The Sayings of Confucius

by Confucius

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Pages: 95

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About this book

The Sayings of Confucius is a translation by Leonard A. Lyall, divided into twenty books and followed by an index. An introduction says Confucius was born in 550 B.C. in the land of Lu, wandered from land to land for thirteen years followed by his disciples, and was invited in 483 B.C. to return to his native land.

The sayings are short numbered passages, many beginning with the words the Master said. In one he asks what governing is to a man who can rule himself. Another says that if good men governed a land for a hundred years, cruelty would be conquered. In one exchange the disciple Jan comes back from court and the Master asks why he is so late. The index has entries such as Tzu-kung, with references to the passages.

About the author

Confucius

Confucius (551-479 BCE) was a Chinese teacher and philosopher of the late Zhou period whose ideas on ethics, family, and government became the foundation of Confucianism. He held minor office in his home state of Lu and spent years traveling in search of a ruler who would heed him.