Search results for: 'Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy'

The third edition of Ivanhoe and Van Norden's acclaimed anthology builds on the strengths of previous editions with the addition of new selections for each chapter; selections from Shen Dao; a new translation of the writings of Han Feizi; selections from two texts, highly influential in later Chinese philosophy, the Great Learning and Mean; and a complete translation of the recently discovered text Nature Comes from the Mandate.

Each section of this volume begins with a brief Introduction and concludes with a lightly annotated Selective Bibliography. Also included are four appendices: Important Figures, Important Periods, Important Texts, and Important Terms.

ONLINE RESOURCES:

Title Support Page: Click here for additional online resources, including study questions, maps, readings, and more.

Sample Syllabus: Click here to download a sample syllabus from author Bryan Van Norden.

Brook Ziporyn's carefully crafted, richly annotated translation of the complete writings of Zhuangzi—including a lucid Introduction, a Glossary of Essential Terms, and a Bibliography—provides readers with an engaging and provocative deep dive into this magical work.

"The importance of Ziporyn's translation of the complete Zhuangzi lies in its much-needed hermeneutic approach, which is attuned to the text’s multivocal structure and its resistance to interpretive closure. With its carefully crafted supporting material that provides context for various debates, addresses philological matters, and explains different possibilities of translation, Ziporyn's Zhuangzi is not only uncompromisingly rigorous but also accessible to students of early Chinese philosophy and literature. At the same time, in tune with the moods and quirks of this idiosyncratic classic, Ziporyn's aptly playful English renderings bring out the humorous and provocative tone of the text, making this book an utterly absorbing read. Ziporyn’s previous, abridged translation, Zhuangzi: The Essential Writings, presented with selected commentaries on the 'Inner Chapters,' has already replaced its predecessors and proved to be an indispensable resource for students and scholars alike. This new and unabbreviated translation will surely earn its place in no time as the authoritative translation of the complete Zhuangzi." —Sonya Özbey, University of Michigan

In just thirteen brief, accessible chapters, this engaging little book takes "absolute beginners" from the most basic questions about the language (e.g., what does a classical Chinese character look like?) to reading and understanding selections from classical Chinese philosophical texts and Tang dynasty poetry.

"Van Norden has pulled off the seemingly impossible. With his direction, a serious student could make real headway in learning classical Chinese—while learning a great deal about early Chinese thought as well."  —Robert E. Hegel, Washington University in St. Louis

"An outstanding introduction to reading classical Chinese. Van Norden does a wonderful job of clearly explaining the basics of classical Chinese, and he carefully takes the reader through beautifully chosen examples from the textual tradition. An invaluable work." —Michael Puett, Harvard University

Additional resources: Classical Chinese for Everyone title support page.

"This book is an introduction in the very best sense of the word. It provides the beginner with an accurate, sophisticated, yet accessible account, and offers new insights and challenging perspectives to those who have more specialized knowledge. Focusing on the period in Chinese philosophy that is surely most easily approachable and perhaps is most important, it ranges over of rich set of competing options. It also, with admirable self-consciousness, presents a number of daring attempts to relate those options to philosophical figures and movements from the West. I recommend it very highly." —Lee H. Yearley, Walter Y. Evans-Wentz Professor, Religious Studies, Stanford University

"This book on philosophers who arose in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty is also an introduction to comparative ways of nonsuperficial thinking both within Chinese tradition and between Chinese tradition and the West. . . . The work is carefully detailed at every philosophically interesting turn, providing, e.g., a detailed discussion of mysticism that does not conflate traditions but sees distinctiveness. Throughout there are translations of technical terms, along with both pinyin and Chinese characters. Chapters conclude with well-crafted review questions. . . . Appendixes on hermeneutics, Chinese language, and the Kongzi are very useful. Summing up: Highly recommended." —F. J. Hoffman, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, in Choice

This rich collection of writings—many translated especially for this volume and some available in English for the first time—provides a journey through the history of Chinese culture, tracing the Chinese understanding of women as elucidated in writings spanning more than two thousand years. From the earliest oracle bone inscriptions of the Pre-Qin period through the poems and stories of the Song Dynasty, these works shed light on Chinese images of women and their roles in society in terms of such topics as human nature, cosmology, gender, and virtue.

"The Mengzi is one of the richest philosophical texts in classical Chinese philosophy, and Van Norden's translation is among the few that do it justice. His translation is further distinguished by its accessibility and is unique in including substantial selections from later commentaries. As such it is both an essential scholarly resource and a great introduction to Confucian thought." —Justin Tiwald, San Francisco State University

Audiobook: An audiobook of Mengzi: With Selections from Traditional Commentaries, published by Ukemi Audiobooks, is available exclusively from Audible. Learn more about the Audible audiobook on Amazon.com.

The Essential Mengzi offers a representative selection from Bryan Van Norden's acclaimed translation of the full work, including the most frequently studied passages and covering all of the work's major themes. An appendix of selections from the classic commentary of Zhu Xi—one of the most influential and insightful interpreters of Confucianism—keyed to relevant passages, provides access to the text and to its reception and interpretation. Also included are a general Introduction, timeline, glossary, and selected bibliography.

"An excellent translation of one of the truly great philosophical texts in world literature. Van Norden also provides an invaluable running philosophical commentary, drawing primarily from Zhu Xi's tremendously influential reading of the text. This is a wonderful contribution." —Michael Puett, Harvard University

"A judicious selection from primary sources to illustrate the growth of ideas in early imperial times. Teachers and students will welcome these readable translations of passages drawn from Han writings that are not widely known and which add depth to existing views of Chinese ways of thought, religious practices, and means of government."
     —Michael Loewe, University of Cambridge

This volume provides selected translations from the writings of Lu Xiangshan; Wang Yangming; and the Platform Sutra, a work which had profound influence on neo-Confucian thought. Each of these three sections is preceded by an introduction that sketches important features of the history, biography, and philosophy of the author and explores some of the main features and characteristics of his work. The range of genres represented—letters, recorded sayings, essays, meditations and poetry—provide the reader with insights into the philosophical and stylistic themes of this fascinating and influential branch of neo-Confucian thought.

“P. J. Ivanhoe is one of the English-speaking world’s foremost translators and interpreters of classical Chinese philosophical texts. His translation of the Sunzi Bingfa reads beautifully, adorned only by sobering photographic plates of the famed terracotta army of the first Qin emperor that turn one back to the text in a properly reflective mood. The Introduction and endnotes are blessedly spare, providing just the right amount of interpretive scholarship to assist comprehension of the text, while not interfering with its intrinsic simplicity, clarity, and profundity.”
    —Sumner B. Twiss, Distinguished Professor of Human Rights, Ethics, and Religion, Florida State University

Ideal for students and scholars alike, this edition of Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu) includes the complete Inner Chapters, extensive selections from the Outer and Miscellaneous Chapters, and judicious selections from two thousand years of traditional Chinese commentaries, which provide the reader access to the text as well as to its reception and interpretation. A glossary, brief biographies of the commentators, a bibliography, and an index are also included.

"This is the best introduction to philosophical accounts of the good life available. An excellent choice for any student of philosophy, this original and revealing study will inform, stimulate, and challenge even the most sophisticated reader. Kupperman combines the distinctive care, precision, and analytic power of philosophy with the best insights of contemporary psychology and a sophisticated, sensitive, and wise appreciation of the Indian, Chinese, and Western philosophical traditions. The result is a modern classic."
     —Philip J. Ivanhoe, City University of Hong Kong