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Chinese Studies: Philosophy

A guide to resources for the study of China

This page is a work in progress. Additional content will be added regularly and the layout improved.

Chinese Philosophy (Master's Literature)

 

 

 

 

Kongzi 孔子 or Confucius (ca. 551–479 BC)

Notable Translations:

  1. Edward Slingerland, trans. Confucius: Analects (Indianapolis: Hackett, 2003)
  2. D.C. Lau, trans., Confucius: The Analects (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1979); Bilingual Edition, with Chinese text (HK Univ. Press, 2000)
  3. Simon Leys, trans., The Analects of Confucius (New York: Norton, 1997)
  4. Raymond Dawson, trans. Confucius: The Analects (Oxford Univ. Press, 1993)
  5. Arthur Waley, trans., The Analects of Confucius (New York: Random House, 1938)
  6. Tsai Chi-chong, The Analects, graphic novel in English trans. (Princeton Univ. Press, 2018)

 

 

 

Mengzi 孟子 or Mencius (ca. 372–289 BC)

  • Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Bryan Van Norden: "Mencius"
  • Chinese Text Project: "Mengzi" (Digital Chinese text with translation by James Legge, d. 1897)

Notable Translations:

  1. D.C. Lau, tr. Mencius (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1970; rpt. 2009)
  2. D.C. Lau, tr. Mencius. Bilingual Edition (University of Hong Kong Press, 2009)
  3. Bryan W. Van Norden, tr. Mengzi: With Selections from Traditional Commentaries (Indianapolis: Hackett, 2008) eBook.

 

 

 

 

Xunzi 荀子 (ca. 312–230 BC)

  • Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Paul Golden: "Xunzi"
  • Chinese Text Project: "Xunzi" (Digital edition of Chinese text)

Notable Translations:

  1. John Knoblock, tr. Xunzi: A Translation and Study of the Complete Works. 3 vols. (Stanford University Press, 1988-94)
  2. Burton Watson, tr. Basic Writings of Hsün Tzu (New York: Columbia University Press, 1963; reprinted 2003).

Dao de jing 道德經 (The Way and Its Power)

Notable Translations:

  1. D. C. Lau (trans.). Tao Te Ching. Penguin (1963; 2003).
  2. Henricks (trans.). Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching: A Translation of the Startling New Documents Found at Guodian (2000).

 

Zhuangzi 莊子 (The Writings of Master Zhuang)

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Chand Hansen. (2014). "Zhuangzi"

Notable Translations:

  1. Burton Watson (trans.), Zhuangzi: Basic Writings (2003). eBook
  2. Burton Watson (trans.), The Complete Works of Zhuangzi (1968).
  3. A. C. Graham (trans.), Ch'uang-T'zu: Seven Inner Chapters and Other Writings (1981)
  4. Victor Mair (trans.), Wandering on the Way: Early Daoist Tales and Parables of Chuangzi (1994). 
  5. Brook Ziporyn (trans.), Zhuangzi: Essential Writings with Selections from Traditional Commentaries (2009).
  6. Richard Lynn (trans.), Zhuangzi: A New Translation of the Sayings of Master Zhuang as Interpreted by Guo Xiang (2022). 

 

Liezi 列子 (The Writings of Master Lie)

  1. A. C. Graham, The Book of Lie-tzu: A Classic of the Tao (1990).

Legalist Philosophy

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (2018). "Legalism in Chinese Philosophy" (eBook)

Chinese Text Project: Legalism (digitized Chinese texts)

 

Han Feizi 韓非子 (d. 233 BC)

Notable Translations:

  1. Burton Watson (trans.). Han Feizi: Basic Writings, 2003. Also in eBook.
  2. Joel Sahleen (trans.). "Han Feizi" in Bryan van Norton (ed.) Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy, Hackett, 2001. Also in eBook.

 

Gongsun Yang 公孫鞅 or Shang Yang 商鞅 (d. 338 BC)

Notable Translations:

  1. Yuri Pines (trans.). The Book of Lord Shang: Apologetics of State Power in Early China. New York: Columbia Univ. Press, 2017.  Also in eBook. 
  2. Duyvendak, J. J. L. (trans.). The Book of Lord Shang: A Classic of the Chinese School of Law. London: Probsthain, 1928. Also in eBook.

 

Shen Buhai 申不害 (d. 337 BCE)

Notable Translations:

  1. Eirik Lang Harris. (2016). The Shenzi Fragments: A Philosophical Analysis and Translation. New York: Columbia University Press (eBook).

Databases of Primary Sources

Good English Translations of the Confucian Analects

Confucius Analects: With Selections from Traditional Commentaries

 E. Slingerland (trans.). Published: 2003.

The Analects of Confucius

Annotated and translated by Arthur Waley. Published: 1938; rpt. 1989.

Confucius: The Analects

Oxford World Classics. Raymond Dawson (trans.). Published: 1993.

The Analects: Confucius

Norton Critical Edition. Translated by Simon Leys. Published, 2014. 

Massive Open Online Courses

Chinese Thought: Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Science (Part 1) by Edward Slingerland (University of British Columbia). Create and account to view content for this free online course. The lectures are exceptionally good. The course covers Confucianism, Taoism, and Mohist Thought, and the early Chinese historical context for these ways of understanding the world.

The Path to Happiness: What Chinese Philosophy Teaches us about the Good Life Michel Puett (Harvard University). The course focuses on seven figures from this period in particular: Confucius, Mozi, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, and Han Feizi.

Good General Overviews of Early Chinese Thought

Books to Help with Historical Context

Best Dictionary App and Online Dictionary for Classical Chinese

Pleco

For your Chinese to English, English to Chinese, and Chinese to Chinese dictionary needs, I recommend that you download the Pleco App to your device. There are many excellent features and dictionaries that can be purchased within the App. Including the dictionary by Paul W. Kroll described below.

Best Print Dictionaries for Classical Chinese (Located in Asian Reference)

Unabridged Dictionaries (Multiple Volumes)

Hanyu da cidian  汉语大词典 (Comprehensive Dictionary of Chinese Words)

Asian Reference PL 1420 .H26 1987 (12 vols.)

Hanyu da zidian  汉语大字典 (Comprehensive Dictionary of Chinese Characters)

Asian Reference PL 1420 .H26 1986 (10 vols.)

Dai Kanwa jiten 大漢和辞典 (Morohashi)  Definitions in Japanese

Asian Reference PL 681.C5 M6 1966  (13 vols).     

Zhongwen da cidian 中文大辭典 (Comprehensive Chinese Dictionary)

Asian Reference PL 1420 .C57  (40 vols).