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Mencius (Penguin Classics)
Download Ebook Mencius (Penguin Classics)
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About the Author
Mencius (372-298 BC) was one of the greatest Chinese philosophers, focusing on political theory and practice. Mencius, like Confucius, believed that rulers were divinely placed in order to guarantee peace and order among the people they rule. Unlike Confucius, Mencius believed that if a ruler failed to bring peace and order about, then the people could be absolved of all loyalty to that ruler and were justified to revolt. D. C. Lau is a Professor at the University of Hong Kong.
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Product details
Series: Penguin Classics
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Penguin Classics; Reprint edition (June 28, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 014044971X
ISBN-13: 978-0140449716
Product Dimensions:
5.1 x 0.7 x 7.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 8.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review:
3.6 out of 5 stars
41 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
#264,781 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
First of all, this is an excellent edition of Mencius. The introduction is great, the translation is seamless, and the appendices are insightful as well. It might even be a good idea to read Appendix Four before reading the body of the work, as familiarity with the historical context is key for following the analogies in the book, many of which draw upon knowledge of historical figures who must have been as familiar to the ancient Chinese as such figures as Lincoln, Hitler, and Churchill are for us. Reading the text, I thought how wonderful it would be to see what analogies a modern day Mencius would use to argue his points.The text itself is full of many gems. As others have noted, one of Mencius' critical additions to Confucianism is the idea that human nature is good, as argued using a number of powerful analogies such as the "child falling into a well" and the "downward flow of water" scenarios. Of course one can take issue with these analogies and come up with counterarguments, but remember that it is essentially impossible to "prove" which way human nature leans. Likewise, while the general idea of the Mandate of Heaven is present in the Analects, I believe it is Mencius who fully articulates it in a series of wonderful examples. Therefore Mencius does not just refine or restate Confucianism, he expands it as well.Overall, I enjoyed reading Mencius greatly and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the Analects. However, I did not find quite the same level of enjoyment reading Mencius as I did Confucius. For me, the analogies grew a little dense at times, and there was not the simple yet elegant profundity that keeps pulling me back to read the Analects time and time again. For me, Mencius is a great supplemental reader to Confucianism ... but it does not come close to surpassing its primary text: the Analects. Then again, that was not Mencius' intent. He would likely be the first to admit that he was standing on the shoulders of the giant in his philosophical tradition: Confucius.A very good read, nonetheless. I am always amazed to think of the mental masterminds who sprung up in China and Europe at the same general time in history. Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, etc. Even if some of the works were written by disciples, the brilliance of the ideas shines through. Mencius is a worthy addition to this tradition of scholarly excellence. However, if you are to read one book and one book only on Confucianism, make it the Analects! But if Confucius is the paragon, Mencius should feel no shame in being #2.
I have read a great deal of Chinese history. I have also read many of the philosophy classics; Confucius Analects, the Tao Te Ching, the I Ching, and the Chuang Tsu. Chinese philosophy does not set forth ideas as directly as Western philosophy. You can read three sentences and search for the meaning for fifteen minutes. The writing conveys ideas in what is to me an abstruse fashion. I briefly studied the Chinese language and it conveys a lot of ideas in a short space.After the thinking I do get an idea. It is amazing what is conveyed in a few words. There is no attempt to set forth an ordered set of ideas. What I understand are thoughts that form a point of view. That is what I mean by inscrutable.Mencius is not nearly as minimalist as the Analects. He tells short tales with a moral. To that extent he is easier to understand. The same ideas appear with different emphasis in tales. The writing does not present a clear direct system of ideas, such as Aristotle. My interpretation may be much different than yours.I enjoyed Mencius. I felt it was worth while and gave me insight into Chinese thought. It must be remembered that he is second only to Confucius in Confucian thought.What worked for me was to read slowly and take notes. I had to invest a great deal of time in reading what is a short book. I still feel I need to read some type of treatise to get a better understanding of the philosophy of Mencius. Reading Mencius first gives the basis to build a greater understanding of Chinese philosophy and the Chinese point of view.
Very few people in the West have heard of Mencius. However, in East Asia he is known as "the second sage" of Confucianism -- second only to Confucius himself. The eponymous _Mencius_ is a collection of his sayings and dialogues with disciples, rulers, and rival philosophers. It is unfortunate that this work is not more widely read outside of Asia. It is more accessible than the often cryptic _Analects_ of Confucius. Furthermore, Mencius is arguably a deeper philosophical thinker than Confucius. Buy this book and you'll get a fine translation of a classic of world literature and philosophy.Mencius is most famous for his claim that human nature is good. He illustrates this by asking us to imagine a person who suddenly sees a child about to fall into a well. Anyone, Mencius claims, would have a feeling of alarm and compassion at this sight. This feeling is a manifestation of our innate tendency toward benevolence. Mencius is aware that, despite having this innate tendency toward virtue, most people fail to act in a benevolent manner. But he claims that this is due to bad environmental factors, as well as a failure to cultivate one's "sprouts" of virtue. (Lau translates "sprout" as "germ," a minor infelicity.)Lau's _Mencius_ is probably the best complete translation of this work in English. It also includes extensive supporting material: an interpretive introduction, a glossary, and appendices on events in the life of Mencius, early traditions about Mencius, the text of the _Mencius_, ancient history as understood by Mencius, and Mencius's method of argumentation.James Legge also did a complete translation, _The Works of Mencius_, which is a little dated (it was completed in the late 19th century), but it is still a good translation, and includes the Chinese text, along with extensive notes. I did a partial translation of the _Mencius_ for _Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy_.
Mencius is very famous in China, and everyone knows who he is. Everyone interested in Chinese philosophy should read his works. I recommend taking notes in the sides of the pages to look back at later and also to see how your views change as you move along in the book and think more and more!
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