The Wisdom of the Confucians - Tapa dura

The words of Confucius have passed into legend, epitomizing as they do a wiser and more measured way of life than that of our hectic modern age. Advocating social harmony, self-improvement and sound ethical principles, this sage approach to life has much to offer all members of the global community, regardless of race or creed. Highly practical, yet also deeply spiritual, the essence of the Confucian tradition is captured within this little book. Drawing on a variety of ancient sources, these extracts address a multitude of themes, from the importance of the family to the development of individual virtue, and the cultivation of knowledge.

Zhou Xun was born in South-West China, where she completed a degree in Library Studies before gaining her MA and Ph.D. degrees in the UK. An expert on Chinese perceptions of Judaism, she has published widely in this area and is an ESRC Fellow in the History Department of the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. T. H. Barrett studied at Cambridge, Yale, and in Tokyo, and is presently Professor of East Asian History at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.