Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

Horrible typing
After struggling through 20 pages, I called Amazon to get my money back.Nothing wrong with the content but the typing was horrible.Whoever contracted to put this on the web for the publisher should be fired.How can I enjoy a kindle eBook when, for example, the two legs of capital H are always separated by three spaces, words are hyphenated in mid-line with lots of empty space, when Capital L appears as capital I.Bush League.

If you must have this book, buy the hard copy

Overly Abstract -
Author Bell contends that the near-term political future form that the U.S. will follow in the next few decades is fixed by constitutional arrangements that have been in place for over two centuries, and difficult to change. China, by contrast, has taken the stance that its political status is in the 'primary stage of socialism,' and Bell believes its economic, legal, and political structure will change in the relatively near term.

Bell also contends that government now encourages Confucianism to fill the moral vacuum, and officials in Henan province are partially assessed on their adherence to Confucian values such as family responsibility.

China's first Confucius Institute was set up in 2004, it now has 140 campuses in 36 nations (as of mid-2007).

Direct village elections were introduced in 1988 and have since spread to 700,000-some villages and 75% of the people. Nothing, however, has taken place to broaden this to higher offices - the logic being that locals have good insight on local issues, not so much on broader, national issues.

The bulk of "China's New Confucianism" is taken up with abstruse discussion of issues with little/no general applicability.

Highly recommended
Oxford-University educated political philosopher Daniel Bell is-- as the reviewer above me mentioned-- one of the foremost authorities working on contemporary Chinese political philosophy today. He is also very uniquely situated as the first Western scholar to teach on a longterm basis in the department of philosophy at China's top university (Tsinghua University). In addition to Tsinghua, Bell has also taught at universities in Hong Kong and Singapore and is an extremely prolific writer-- writing for both an academic as well as a general audience. Perhaps of greatest significance to me is that he is trilingual and fluent in Chinese.

With his impressive background in mind, I was expecting a lot from his work-- and I was not disappointed.

I will echo that this particular book of Bell's would be of great interest to anyone wanting to read more about contemporary Chinese society or politics. However, what I have found most stimulating about his work is his ability-- and indeed his courage--to engage with the underlying philosophies that inform the issues. So often, when we read books about foreign-born philosophies (not just Confucianism, but Buddhist philosophy, daoism etc.) it seems that the authors feel compelled to present the philosophies only in such a way that maps on to our modern sensibilities. Of course, there is interest in seeing how, for example, Confucianism can be mapped on to American neo-liberal ideals, etc. That is fine. But, I think the lesser-traveled but more interesting and intellectually-stimulating route is to engage in the ideas (and their logical implications) as much as possible without filtering them through Western sensibilities. I mean, what in the end can we learn or take away from a Westernized view of Confucianism? I think this is precisely why Bell remains a somewhat controversial figure (online he remains my favorite cause célèbre on various China-related blogs!) precisely because he takes people out of their comfort zones (for example his chapter on karaoke).

The man thinks outside the box. And for that reason alone, I highly recommend this book (especially for readers who sincerely want to engage with ideas which might make them uncomfortable).

Along these lines-- and similar to Parag Khanna's work-- Bell presents alternative models for developing countries. And, I would recommend reading his ideas regarding contemporary Chinese politics with democratic India and the Philippines in mind (for example). Like the reviewer at the top, in one sense I also found the work Beijing-centric. On the other hand, though, I also found his book to be surprisingly relevant to Japanese contemporary sensibilities. Japan and Korea are often cited as the great Confucian societies today. I have lived in Japan myself for 20 years and Bell's book was surprisingly relevant to my experiences in Japan (I won't speak about Korea as I have not spent enough time there)--this was particularly so in his chapter "Hierarchical Rituals and Egalitarian Society," which I thought was the most interesting chapter in the entire book.

I highly recommend China's New Confucianism and hope Bell will turn his attention to Japan someday as well.

Surprisingly bad
I usually don't write reviews on Amazon but found this book so incredibly bad that it compelled me to write my first one. I found it surprising that Princeton would publish a book of such low quality. As another reviewer stated the book the book is more a collection of very loosely connected essays. The author offers a very limited point of view and almost no critical investigation into Chinese politics or culture. Mostly just a collection of the authors shallow and biased observations on China with no evidence offered to support any of his opinions. Don't waste your time.

Original and thought-provoking
Recommended for anyone who wants to learn about society and politics in China. The author anticipated civility and Confucianism in the Olympics. If he's right about the revival of Confucianism in politics, the book will be seen as groundbreaking. If not, it is still an original and thought-provoking account of how Confucianism shapes social life in China. And it's a humane and progressive form of Confucianism: "left-Confucianism", as the author puts it. The chapter on sex, singing, and civility is both shocking and plausible. My one qualm is the book seems a bit too "Beijing-centric", the social and political scene may not look so "Confucian" outside the capital city. ... Read more

Product Description
Confucius, one of the most brilliant thinkers in Chinese history,still influences many in the Far East through his writings today. But what is Confucianism, what are its principles, and how did it come to be such an enormously popular philosophy for so many?Confucianism:A Short Introduction answers these and other key questions in a clear, concise manner. Portraying the tradition as seen by Confucian followers, author John Berthrong provides a balanced view of the philosopher and his impact on Chinese life, from families to the imperial state. Capturing the rich complexity of a Confucian lifestyle while addressing key areas, Confucianism:A Short Introduction is a thorough guide to this honored tradition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An exceptional introduction to Confucianism
This is an excellent book by the wellknown specialist Professor Berthrong. It is very readable and I can highly recommend it to anyone interested in the subject or for course text. ... Read more

Product Description
Taking into account the long history and wide range of Confucian Studies, this book introduces Confucianism - initiated in China by Confucius (551 BC-479 BC) - primarily as a philosophical and religious tradition. It pays attention to Confucianism in both the West and the East, focussing on the tradition's doctrines, schools, rituals, sacred places and terminology, but also stressing the adaptations, transformations and new thinking taking place in modern times. Xinzhong Yao presents Confucianism as a tradition with many dimensions and as an ancient tradition with contemporary appeal. This gives the reader a richer and clearer view of how Confucianism functioned in the past and of what it means in the present. A Chinese scholar based in the West, he draws together the many strands of Confucianism in a style accessible to students, teachers, and general readers interested in one of the world's major religious traditions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Confucian thought, remarkable
A great introduction of a little known religious-philosophical thought of early China. A good read. Informative.

Informative
If you are interested in Confucianism, this is the book for you!It has so much information in it and covers everything.I have this book and am glad I bought it....it is excellent to keep in your library.

Confucianism
The presentation shows how Confucianism bridges both religion and
philosophy. Heaven is the ultimate authority. It determines the course
of the human world. Transcendental power guarantees harmony between
the metaphysics of the physical, spiritual, secular humanism, nature
and destiny. Heaven represents the Supreme Being and the embodiment
of moral virtue. The ideal is to lead a virtuous life. Heavenly
traits are sincerity & the humane; wherein, human norms are position,
rank etc.Heaven is the epitome of the natural law. Harmony seeks
to compromise opposition in order to emulate natural order and resolve
conflict constructively. The principles are timeless. They apply today
and probably far into the future.

a fine, thorough introduction
Yao's introduction to Confucianism may be unbeatable.

The first two chapters--"Confucianism, Confucius and Confucian classics" and "Evolution and transformation - a historical perspective"--introduce the history of Confucianism about as well as could be done in ~130 pages. Good background is given on the Confucian tradition as it is viewed in the West and in Asia. The history is told with full awareness and acknowledgment of modern academic criticism, but without devaluing the texts. (If it were to be longer, I'd want better introduction to the Classic of Changes and the Analects, but Yao chose to keep the book short.) The second chapter includes Mengzi, Xunzi, Dong Zhongshu, Mysterious Learning, Neo-Confucianism and brief introductions to Korean and Japanese Confucianism.

The third chapter presents Confucianism kind of ahistorically, generalizing on the traditional worldview of Confucianism. Honestly, I prefer to approach things historically, and parts of this chapter were hard for me to read; parts even seemed more like preaching than scholarship. However, its explication of the concept of Heaven is very, very informative. It also covers harmony and the nature of conflict resolution very well.

The fouth chapter is about ritual, with a few details as to the actual practice but focusing on the theory of ritual. The history of the basic sacrifices and cults is very nice. But the meat of this chapter may be the information on Confucianism's interaction with Daoism, Buddhism and Christianity. The author does a very good job of presenting both the influence that Confucianism has had on Daoism and Chinese Buddhism, and the influence they've had on Confucianism. As is necessary in such a brief book, the information is brief, and I think it might be disappointingly brief for Western readers who aren't familiar with the history of Christianity in China. Or, it may whet one's appetite. An interesting book on this topic is "The Jesus Sutras," which I strongly recommend to anyone with a Christian background becoming interested in Chinese religion.

The fifth chapter is about Confucianism in the twentieth century, and in the future. Lurking in the background of parts of this chapter is the "Asian Values" debate inspired by Lee Kuan Yew, but that is not directly addressed. Yao treats the plight of Confucianism in Communist China even more delicately. He is rather candid about the criticisms that Confucianism has faced (or, faces) about its past, but optimistic about its ability to transform itself to the modern world--or, to stay true to the very best of its tradition, and help transform the modern world.

Certainly, the influence of China and Chinese culture is going to grow in the near future; it might not be too much to say that the future is Chinese. And, it is certainly not too much to say that Chinese culture is still, whatever people may call it, basically Confucian, even in the widespread Chinese diaspora. Confucianism faces a lot of challenges, especially in China, from modernization and Western influence, but if anything (as the example of Singapore shows) its relevance is likely to increase in the future.

So, whether you are interested in international politics, Asian history or culture or East Asian religion, or comparative religion: Confucianism is relevant and I recommend this book.

One more reason I recommend this book is that Confucianism is an example of a deeply meaningful religious tradition without a lot of supernatural baggage; it is often (and I think fairly) compared to secular humanism (which is, like Confucianism, much more reasonable and meaningful than its critics make out). If you find yourself inclined toward skepticism or secularism, Confucianism is an ancient tradition which in many ways you can be sympathetic too, and probably learn from. I know that is true in my case.

Definitely a 5 star book. The one thing I would say is check out books by Tu Weiming and Julia Ching as well, just to make sure this is really the best book for you.

(The binding of this book is awesome. I tend to beat my books up, and this one held up like a tree. There is also an appendix of transliteration from Pinyin, Chinese characters and other spellings such as Korean, which I really appreciated since I'm a beginner studying Chinese characters and these were some very enjoyable examples. Finally, the bibliography and index are beyond criticism. In all the details, this is a very well-done book: kudos to Yao and also to Cambridge UP.)

an excellent text book for Confucian studies
It is not a small achievement to introduce the Confucian tradition of 2500 years and of multi-facets. The author has done this brilliantly. I believe that the book will be of help to those who are not familiar to Confucianismas well as to those who have started their studies in the area of Chinesereligion, philosophy and history. ... Read more

Product Description
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. ... Read more

Product Description
Challenges accepted beliefs that Confucianism is a cause of women’s oppression and explores Confucianism as an ethical system compatible with gender parity. ... Read more

Product Description
While Confucian ideals continue to inspire thinkers and political actors, discussions of Confucian practices and institutions appropriate for the modern era have been conspicuously absent. This volume discloses in meticulous detail the relevance of Confucianism to the contemporary world.Contributions by internationally renowned philosophers, lawyers, historians, and social scientists argue for feasible and desirable Confucian policies and institutions, as they draw out the political, economic, and legal implications of Confucianism for the modern world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

CONFUCIAN RELEVANCE
Daniel A. Bell and Hahm Chaibong have edited this book to answer the question-- is Confucianism a dead tradition or is it meaningful for the contemporary world. The editors think it is a living tradition and so do I but for different reasons. The core of Confucianism is its humanism. Daniel Bell, one of the editors, assumes that "some form of capitalism is here to stay for the foreseeable future and any realistic defense of economic arrangements in East Asia needs to take this fact into account." Since I am not interested in using Confucian philosophy in order to make a "defense of economic relations in East Asia" but rather to follow the logic of its humanistic values, and also holding that capitalism and humanism are incompatable, I cannot agree that this book-- slanted as it is to use Confuciansm to back up gobalization processes dominated by the West, represents a truely relevant use of this philsophy in the modern world. ... Read more

Product Description

Confucianism and the Succession Crisis of the Wanli Emperor introduces students to the suppleness and power of Confucian thought by recreating the historical context that applied to issues of governance during the Ming Dynasty.

Part of the “Reacting to the Past” series, this text consists of elaborate games in which students are assigned roles, informed by classic texts, set in particular moments of intellectual and social ferment.   The game unfolds amidst the secrecy and intrigue within the walls of the Forbidden City, as scholars struggle to apply Confucian precepts to a dynasty in peril.

Product Description
This comprehensive introduction explores the life and teachings of Confucius, and development of Confucian thought, from ancient times to the present today.

• Demonstrates the wisdom and enduring relevance of Confucius’s teachings – drawing parallels between our 21^st century society and that of China 2,500 years ago, where government corruption, along with social, economic, and technical changes, led thinkers to examine human nature and society
• Draws on the latest research and incorporates interpretations of Confucius and his works by Chinese and Western scholars throughout the centuries
• Explores how Confucius's followers expanded and reinterpreted his ideas after his death, and how this process has continued throughout Chinese history
• Seamlessly links Confucius with our modern age, revealing how his teachings have  become the basis of East Asian culture and influenced the West

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

A helpful thesis that helped shaped my perspectives about "Sinology"
"Jensen's thesis is that the concepts that later Neo-Confucianist scholars and philosophers attribute to him are later interpolations of Jesuit missionaries..." - Morton the "Sinologist"

No, it's not. This book is more about who Confucius and his teachings were *to* the very first Sinologists, and then, the first Chinese nationalists. It's less about Confucius than those who have imagined him!

Can "Asian Studies" understand itself? What does an intercultural exchange look like, and how does it change them? Read this book!

A ridiculous thesis that furthers euro-centricism
Jensen's thesis is that the concepts that later Neo-Confucianist scholars and philosophers attribute to him are later interpolations of Jesuit missionaries is insulting and inaccurate.

One need only read the court documents from the Tang dynasty (618 to 907 CE), far before any missionaries (except Buddhist missionaries from India) travelled to the lands of China, to see the monumental impact that the ideas of Confucius had on imperial Chinese culture.

This should go along side the many texts of historical revisionism (such as those scholars who believed the Jewish Holocaust never occured).

If you want to read the truth regarding Confucianism read professor Wing-Tsit Chan's ... Read more

Product Description
This fascinating volume provides a concise, illustrated introduction to five of the great religious traditions of the world--Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Shinto. 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 family values and the role of the individual within the state. And Shinto, distinctively Japanese in character, is the most animistic of the great religions, based on a belief in numerous individual spirits. The contributors explore a great variety of topics within these religions, including: the life of the Buddha; karma and rebirth; inspiring teachers and gurus; the life of Confucius; sacred Taoist texts; the epics of the Ramayana and Mahabharata; holy landscapes, shrines, and festivals; enlightenment; and--for all the faiths--the spiritual and ethical teachings, art and architecture, sacred writings, ritual and ceremony, and death and the afterlife. Also included are extracts from or summaries of historical texts, with author commentaries that explain the significance of each piece and place in its full context. Authoritative and accessible, Eastern Religions provides a gateway for all those in the West who wish to move one step closer to the spirit of the East. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Global Religions - lack of essence
The book gives for each of the religions; Hinduism, Buddism, Taoism, Confucianism and Shinto a good structure into main sections; Origins and history, aspects of the divine, sacred texts, ethical priciples, sacred space, death and afterlife and Society and religion. However within each section there is numereous detailed references to names, places, dates and texts.I miss an overview of each section of what is of importance and what has less significanse. Inserting for each section a missing link- an overview pinpoininting esseentials would make the book an recommendable textbook.

great
I was extremely happy they expeditited this item for a low fee. Book was in good condition

nice :3
Concise information, nice (and lots of) pictures, and NEVER boring! I really enjoyed using this book for my Eastern Humanities class. It was not at all what I had expected: it was not hard to understand, it was not boring, and it did assume that I already knew everything there was to know about Eastern religions.

So, all-in-all, I would recommend this book... even if you're not taking an Eastern religion class! It really clarifies a lot of myths and misconceptions about Eastern religions.

an unusual introductory text
This Oxford publication seems best suited for a comparative world religion course.I found it in search of material for a unit on comparative world religion in my Sociology of Religion course, and I have used it several times now.I wish there was something comparable on Western Religions!EASTERN RELIGIONS is unorthodox in that it has the glossy pages and color photos typically found in a large-format textbook, but instead is in a 5" X 7.5" handbook format.It is 550 pages long, but with plenty of great photos, including reproductions of artwork, the actual text is nowhere near that long.

The organization of the sections is both the strength and the weakness.Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Shinto are covered, and for each there is a section on 1) Origins and Historical Development, 2) Aspects of the Divine, 3) Sacred Texts, 4) Sacred Persons, 5) Ethical Principles, 6) Sacred Space, 7) Sacred Time, 8) Death and the Afterlife, and 9) Society and Religion.

The strength of this approach, from a sociological standpoint, is that religious practices receive as much attention as religious doctrines and beliefs.For instance, Dipavali, the Necklace (or Festival) of Lights, which was recently celebrated, is covered in the Sacred Time sub-section of the Hinduism section.For instance Laozi, fabled author of the Tao te Ching, is worshipped as a god by Taoists in China, which I'm sure is news to many in the West who read the Tao te Ching as philosophy and are informed that Laozi may never have existed as a singular historical person at all.The reader learns of the Three Teachings tradition of China, which combines Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism.Here's where the strength becomes a weakness, though -- the China expert has to write the Taoism and Confucianism sections separately, and so while some of the material overlaps (for instance qi, yin and yang), it remains unclear exactly how they are (or were) combined in the everyday life of the Chinese people, let alone how they combine with Buddhism which has a separate author altogether.And the Chinese "popular religion" is mentioned as well, but never explained at all, because it doesn't fit the framework.

Credit where credit is due:the Hinduism section is written by Vasudha Narayanan, Professor of Religion at the University of Florida, the Buddhism section is written by Malcolm David Eckel, Associate Professor of Religion at Boston University, the Shinto section is written by C. Scott Littleton, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at Occidental College in Los Angeles, and the sections on Taoism and Confucianism are written by Jennifer Oldstone-Moore, Assistant Professor (of what the book jacket does not say) at Wittenberg University in Ohio. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a study of the most significant debate in Korean Neo-Confucianism between the two most eminent Neo-Confucian thinkers, summarizing their philosophies and providing refreshing insights into Confucian language and culture. This comparative study of Yi T'oegye (1501-1570) and Yi Yulgok (1536-1584), Korea's two most eminent Neo-Confucian thinkers, is a seminal work on the Four-Seven Debate, the most significant and controversial intellectual event in the Korean Confucian tradition. The Four-Seven thesis, a magnificent example of East Asian Confucian discourse at its best, remains each thinker's masterpiece, a compressed but integrated systemization of metaphysics, ethics, and spirituality. It addresses fascinating philosophical, moral, and psychological questions about the fundamental problem of feelings and emotions, as well as their implications for moral and spiritual self-transformation. This book is indispensable for those interested in Korean thought or intellectual history. It will enable specialists in Confucian studies to understand unique paradigms of Korean Neo-Confucianism. It will stimulate comparative philosophers or religionists and general humanists to consider Korean Neo-Confucianism seriously as a major resource for understanding East Asian philosophy and religion. ... Read more

Product Description

In Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and other parts of East and Southeast Asia, as well as China, people are asking, "What does Confucianism have to offer today?" For some, Confucius is still the symbol of a reactionary and repressive past; for others, he is the humanist admired by generations of scholars and thinkers, East and West, for his ethical system and discipline. In the face of such complications, only a scholar of Theodore de Bary's stature could venture broad answers to the question of the significance of Confucianism in today's world.

Product Description
This collection of essays explores the development of the New Confucianism movement during the 20th century and questions whether it is, in fact, a distinctly new intellectual movement or one that has been mostly retrospectively created. The questions that contributors to this book seek to answer about this neo-conservative philosophical movement include: “What has been the cross-fertilization between Chinese scholars in China and overseas made possible by the shared discourse of Confucianism?”; “To what extent does this discourse transcend geographical, political, cultural, and ideological divides?”; “Why do so many Chinese intellectuals equate Confucianism with Chinese cultural identity?”; and “Does the Confucian revival of the 1990s in China and Taiwan represent a genuine philosophical renaissance or a resurgence in interest based on political and cultural factors?”.
... Read more

Product Description
Huang's book analyzes the major Neo-Confucian philosophers from the eleventh to the sixteenth centuries. Focusing on metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical philosophical issues, this study presents the historical development of the Neo-Confucian school, an outgrowth of ancient Confucianism, and characterizes its thought, background, and influence. Key concepts--for example tai-ji (supreme ultimate), xin (mind), and ren (humanity)--as interpreted by each thinker are discussed in detail. Also examined are the two major schools that developed during this period, Cheng-Zhu, School of Principle, and Lu-Wang, School of Mind. These schools, despite different philosophical orientations, were convinced that their common goal, to bring about a harmonious relationships between man and the universe and between man and man, could be achieved through different ways of philosophizing. To understand the Chinese mind, it is necessary to understand Neo-Confucianism as a reformation of early Confucianism. ... Read more

Product Description
Is the Confucian tradition compatible with the Western understanding of human rights?Are there fundamental human values, regardless of cultural differences, common to all peoples of all nations?At this critical point in Communist China's history, eighteen distinguished scholars address the role of Confucianism in dealing with questions of universal human rights. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Attention, QC!
Great material, but MY GOD, this book needed to be gone over by a copy editor! What are publishing houses spending all their money on? ... Read more

Product Description

Confucianism demonstrates a remarkable wealth of resources for rethinking human-earth relations. This second volume in the series on religions of the world and the environment includes sixteen essays that address the ecological crisis and the question of Confucianism from three perspectives: the historical describes this East Asian tradition's views of nature, social ethics, and cosmology, which may shed light on contemporary problems; a dialogical approach links Confucianism to other philosophic and religious traditions; an examination of engaged Confucianism looks at its involvement in concrete ecological issues.

Product Description
Responses to 101 Questions on Religions of China and Japan packs a great deal of information about three major East Asian faith communities--Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto--into a series of brief, thematically arranged sections, all in the popular question and answer format. Major areas include origins and early sources. Designed as a companion volume to the author's other volumes on Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam in this series, this book is perfect for high school and college courses, adult/continuing education groups as well as inquiring minds. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good, reliable basic information
In "101 Questions and Answers on Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto" author John Renard organizes the 101 questions into nine different sections.These nine sections are Beginnings and Early Sources, Development and Spread, Doctrines and Practices, Authority, Law, and Ethics, Spirituality and Popular Piety, Religion and Artistic Expression, Internal Diversity and External Relations, Women, Family, and Society, and Chinese and Japanese Traditions Here and Now.The author does an excellent job of bringing the reader a basic understanding of each tradition using a Frequently Asked Questions format.The answers are well thought out and well written so they are as clear as possible.If you are looking for a basic understanding of any or all of these traditions and how they are both similar and different you can't go wrong with this book."101 Questions and Answers on Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto" is a recommended read. ... Read more