Peter Bol

This book left me disheartened. The beginning was not bad and the first three chapters lived up to my expectations to some extent. The author outlines the development of Confucian political thought from the 8th to the 11th century and I could follow his thoughts satisfactorily. But in the remaining chapters 4-7 I fell off the wagon. Maybe Confucian political thought is just too alien to be dressed in English vocabulary. Maybe this book is for professional scholars, not for general readers. Or maybe I struggled because the author doesn't write very clearly and prefers to concentrate on esoteric philosophical ideas instead of practical government. In any event, this book made me question whether it makes any sense for a non-professional western reader to try to understand Confucianism. As portrayed in this book, its elusive political theory seems to be completely detached from the real world, which makes it very hard to understand what purpose it could serve apart from empty ritual. Even its moral side seems odd and incompatible with everyday concerns. This book did not clarify these matters, it only made me more confused, so I can't recommend it.… (more)