Confucius

by Jonathan Clements

Confucius was the philosopher-founder of an intellectual, ethical tradition that has shaped a quarter of the world's population. Often misunderstood outside his native country, Jonathan Clements reveals him to be an outspoken and uncompromising man, and places him within the context of China of 2,500 years ago. Confucius, a contemporary of Buddha, was the illegitimate son of a retired soldier and a teenage concubine. He had a passionate belief in respect for others and it was this belief which underpinned his life and teachings. He advised the famous figures of his day, gaining their respect, and also the undying enmity of those whose paths he crossed. He was equally proud of both achievements, saying that if the evil people of the world liked him, he was doing something wrong. Confucius established many ideas that are taken for granted today. His theories became the foundation of one of the world's first civil services and established enduring social structures throughout Asia. This is an exploration of one of the most important figures in Chinese history, his teachings and the world in which he lived.

Genres: Philosophy, Biography, China, History, Religion, Nonfiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Jonathan Clements is an author, translator, biographer and scriptwriter. His non-fiction works include biographies of Confucius, Marco Polo, Mao Zedong, Koxinga and Qin Shihuangdi. He also writes for NEO magazine and is the co-author of encyclopedias of anime and Japanese television dramas.

Reviews

[Rey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Succinct bio of Confucius, basically provides the summary highlights of his life without going far too in depth. A decent enough intro on him, his lifetime and impact he had later on China.

Interesting to note that he was rather idealistic and headstrong on his principles yet faced lot of doubts that they would survive beyond his lifetime. Fascinating that, 2000 years later millions follow it and still see it as guiding principles.

Quite an impactful life, and look forward to reading more in depth on his principles.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jonathan Clements make this very understandable. There are a lot of politics going on here and it can be a bit much but under Mr. Clements tutelage, you will be just fine.
I really like Confucius and want to learn as much as I can about him. I love how thoughtful and kind he was to the elderly.

xviii: Husbands had a duty to their wives, the old to the young and parents to their children. If each remained benevolent, while the other remained obedient, these simple rules would extend out into the wider world,

Songs will give power to your imagination and heighten your perception, they will bring you friends and teach you irony. When at home, they will bring joy to your parents. When far away, they can bring solace to your prince. pg.12

Be courteous, and you will not be humiliated. Be wide-ranging, and you will gain the love of the people. Be honorable, and others shall trust you. Be diligent, and you shall eventually succeed in every task Ana:XVII, 6 (pg.54)

It is said that with good people in charge, one after the other, for a hundred years, there would be no need for capital punishment...thieves and murderers would be a thing of the past. pg. 79

[Joseph Durham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A honest reflection of Confucius life, work and current cultural impact. Previous to this book I did not know much about Confucius outside of the popular culture treatment of his sayings, and attribution of sayings that were not his. At the end of the book the author lists some of Confucius' sayings that he deemed accurate and useful. The bibliography is a extensive reference for further reading.

[Steph Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little read.

After reading a rather heavy philosophy book, this was really easy to follow and very interesting.

Confucius’ teachings are something we can all learn from.

[Ayah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seems like a nice guy

[Jackson Cyril · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clements paints a vibrant picture of early China and the great sage whose influence on its subsequent history was profound. Confucius comes off as a man wandering from ruler to ruler trying to persuade each to adopt his ethics and mode of ruling.