ISBN: 0231142048 9780231142045

Category: History / General

Page count: 988

Compiled by scholars at the court of Liu An, king of Huainan, in the second century B.C.E, <i>The Huainanzi</i> is a tightly organized, sophisticated articulation of Western Han philosophy and statecraft. Outlining "all that a modern monarch needs to know," the text emphasizes rigorous self-cultivation and mental discipline, brilliantly synthesizing for readers past and present the full spectrum of early Chinese thought.<br> <br> <i>The Huainanzi</i> locates the key to successful rule in a balance of broad knowledge, diligent application, and the penetrating wisdom of a sage. It is a unique and creative synthesis of Daoist classics, such as the <i>Laozi</i> and the <i>Zhuangzi</i>; works associated with the Confucian tradition, such as the <i>Changes</i>, the <i>Odes</i>, and the <i>Documents</i>; and a wide range of other foundational philosophical and literary texts from the <i>Mozi</i> to the <i>Hanfeizi</i>.<br> <br> The product of twelve years of scholarship, this remarkable translation preserves <i>The Huainanzi</i>'s special rhetorical features, such as parallel prose and verse, and showcases a compositional technique that conveys the work's powerful philosophical appeal. This path-breaking volume will have a transformative impact on the field of early Chinese intellectual history and will be of great interest to scholars and students alike.