Learning to Be A Sage: Selections from the Conversations of Master Chu, Arranged Topically by Hsi Chu

by Zhu Xi

For centuries, the teachings of Chu Hsi (1130-1200) dominated Chinese intellectual life. Every literate person was familiar with them. They informed the curricula of private academies and public schools; the state made them the basis of its prestigious civil service examinations. Nor was Chu's influence limited to China. In both Korea and Japan, his teachings defined the terms of scholarly debate and served as the foundation of state ideology.Examines Chu Hsi's views on learning and how he arrived at them. A collection of teachings recorded by Chu's disciples.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, China, History

Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Zhu Xi or Chu Hsi (Chinese: 朱熹, October 18, 1130 – April 23, 1200) was a Song Dynasty Confucian scholar who became the leading figure of the School of Principle and the most influential rationalist Neo-Confucian in China. His contributions to Chinese philosophy including his assigning special significance to the Analects of Confucius, the Mencius, the Great Learning, and the Doctrine of the Mean (the Four Books), his emphasis on the investigation of things (gewu), and the synthesis of all fundamental Confucian concepts, formed the basis of Chinese bureaucracy and government for over 700 years.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Jake · Rating 2 out of 5]

um...would be interesting for someone during their freshman year. says a lot about education systems and styles, both imposed and self-imposed.

[Sol 솔 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zhu Xi is the sage of learning, who everyone knows in East Asia, but nobody knows in the West. So, just to correct that massive selection bias, this book deserves some stars.

It covers a very small part of Zhu Xi’s massive writings, specifically focusing on his writing on learning. The selections come from the “Recorded Sayings of Master Zhu, Categorized” (朱子語類), and the translations are pretty decent. There is also a massive 80-page narrative introduction, which seems a bit long-winded, but has some good historic information.

[Arthur Rosenfeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not easy reading, but I love the juice footnotes and details.

[Jessica Zu · Rating 4 out of 5]

old, but still meaningful to read

[Craig]

Cautionary note: Archive.org's scan of this text is too light to easily read.