese masters by offering ample examples, innovative analogies, thought experiments, and jargon-free... more
A tortured past.
An unbreakable bond.
Their love was well-known throughout the immortal world.
The powerful Taldeburu Waleron and his Delara.
But tragedy struck and tore them apart for years. One believing the other was dead.
When fate finally brings them back together again it isn’t kind.
It’s cruel and testing. Sacrificial.
Because love has no remorse for its victims.
It doesn’t give you options.
And it won’t be stopped.
This is Waleron and Delara’s story.
It’s not pretty and it’s not... more
This study provides an ideal introduction to the basic texts in the Confucian tradition from the twelfth through the twentieth centuries. It...
moreThe Routledge Handbook of Religion and Ecology provides the most comprehensive and authoritative overview of the field. It encourages both appreciative and critical angles regarding religious traditions, communities, attitude, and practices. It presents contrasting ways of thinking about "religion" and about "ecology" and about ways of connecting the... more
Yu Dan helps readers attain spiritual happiness and harmony. Her simple, conversational prose finally makes the ancient wisdom of Confucius accessible to all, ultimately unveiling the immense value of Confucian teachings.
In today's increasingly demanding world, Confucius from the Heart is a beacon of light,... more
- Lose sleep due to worry?
- Feel down in the dumps and just can’t shake it off?
- Get just plain grouchy and snap at others yet criticize yourself?
You’re not alone.
You’ve heard mindfulness or compassion meditation might help, but you’re not sure where to start. You’re already busy enough, and carving out more time to sit still doesn’t seem like an option.
If you find sitting still to meditate is difficult, or you think you’re not “doing it right” because your mind isn't still, or if you seek find distraction every time you... more
Volume I covers the period of the... more
Don't have time to read the top Confucianism books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
As China continues to transform itself, many assume that the nation will eventually move beyond communism and adopt a Western-style democracy. But could China develop a unique form of government based on its own distinct traditions? Jiang Qing--China's most original, provocative, and controversial Confucian political thinker--says yes. In this book, he sets out a vision for a Confucian constitutional order that offers a compelling alternative to both the status quo in China and to a... more
Don't have time to read the top Confucianism books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
Buddhism, one of the world's great religious traditions, attracts millions of modern-day followers. Hinduism, one of the most ancient of all belief systems, is increasingly well known in the West through expatriate Indian communities. Taoism has been an important influence on Western thinking, especially through the impact of the Tao Te Ching. Confucianism, less metaphysical in its principles, emphasizes... more
Reacting to the Past is a series of historical role-playing games that explore important ideas by re-creating the contexts that shaped them. Students are assigned roles, informed by classic texts, set in particular moments of intellectual and social ferment.
An award-winning active-learning pedagogy, Reacting to the Past improves speaking, writing, and leadership skills, promotes engagement with classic texts and history, and builds learning communities. Reacting can be used across the curriculum, from the first-year general education class to... more
C. C. Tsai is one of Asia's most popular cartoonists, and his editions of the Chinese classics have sold more than 40 million copies in over twenty languages. This volume presents Tsai's delightful graphic adaptation of The Analects, one of the most influential books of all time and a work that continues to inspire countless readers today.
Tsai's expressive drawings bring Confucius and his students to life as no other edition of the Analects does.... more
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With the chaotic dissolution of the Tang dynasty, the old aristocratic families vanished. A new class of scholar-officials--products of a meritocratic examination system--took up the task of reshaping Chinese tradition by adapting the... more
Much earlier scholarship has focused on how women were oppressed under the strict patriarchal systems that emerged as Confucianism became the dominant social ideology during the... more
Don't have time to read the top Confucianism books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
This unique book explores ways of using resources from the Confucian wisdom tradition to inform Christian living. Neither highlighting nor diminishing the differences between Confucianism and Christianity, Gregg Ten Elshof reflects on questions and issues in the Christian life with the Confucian worldview in mind.
In examining such subjects as family, learning, and ethics, Ten Elshof sets the typical Western worldview against the Confucian worldview and considers how... more
Originally published in 1979.
The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the... more
Don't have time to read the top Confucianism books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
Chinese... more
Daniel A. BellIt provides an account of morality and how to become an exemplary person. (Source)
The Chinese engaged in extensive trade on sea and land. Merchants from Inner Asia settled in the... more
Have you been diagnosed by a medical professional as manic depressive or bi-polar? Is this in part because your emotions swing wildly and without warning?
Have you experienced a physical response when you are around someone who is hurt or sick?
If you have answered "yes" to any of these questions, then you... more
Don't have time to read the top Confucianism books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
The Chinese Secrets for Success: Five Inspiring Confucian Values offers fresh... more
Don't have time to read the top Confucianism books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.