Xunzi
eBook - ePub

Xunzi

The Complete Text

  1. 432 pages
  2. English
  3. ePUB (mobile friendly)
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub

Xunzi

The Complete Text

About this book

This is the first complete, one-volume English translation of the ancient Chinese text Xunzi, one of the most extensive, sophisticated, and elegant works in the tradition of Confucian thought. Through essays, poetry, dialogues, and anecdotes, the Xunzi articulates a Confucian perspective on ethics, politics, warfare, language, psychology, human nature, ritual, and music, among other topics. Aimed at general readers and students of Chinese thought, Eric Hutton's translation makes the full text of this important work more accessible in English than ever before.

Named for its purported author, the Xunzi (literally, "Master Xun") has long been neglected compared to works such as the Analects of Confucius and the Mencius. Yet interest in the Xunzi has grown in recent decades, and the text presents a much more systematic vision of the Confucian ideal than the fragmented sayings of Confucius and Mencius. In one famous, explicit contrast to them, the Xunzi argues that human nature is bad. However, it also allows that people can become good through rituals and institutions established by earlier sages. Indeed, the main purpose of the Xunzi is to urge people to become as good as possible, both for their own sakes and for the sake of peace and order in the world.

In this edition, key terms are consistently translated to aid understanding and line numbers are provided for easy reference. Other features include a concise introduction, a timeline of early Chinese history, a list of important names and terms, cross-references, brief explanatory notes, a bibliography, and an index.

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Yes, you can access Xunzi by Xunzi, Eric L. Hutton in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Philosophy & Philosophy History & Theory. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication Page
  5. Contents
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. Introduction
  8. A Traditional Timeline of Early Chinese History
  9. Chapter 1: An Exhortation to Learning
  10. Chapter 2: Cultivating Oneself
  11. Chapter 3: Nothing Improper
  12. Chapter 4: On Honor and Disgrace
  13. Chapter 5: Against Physiognomy
  14. Chapter 6: Against the Twelve Masters
  15. Chapter 7: On Confucius
  16. Chapter 8: The Achievements of the Ru
  17. Chapter 9: The Rule of a True King
  18. Chapter 10: Enriching the State
  19. Chapter 11: The True King and the Hegemon
  20. Chapter 12: The Way to Be a Lord
  21. Chapter 13: The Way to Be a Minister
  22. Chapter 14: On Attracting Men of Worth
  23. Chapter 15: A Debate on Military Affairs
  24. Chapter 16: The Strong State
  25. Chapter 17: Discourse on Heaven
  26. Chapter 18: Correct Judgments
  27. Chapter 19: Discourse on Ritual
  28. Chapter 20: Discourse on Music
  29. Chapter 21: Undoing Fixation
  30. Chapter 22: Correct Naming
  31. Chapter 23: Human Nature Is Bad
  32. Chapter 24: The Gentleman
  33. Chapter 25: Working Songs
  34. Chapter 26: Fu
  35. Chapter 27: The Grand Digest
  36. Chapter 28: The Right-Hand Vessel
  37. Chapter 29: The Way to Be a Son
  38. Chapter 30: The Proper Model and Proper Conduct
  39. Chapter 31: Duke Ai
  40. Chapter 32: Yao Asked
  41. Appendix 1: Important Terms and Names
  42. Appendix 2: Cross-Reference List
  43. Textual Notes
  44. Bibliography
  45. Index