Confucianism presents the history and salient tenets of Confucian thought, and discusses its viability, from both a social and a philosophical point of view, in the modern world. Despite most of the major Confucian texts having been translated into English, there remains a surprising lack of straightforward textbooks on Confucian philosophy in any Western language. Those that do exist are often oriented from the point of view of Western philosophy - or, worse, a peculiar school of thought within Western philosophy - and advance correspondingly skewed interpretations of Confucianism. This book seeks to rectify this situation. It guides readers through the philosophies of the three major classical Confucians: Confucius (551-479 BC), Mencius (372-289 BC), and Xunzi (fl. 3rd cent. BC), and concludes with an overview of later Confucian revivals and the standing of Confucianism today.

"It is short and substantial, lucid and learned, faithful and insightful, resourceful and relevant, as well as sympathetic and critical. . . Taking into consideration the size of the book, the crisp prose, the solid scholarship, the reliable exposition, the philosophical rigor, and the insightful expositions, it can indeed be regarded as the best introduction to Confucianism.'"

Kampor Yu Source: Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews

"It is comprehensive, readable, informative, reliable, well documented with a rich listing of primary and secondary source material, and covers the contributions of the three major figures in classical Confucianism: Confucius, Mencius, and Xunzi.'"

Source: Metapyschology Online

"The best introduction to classical Confucian philosophy currently available. It is unique in being not only very well written (and thus accessible to non-specialists) but equally grounded on meticulous scholarship of primary and secondary sources. It not only provides non-specialists with a highly informed introduction to the crucial classics of the Confucian tradition, but also a handy guide for scholars interested in the various views on Confucian philosophy that are currently discussed within the academic community.'"

Hans-Georg Moeller