The Chinese Classics: Vol
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The Online Library of Liberty A Project Of Liberty Fund, Inc. Confucius, The Chinese Classics: Vol. 1. The Life and Teachings of Confucius (Analects, Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean) [1869] The Online Library Of Liberty This E-Book (PDF format) is published by Liberty Fund, Inc., a private, non-profit, educational foundation established in 1960 to encourage study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals. 2010 was the 50th anniversary year of the founding of Liberty Fund. It is part of the Online Library of Liberty web site http://oll.libertyfund.org, which was established in 2004 in order to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. To find out more about the author or title, to use the site's powerful search engine, to see other titles in other formats (HTML, facsimile PDF), or to make use of the hundreds of essays, educational aids, and study guides, please visit the OLL web site. This title is also part of the Portable Library of Liberty DVD which contains over 1,000 books and quotes about liberty and power, and is available free of charge upon request. The cuneiform inscription that appears in the logo and serves as a design element in all Liberty Fund books and web sites is the earliest-known written appearance of the word “freedom” (amagi), or “liberty.” It is taken from a clay document written about 2300 B.C. in the Sumerian city-state of Lagash, in present day Iraq. To find out more about Liberty Fund, Inc., or the Online Library of Liberty Project, please contact the Director at [email protected]. LIBERTY FUND, INC. 8335 Allison Pointe Trail, Suite 300 Indianapolis, Indiana 46250-1684 Online Library of Liberty: The Chinese Classics: Vol. 1. The Life and Teachings of Confucius (Analects, Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean) Edition Used: The Chinese Classics: Translated into English with Preliminary Essays and Explanatory Notes by James Legge. Vol. 1. The Life and Teachings of Confucius. Second Edition (London: N. Trübner, 1869). Author: Confucius Translator: James Legge About This Title: Legge provides lengthy introduction to Confucius’ life and thought, and to three major works: the Analects, Of the Great Learning, and The Doctrine of the Mean. The numerous indexes at the back of the book have not been reproduced in the HTML version but can be viewed in the facsimile PDF version. PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 2 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/2270 Online Library of Liberty: The Chinese Classics: Vol. 1. The Life and Teachings of Confucius (Analects, Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean) About Liberty Fund: Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals. Copyright Information: The text is in the public domain. Fair Use Statement: This material is put online to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. Unless otherwise stated in the Copyright Information section above, this material may be used freely for educational and academic purposes. It may not be used in any way for profit. PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 3 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/2270 Online Library of Liberty: The Chinese Classics: Vol. 1. The Life and Teachings of Confucius (Analects, Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean) Table Of Contents Preface. Preliminary Essays. Chapter I.: Of the Chinese Classics Generally. Section I.: Books Included Under the Name of the Chinese Classics. Section II.: The Authority of the Chinese Classics. Chapter II.: Of the Confucian Analects. Section I.: Formation of the Text of the Analects By the Scholars of the Han Dynasty. Section II.: At What Time, and By Whom, the Analects Were Written; Their Plan; and Authenticity. Section III.: Of Commentaries Upon the Analects. Chapter III.: Of the Great Learning. Section I.: History of the Text; and the Different Arrangements of It Which Have Been Proposed. Section II.: Of the Authorship, and Distinction of the Text Into Classical Text and Commentary. Section III.: Its Scope and Value. Chapter IV.: The Doctrine of the Mean. Section I.: Its Place In the Le Ke, and Its Publication Separately. Section II.: Its Author; and Some Account of Him. Section III.: Its Scope and Value. Chapter V.: Confucius; His Influence and Doctrines. Section I.: Life of Confucius. Section II.: His Influence and Opinions. II.: The Classics Confucian Analects * Book I ** Book Ii * Book Iii * Book Iv * Book V. * Book VI. * Book VII. * Book VIII. * Book IX. * Book X. * Book XI. * Book XII. * Book XIII. * Book XIV. * Book XV. * Book XVI. * Book XVII. * Book XVIII. * PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 4 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/2270 Online Library of Liberty: The Chinese Classics: Vol. 1. The Life and Teachings of Confucius (Analects, Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean) Book XIX. * Book XX. * The Great Learning. * ** The Text of Confucius. *** Commentary of the Philosopher Tsang. The Doctrine of the Mean. * THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS of CONFUCIUS. WITH EXPLANATORY NOTES. by JAMES LEGGE, D.D. LONDON: N. TRÜBNER & CO., 60, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1869. [All Rights reserved.] PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 5 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/2270 Online Library of Liberty: The Chinese Classics: Vol. 1. The Life and Teachings of Confucius (Analects, Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean) [Back to Table of Contents] PREFACE. When the author, in 1861, commenced the publication of the Chinese Classics, with an English translation and such a critical apparatus as was necessary to the proper appreciation of the original Works, he did not contemplate an edition without the Chinese text and simply adapted for popular reading. It was soon pressed upon him, however, from various quarters; and he had formed the purpose to revise the separate volumes, when he should have completed the whole of his undertaking, and to publish the English text, with historical introductions and brief explanatory notes, which might render it acceptable for general perusal. He is sorry that circumstances have arisen to call for such an issue of his volumes, without waiting for the completion of the last of the Classics;—principally because it adds another to the many unavoidable hindrances which have impeded the onward prosecution of his important task. A Mr Baker, of Massachusetts, in the United States, having sent forth the prospectus of a republication of the author’s translation, his publisher in London strongly represented to him the desirableness of his issuing at once a popular edition in his own name, as a counter-movement to Mr Baker’s, and to prevent other similar acts of piracy:—and the result is the appearance of the present volume. It will be followed by a second, containing the Works of Mencius, as soon as the publisher shall feel himself authorized by public encouragement to go forward with the undertaking. The author has seen the first part of Mr Baker’s republication, containing the English text of his first volume, and the indexes of Subjects and Proper Names, without alteration. The only other matter in it is an introduction of between seven and eight pages. Four of these are occupied with an account of Confucius, taken from Chambers’ Encyclopædia, which Mr Baker says he chooses to copy:—so naturally does it come to him to avail himself of the labours of other men. “Convey the wise it call. Steal? Foh! A fico for the phrase!” In the remainder of his Introduction, Mr Baker assumes a controversial tone, and calls in question some of the judgments which the author has passed on the Chinese sage and his doctrines. He would make it out that Confucius was a most religious man, and abundantly recognized the truth of a future life; that the worship of God was more nearly universal in China than in the Theocracy of Israel; that the Chinese in general are not more regardless of truth than Dr Legge’s own countrymen; and that Confucius’ making no mention of heaven and hell is the reason why missionaries object to his system of practising virtue for virtue’s sake! Mr Baker has made some proficiency in the art of “adding insult to injury.” It is easy to see to what school of religion he belongs; but the author would be sorry to regard his publication as a specimen of the manner in which the members of it “practise virtue for virtue’s sake.” In preparing the present volume for the press, the author has retained a considerable part of the prolegomena in the larger work, to prepare the minds of his readers for proceeding with advantage to the translation, and forming an intelligent judgment on PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 6 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/2270 Online Library of Liberty: The Chinese Classics: Vol. 1. The Life and Teachings of Confucius (Analects, Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean) the authority which is to be allowed to the original Works. He has made a few additions and corrections which his increased acquaintance with the field of Chinese literature enabled him to do. He was pleased to find, in revising the translation, that the alterations which it was worth while to make were very few and unimportant. He has retained the headings to the notes on the several chapters, as they give, for the most part, an adequate summary of the subjects treated in them. All critical matter, interesting and useful only to students of the Chinese language, he has thrown out. In a few instances he has remodelled the notes, or made such additions to them as were appropriate to the popular design of the edition.