No comments about A Chinese Testament: The Autobiography of Tan Shih-Hua..

No comments about When ""I"" Was Born: Women's Autobiography in Modern China (Wisconsin Studies in Autobiography).

No comments about A Pictorial Biography of Sakyamuni Buddha in Colour Chinese- English.

No comments about My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard.

No comments about THE RISE OF THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY, 1928-1938: VOLUME TWO OF THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF CHANG KUO-T'AO..

No comments about Autobiography of a Chinese woman, Buwei Yang Chao,.

3 comments about Confucius (Past masters series).

1. This is a basic introduction to the thought of Confucius. It provides the historical background to the emergence of his thought, and also outlines the historical role Confucius' teaching has had in the educational and political system of China. The first value of Confucius' is ' learning' and the educated Man is the ideal product and bureaucrat- administrator in the Chinese ruling system. Education and learning are for not for isolated ivory tower reality, but must be directed to social action. The Confucian teaching is generally regarded as secular and does not invoke ordinarily the supernatural. The focus is on human relationships and considerable emphasis is given to ritual ( li). The Confucian ideal is for the person to show ' jen' which is a kind of respect and understanding of the other. The understanding ( shu) means something like putting oneself in the other's shoes and not doing to them what one would not want done to oneself. The emphasis on ' right action'in relation to others has special weight in family relations. The relation between parents and children, and between members of the family and older brother are given special emphasis. People are expected to show respect for their parents and provide for them in life, and also show respect for them when they are not in this world. The Confucian ideal became the norm for Chinese society for tens of generations and through the greatest share of Chinese history. When the Communists came to power in China they blamed the Confucian ideal for not having adjusted and trained China to be a part of the modern world. Yet in many ways Dawson makes clear the Confucian way of seeing the world remains strong in Chinese society. The strength of the Chinese family connection is evidenced throughout the large Diaspora of the Chinese.
   This is an excellent , clearly written introduction for someone like myself who knows very little about Chinese thought. The parallel to certain elements in Jewish thought ( The emphasis on learning, and on being a ' mensch' ( jen) are two apparent elements here is striking. But of course in Judaism the emphasis is on human relation to a personal God, and walking in the ways that God prescribes.
   In any case I highly recommend this small work.



2. I agree with the previous reviewer; it's a clear and concise introduction for someone who wants to get acquainted with some of the basic Confucian tenets. Too bad its o.p.



3. Excellant study of Confucius's teachings organized by topic.
   Here are the chapters: 1. Confucius, 2. Learning and teaching, 3. Ritual and music, 4. Humaneness and other virtues, 5. Gentlemen and knights, 6. Government and people, 7. A Confucian China.

No comments about The Chinese Revolution and Mao Zedong in World History (In World History).

No comments about Transcending Turmoil: Painting at the Close of China's Empire, 1796-1911.

No comments about Birdless Summer (China : Autobiography, History, Book 3).