Mencius

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Eastern
Cover of the book Mencius by Mencius, Columbia University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Mencius ISBN: 9780231520584
Publisher: Columbia University Press Publication: September 18, 2009
Imprint: Columbia University Press Language: English
Author: Mencius
ISBN: 9780231520584
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Publication: September 18, 2009
Imprint: Columbia University Press
Language: English

Known throughout East Asia as Mengzi, or "Master Meng," Mencius (391-308 B.C.E.) was a Chinese philosopher of the late Zhou dynasty, an instrumental figure in the spread of the Confucian tradition, and a brilliant illuminator of its ideas. Mencius was active during the Warring States Period (403-221 B.C.E.), in which competing powers sought to control the declining Zhou empire. Like Confucius, Mencius journeyed to one feudal court after another, searching for a proper lord who could put his teachings into practice. Only a leader who possessed the moral qualities of a true king could unify China, Mencius believed, and in his defense of Zhou rule and Confucian philosophy, he developed an innovative and highly nuanced approach to understanding politics, self-cultivation, and human nature, profoundly influencing the course of Confucian thought and East Asian culture.

Mencius is a record of the philosopher's conversations with warring lords, disciples, and adversaries of the Way, as well as a collection of pronouncements on government, human nature, and a variety of other philosophical and political subjects. Mencius is largely concerned with the motivations of human actors and their capacity for mutual respect. He builds on the Confucian idea of ren, or humaneness, and places it alongside the complementary principle of yi, or rightness, advancing a complex notion of what is right for certain individuals as they perform distinct roles in specific situations. Consequently, Mencius's impact was felt not only in the thought of the intellectual and social elite but also in the value and belief systems of all Chinese people.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Known throughout East Asia as Mengzi, or "Master Meng," Mencius (391-308 B.C.E.) was a Chinese philosopher of the late Zhou dynasty, an instrumental figure in the spread of the Confucian tradition, and a brilliant illuminator of its ideas. Mencius was active during the Warring States Period (403-221 B.C.E.), in which competing powers sought to control the declining Zhou empire. Like Confucius, Mencius journeyed to one feudal court after another, searching for a proper lord who could put his teachings into practice. Only a leader who possessed the moral qualities of a true king could unify China, Mencius believed, and in his defense of Zhou rule and Confucian philosophy, he developed an innovative and highly nuanced approach to understanding politics, self-cultivation, and human nature, profoundly influencing the course of Confucian thought and East Asian culture.

Mencius is a record of the philosopher's conversations with warring lords, disciples, and adversaries of the Way, as well as a collection of pronouncements on government, human nature, and a variety of other philosophical and political subjects. Mencius is largely concerned with the motivations of human actors and their capacity for mutual respect. He builds on the Confucian idea of ren, or humaneness, and places it alongside the complementary principle of yi, or rightness, advancing a complex notion of what is right for certain individuals as they perform distinct roles in specific situations. Consequently, Mencius's impact was felt not only in the thought of the intellectual and social elite but also in the value and belief systems of all Chinese people.

More books from Columbia University Press

Cover of the book Medieval Tastes by Mencius
Cover of the book India, Pakistan, and the Bomb by Mencius
Cover of the book Show Trial by Mencius
Cover of the book I Speak, Therefore I Am by Mencius
Cover of the book From the Old Country by Mencius
Cover of the book Falling Through the Cracks by Mencius
Cover of the book Head Cases by Mencius
Cover of the book Plate Tectonics and Great Earthquakes by Mencius
Cover of the book The Columbia Guide to America in the 1960s by Mencius
Cover of the book The Way the Wind Blows by Mencius
Cover of the book Time and the Other by Mencius
Cover of the book Europe Through Arab Eyes, 1578–1727 by Mencius
Cover of the book Spirituality and Hospice Social Work by Mencius
Cover of the book How Much Inequality Is Fair? by Mencius
Cover of the book Biosecurity Interventions by Mencius
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy