The Analects of Confucius: A Philosophical Translation by Roger T. Ames
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a great book for anyone who wants to get a good introduction to the core values of Confucianism. The translation of the Analects itself is not my favorite. Though I like parts of it better than others on the whole I like Burton Watson's translation better. That said, the introduction of Ames Philosophical translation of the Analects is the best I have read. It gives the reader a clear understanding of some of the fundamental differences between Eastern and Western thought, and accurately portrays the ideal of confucianism.
Too many academics in their writings on Confucianism have written based on the reality of history rather than the ideals that Confucianism tries to set. To judge any belief-system religious, philosophical, or political by the way it has been put to practice rather than what it strove for is to demonize it. If you look at the implementation of confucianism in Chinese or Korean histories you find authoritarianism, sexism, machoism and a long list of atrocities. However, the same can be said for christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Democracy, or any other belief system. Yet we do not judge Christianity based on the Crusades, or democracy based on the genocides it has led to in India and Rwanda. So we should not judge confucianism by the worst of its perversions. In attempting to see the ideal for which confucianism strives, this book is perfect.
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